Creighton is hoping to avoid a first-round upset when it opens NCAA Tournament play against a red-hot Rhode Island team in a Midwest Regional game Friday at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, Calif.
Sixth-seeded Creighton (25-9) has lost eight of its last 15 games since starting point guard Maurice Watson Jr. was lost for the season. Eleventh-seeded Rhode Island (24-9) has won eight in a row and 12 of 14 to earn the program's first NCAA Tournament bid since 1999.
The Bluejays haven't been the same since Watson suffered a season-ending knee injury in January. The situation took an even uglier turn a few weeks later when authorities announced Watson was wanted on suspicion of sexual assault.