March Madness – Creighton Sustained Greatness

Bluejays Were Dominating

(St. Louis, MO) – Before leaving for the Big East Conference, the Creighton Bluejays were a Missouri Valley Conference standard bearer. During my first 16 years of covering the Valley, the Bluejays were the model everyone else was following.

From 1998 to 2013 the Bluejays won four conference championships, eight Arch Madness titles and played postseason basketball during all sixteen seasons. They enjoyed many great ‘March Moments’.

While participating in nine NCAA Tournaments, Creighton won just four March Madness games. They won opening round games in 1999, 2002, 2012 and 2013. CU reached the championship round of the 2011 College Basketball Invitational.

Brody Deren was significant part of the 2002-2004 Bluejay squads. He was a rugged rebounder and a capable scorer. The Harlan, Iowa native began his career at Northwestern and transferred to the Omaha school for his final three seasons.

He was named to the Valley’s ‘all-newcomer’ team and during his three seasons received numerous all-conference notifications and landed on the 2002 Arch Madness ‘All Tournament’ team. Creighton triumphed in St. Louis and headed to the March Madness that spring.

Deren continues to live in Omaha and is a part of the Bluejay broadcasting team.

Altman’s Leadership

Dana Altman was the Deren’s coach and was wildly successful in Omaha and is now one of the nation’s top coaches at Oregon. The 6’8 Deren says Altman is ultra-competitive, extremely hard working and very intelligent.

 

 

Creighton’s 72-23 record during Deren’s time in Omaha represents the excellence of the Bluejay program. CU claimed one regular season title and two tournament titles during Deren’s three seasons.

The Bluejays had great confidence coming to St. Louis for what some of us used to call ‘The Dana Altman Invitational’. Deren says that confidence was built upon a foundation of his predecessors’ past experience.

 

 

Valley Standard Bearer in March

Twelfth seeded Creighton drew Florida. The opening round game found the Bluejays playing a team that had been ranked as high as number one in the nation earlier that season. Deren says his team enjoyed the ‘David versus Goliath’ scenario and came out on top.

The game went into double overtime and guard Terrell Taylor hit the game winning shot during the game’s final second.

 

 

2003 Great Regular Season, But Then…

Creighton went 26-4 during the regular season. They swept through Arch Madness and a received a six seed in the national tournament. The now 29-4 Bluejays reached the top ten in the national polls and Kyle Korver was named to numerous All-American teams.

Deren says they were a deep and offensively explosive team and Korver was truly special.

 

 

Creighton dropped their NCAA Tournament opening round game 79-73.

Southern Illinois won the regular 2003 season title and the two rivals shared 2002 championship while Creighton won the Arch Madness trophies. Both championship games were played between the two Valley titans. Deren says there was a healthy, but not friendly rivalry between the teams.

 

 

SIU advanced to the 2002 Sweet Sixteen (see March Moments SIU – Mike Reis). Southern Illinois’ stay in the 2003 tournament was one game. While Creighton was losing to Central Michigan, the Salukis lost a one point decision to Missouri.

Altman And Then Bluejays Depart

After the 2010 season Altman left Creighton for the head coaching position at Oregon. Three years later the Bluejays left for the Big East Conference. Deren says the two moves have been good for both parties. Oregon has won three conference titles and four tournament championships, while Creighton has found a good, competitive home.

Deren says his former coach is enjoying Eugene, Oregon.

 

 

Altman is 259-103 at Oregon after winning 327 games during his time at Creighton. The 61-year-old coach was once the standard bearer of the Missouri Valley and now he is doing the same thing in the Pacific Twelve Conference.

Visit Valley Hoops Insider Podcasts for our entire interview with Brody Deren.

 

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