Non-conference home games against Xavier, Dayton and Nebraska
highlight the 2005-06 Creighton University men's basketball schedule,
released today by Bluejay head coach Dana Altman. All told, CU will play 15 regular-season home games in addition to non-conference road tests at George Mason, DePaul and Chattanooga.

After hosting exhibitions vs. EA Sports (Nov. 6) and Nebraska-Kearney (Nov. 13), Creighton opens the regular-season by hosting Arkansas-Pine Bluff on

Nov. 19. Three days later (Nov. 22), CU hits the road for its first-ever
meeting with George Mason. The Patriots return their entire roster from last season's 16-13 squad and are 77-13 at home the past seven seasons.

After a few days off for Thanksgiving, the Jays return home that Saturday
(Nov. 26) to renew a series with Dayton for the first time since 1986.
Another regional rival returns on Nov. 30 when CU plays at DePaul. It will
be CU's first meeting with the Blue Demons since a 1990 NIT contest and the Jays' first game in Chicago since the 2002 team faced Florida and Illinois in the NCAA Tournament.

The Bluejays will stay on the road for their next game, a Dec. 6 Bracket
Buster Saturday rematch vs. Chattanooga. The Mocs finished 20-11 last season and are the first of CU's five games versus NCAA qualifiers from a year ago.

Creighton opens a season-long four-game homestand with a Dec. 11 contest against Nebraska. Each of the last five meetings in the series has been decided by eight points or less. CU has won six straight regular-season meetings with the Cornhuskers.

After a week off for final exams, CU returns to the court on Dec. 18 to play
traditional power Xavier. Each of the last two meetings with the Muskeeteers have been decided on the final possession of the game. CU closes play before the holiday break with a Dec. 21 home game vs. Norfolk State.

The Jays open the conference season on Dec. 28 when newly-named Missouri State (formerly Southwest Missouri State) comes to town. It will be a rematch of last season's State Farm Missouri Valley Conference championship game, won by the Bluejays 75-57.

CU plays its first MVC road contests on Dec. 31 and Jan. 2 on a road trip to Illinois State and Bradley, respectively. The Illinois State game will be
CU¹s third New Year¹s Eve road game in the last four seasons, while
Creighton will look to become the first Bradley opponent to win five
consecutive seasons at Carver Arena in Peoria.

CU hits the road to play NCAA at-large qualifiers Northern Iowa (Jan. 11)
and Southern Illinois (Jan. 25) in a pair of Wednesday road games. The teams will return trips to Qwest Center OMAHA� on Jan. 31 (Northern Iowa) and Feb. 11 (Southern Illinois). The SIU game in Omaha is scheduled to air on ESPN2.

The Jays are once again scheduled to host a to-be-determined opponent for Bracket Buster Saturday on Feb. 18. The event is scheduled to expand to 100 teams, with pairings determined in late January.

Creighton will close the home campaign by honoring Jeffrey Day, Nate Funk, Johnny Mathies and Jimmy Motz after a Feb. 22 game vs. Indiana State as part of its annual Senior Day festivities.

For the second straight season, the Bluejays are scheduled to close the
regular-season on the road, this time at Missouri State on Feb. 25.

Creighton goes for its sixth State Farm Missouri Valley Conference
Tournament title in the last eight years on March 2-5 at Savvis Center in
St. Louis, Mo. The winner clinches an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The Bluejays have advanced to eight straight postseasons and will return seven lettermen and four starters from last season's 23-11 squad. Last season the team led the MVC with an average  attendance of 11,208 fans per game and set a league record with its seventh straight 20-win season.

As more details and game times are known, they'll be updated on the men's basketball schedule page at http://www.gocreighton.com. The television package for both the Missouri Valley Conference and local CBS affiliate KM3 are still being finalized and will be announced at a later time.

2005-06 Creighton Men¹s Basketball Schedule

Sun.    Nov. 6    EA SPORTS (Ex.)    Qwest Center OMAHA
Sun.    Nov. 13    NEBRASKA-KEARNEY (Ex.)    Qwest Center OMAHA
Sat.    Nov. 19    ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF    Qwest Center OMAHA    1:05 p.m.
Tue.    Nov. 22    at George Mason    Fairfax, Va.    6 p.m. (7 pm Est)
Sat.    Nov. 26    DAYTON    Qwest Center OMAHA�     7:05 p.m.
Wed.    Nov. 30    at DePaul    Chicago, Ill.    7:05 p.m.
Tue.    Dec. 6    at Chattanooga    Chattanooga, Tenn.    6 p.m. (7 pm Est)
Sun.    Dec. 11    NEBRASKA    Qwest Center OMAHA     TBA
Sun.    Dec. 18    XAVIER    Qwest Center OMAHA   7:05 p.m.
Wed.    Dec. 21    NORFOLK STATE    Qwest Center OMAHA   7:05 p.m.
Wed.    Dec. 28    MISSOURI STATE*    Qwest Center OMAHA     7:05 p.m.
Sat.    Dec. 31    at Illinois State*    Normal, Ill.    TBA
Mon.    Jan. 2    at Bradley*    Peoria, Ill.    7:05 p.m.
Thur.    Jan. 5    ILLINOIS STATE*    Qwest Center OMAHA     7:05 p.m.
Sun.    Jan. 8    DRAKE*    Qwest Center OMAHA     TBA
Wed.    Jan. 11    at Northern Iowa*     Cedar Falls, Iowa    TBA
Sun.    Jan. 15    at Indiana State*    Terre Haute, Ind.    TBA
Wed.    Jan. 18    BRADLEY*    Qwest Center OMAHA    7:05 p.m.
Sun.    Jan. 22    EVANSVILLE*    Qwest Center OMAHA     TBA
Wed.    Jan. 25    at Southern Illinois*     Carbondale, Ill.    TBA
Sat.    Jan. 28    WICHITA STATE*    Qwest Center OMAHA     TBA
Tue.    Jan. 31    NORTHERN IOWA*    Qwest Center OMAHA     TBA
Sat.    Feb. 4    at Drake*    Des Moines, Iowa    7:05 p.m.
Tue.    Feb. 7    at Evansville*    Evansville, Ind.    TBA
Sat.    Feb. 11    SIU* (ESPN2)    Qwest Center OMAHA   1:05 p.m.
Tue.    Feb. 14    at Wichita State*     Wichita, Kan.    TBA
Sat.    Feb. 18    BRACKET BUSTER SATURDAY  Qwest Center OMAHA
Wed.    Feb. 22    INDIANA STATE* (FSN Wildcard)  Qwest Center OMAHA
Sat.    Feb. 25    at Missouri State* (FSN Wildcard)    Springfield, Mo.

*Denotes MVC regular-season games
 

Check out more 2005-06 Team Schedules.