LOUISVILLE, Ky. (KT) – When Louisville and Creighton meet in the first round of the South Region tournament in Rupp Arena Thursday (12:15 p.m. CBS), one Cardinal will be no stranger to a couple of Bluejays.
Point guard Chucky Hepburn’s hometown is Omaha, where Creighton is located, and he was recruited by coach Greg McDermott before choosing Wisconsin as a four-star prospect. He went into the transfer portal following his third season and signed with U of L after Pat Kelsey got the head coaching job.
“I’ve known Chucky since eighth grade and know his family,” McDermott said Wednesday during a news conference in Rupp. “It’s been fun to watch him from afar and incredible how he’s developed his game. I wasn’t sure he could add to it, leaving Wisconsin and going to Louisville, but he has. That’s a credit to him and to Coach Kelsey and his staff for how they put him in positions to really showcase all the things he can do.
“He’s playing as well as any guard in the country. His ability to navigate those screening activities is elite because you have to respect him as a shooter and a scorer, but he might be a better passer than he is both of those, which is saying a lot because he’s always been a good scorer. Every time you make a mistake he makes you pay for it. And he’s incredibly disruptive on the defensive end as well.”
McDermott feels he has a guard similar to Hepburn in 6-0 senior Steven Ashworth, a transfer fron Utah State. An All-Big East second team selection, Ashworth is averaging 16.3 points and a league-leading 6.8 assists. He’s shooting 39% from the field, including 37% from distance with a team-best 103-of-279. Hepburn has similar numbers — 16.2 ppg, .441 FG, .324 3FG, 5.9 apg). They played against each other in pickup games in Omaha last summer, so both know what to expect Thursday.
“Very talented guard,” Ashworth said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun to go up against him, both offensively and defensively. Definitely a great opportunity to be going up against a defender like that. And then offensively really efficient at getting to his spots and running the offense in a well-oiled, high-level manner. Obviously, he’s going to be at the forefront of our minds.”
Over to you, Chucky.
“He’s a great guard,” Hepburn said of Ashworth. “He never stops running. That’s one thing about him. Even in open gym when we play, he consistently is moving. And that’s where we will have to keep our focus at because if we lose focus on him, he can get away from us in an instant. And he knocks threes down from NBA range and beyond.”
With Ashworth on the perimeter and 7-foot-1 All-Big East center Ryan Kalkbremmer inside, the Bluejays will pose a formidable defensive challenge for the Cards. Kalkbremmer averages 19.4 points and eight rebounds. He also blocks nearly three shots a game, and many of those he can’t reach he alters. So points in the paint aren’t going to come easily. He’s the only player in Big East history with at least 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 200 blocks as one of the most complete centers in Division I.
Like U of L, Creighton is a veteran team with a starting lineup that features three seniors and a junior. The Bluejays, who are 15-4 over the last 2 1/2 months, average 75.2 ppg to their opponents’ 69.5 and, again like the Cards, emphasize defense. They have held their foes to 41.2% shooting while shooting .457 themselves.
FUN, FUN, FUN
This is what McDermott had to say about Kelsey and his team:
“He’s very creative offensively and defensively. They do a great job trying to take away what teams are trying to do. And they look like they’re having a blast. That’s a credit to Coach Kelsey and his staff that they have created a culture where they really, truly look like they’re enjoying playing basketball.
“He’s done an unbelievable job. It’s easier to turn around programs quickly than it has ever been, but it’s not that easy. You have to do a lot of research to make sure the pieces fit. They’ve done a masterful job of putting that roster together that looks like they’ve been playing together forever.”
QUOTABLE–Ashworth on U of L guard Reyne Smith: “He’s electric behind the 3-point line.”. . .
