After beating Loyola-Chicago on Tuesday night, Creighton’s next opponent in the NIT is Memphis, a team that seems on the surface to play a style well-suited to the Bluejays because unlike Loyola, they like to play fast. The faster the better.
Beneath the surface, there’s reason for concern in this matchup, though. The Tigers own a 21.4% opponent turnover rate, which is 34th best in the country. St. John’s, a team the Jays struggled IMMENSELY against, was a very similar 21.2% (38th in the country). The Tigers aren’t nearly as long as the Johnnies, but they’re just as active, and they’re quick enough to extend their defense well beyond the three-point line without worrying about being too spread out.