Creighton @ DePaul preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 9, 2019 ) DePaul 78, Creighton 91

DePaul was able to get off the schneid in a big way and will try to carry the momentum over into Wednesday's Big East game against visiting Creighton. The Blue Demons opened 0-4 in conference before toppling Butler and have a chance to snap a 10-game losing streak to the Bluejays.

The win over Butler Saturday was the first for the Blue Demons over a team ranked in the top five since 2006, but more importantly, it got them back performing like they did in non-conference play, when it compiled a 12-1 mark. "The last couple of weeks have not been easy for anybody, but as I kept telling them, 'We have to stay the course, stay the course'," coach Dave Leitao told the media. "It shows we have really good potential. It shows if we come together we can beat anybody, but also if we don't, anyone in this league can beat us." Paul Reed was his usual dependable self against Butler, falling one rebound short of his 14th double-double, but it was Jalen Coleman-Lands that stepped up big time, notching his second 20-point game of the season and first in 11 contests for the Blue Demons, who have dropped six straight at home to Creighton. The Bluejays got solid play from two of their big three in Ty-Shon Alexander and Mitch Ballock, who combined for 41 points, and a big 3-pointer late from the third member in Marcus Zegarowski, who came off the bench for the first time this season due to illness and finished with just eight points in a 78-74 triumph over Providence.

TIME: 9 p.m. ET. TV: CBS Sports Network

ABOUT CREIGHTON (14-5, 3-3 Big East): Ballock will have nothing but good memories when he lines up across from the Blue Demons, who he put 39 points and a Creighton record 11 3-pointers on in the last meeting. The 11 3-pointers were two more than the previous school mark of nine set by Kyle Korver and Ethan Wragge in 2003 and 2014, respectively, and matched the record for most triples in a Big East game set by Marquette's Markus Howard. Ballock, who is eighth in school history in 3-pointers made with 195, also set an NCAA record for 3-point percentage (91.7) in a game among players with 12 or more attempts.

ABOUT DEPAUL (13-5, 1-4): Making an adjustment to conference play has proven difficult for Romeo Weems, but the freshman looked more comfortable against Butler. The 6-7 forward had scored 14 total points in the first four league games despite playing more than 30 minutes in three of them, but he was able to contribute 11 points and three steals against the Bulldogs, who defeated Creighton 71-57 on Jan. 4. Weems scored nine of his points on 3-pointers, including one in the final seconds of the first half that gave DePaul a 10-point lead and another early in the second half that pushed the advantage to 14.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. This game will feature the Big East's top four players in minutes played per game in Ballock (35.9), DePaul's Charlie Moore (35.1), Zegarowski (34.6) and Alexander (34.5).

2. The Blue Demons dominated the series early by winning 15 of 20 games from 1937-2005, but the Bluejays have won 15 of 16 since to take a 20-16 lead.

3. Creighton has won at least 13 of its first 20 games in a season in 20 of the last 23 years.

PREDICTION: DePaul 88, Creighton 82