Where Does Creighton Basketball Stand in the Latest Big East Rankings?

As I sit down to assess the current landscape of the Big East, a conference that never fails to deliver drama and top-tier basketball, my mind inevitably turns to the Creighton Bluejays. It’s a fascinating time, and figuring out where exactly Greg McDermott’s squad stands requires looking beyond just their win-loss record. The recent buzz around eligibility rules in international basketball, surprisingly, offers a compelling lens through which to view Creighton’s position. You see, I was just reading about the Gilas Pilipinas national team and how the SEA Games’ shift to a ‘passports-only’ rule has fundamentally changed their team-building strategy. It allowed them to field naturalized players like Brown and Kouame simultaneously and tap into a much wider pool of Fil-foreign talent. That concept—maximizing your available roster’s potential within a given set of rules—feels incredibly relevant to evaluating a team like Creighton in the hyper-competitive Big East.

Creighton’s standing, in my view, is solidly in the upper tier, but perhaps just a notch below the absolute favorites like UConn or Marquette. Let’s call it a strong third, with the potential to surge. Why? It comes down to how well they’ve utilized their own “roster pool.” They haven’t had the luxury of adding multiple transformative transfers every year; instead, they’ve relied on core development and strategic additions. Think of Ryan Kalkbrenner as their foundational “naturalized” talent—a player so unique in his defensive impact that he changes the geometry of the game, much like a dominant naturalized center would for a national team. His presence alone, averaging something like 15.9 points and 6.9 rebounds with over 2.8 blocks, anchors everything. Then you have Trey Alexander and Baylor Scheierman, who represent that “wider pool” of versatile, high-IQ players. Scheierman, in particular, is a masterclass in finding a perfect system fit, a graduate transfer who has blossomed into a do-everything wing, shooting around 38% from deep and grabbing 8 boards a game. They’ve built a cohesive unit where the sum is greater than its parts, which is exactly what the new rule aimed to do for Gilas—create a deeper, more synergistic team rather than relying on one or two stars.

Now, the challenges to climbing higher in the rankings are clear, and they mirror the limitations any team—or national program—faces. Depth, especially in the frontcourt behind Kalkbrenner, can be a concern. When you’re competing against the physicality of a Providence or the sheer talent volume of UConn, having a reliable “second unit” is non-negotiable. In a 20-game conference schedule, the grind exposes every weakness. I remember watching their tough 79-72 loss to Marquette on the road; it highlighted how, when their three-point shooting isn’t falling at a 40% clip, they can struggle to find consistent secondary scoring options. It’s the classic dilemma: they have a fantastic starting five, but the conference is so brutal that you need seven or eight guys you can truly trust. It’s not about having more players, but about having more reliable players, a quality-over-quantity approach that the Philippines’ new selection philosophy also seeks to achieve.

Looking ahead, Creighton’s fate in the final Big East standings and the NCAA tournament will hinge on two things, in my opinion. First, health. Kalkbrenner staying out of foul trouble and on the court is as crucial as any rule change in sports. Second, the emergence of one more consistent weapon off the bench. If someone like Mason Miller or a reserve guard can provide a reliable 8-10 points, it changes everything. It’s that final piece of roster optimization. They have the elite top-end talent, a proven system, and a coach who knows how to navigate this league. In a conference where the difference between a 3-seed and a 6-seed might be two close games, the Bluejays have the tools to finish near the very top. They may not be the biggest name or the most athletic team on paper every night, but their cohesion and strategic construction, much like a national team wisely adapting to new eligibility rules, make them a threat no one wants to see in March. I’d peg their final conference record around 14-6, which should be good enough for a top-three finish and another deep tournament run. They’ve built their roster brilliantly within their framework; now it’s about executing when the pressure is at its peak.