Creighton Senior Talks Epic Performance Versus UConn: 'Do Whatever To Win'
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The Creighton Bluejays defeated Dan Hurley’s UConn Huskies 68-63 on Saturday, and Creighton senior transfer Jamiya Neal looked like an NBA guard in the win.
Neal also sounded like he has what it takes mindset-wise to contribute to winning at the next level during a postgame interview with FOX Sports’ beloved broadcaster John Fanta.
Besides communicating what a win at Gampel Pavilion meant to Creighton, Neal provided some insight into his mature, team-first mentality as a player.
“(The win over UConn) means everything,” Neal told Fanta.
“It was a big win, it was a gutsy win to go in there and find a way to end the streak against a really good team and a really great program.”
“It’s five (Creighton) guys out there — we all do it. I’m just trying not to rush the game and not rush the process, and let it come to me. Tonight it happened to be scoring. (On) other nights, it might be assists and rebounding.”
“I don’t like to look at myself as just a scorer, but a guy that wants to do whatever to win.”
Neal also talked with Fanta about the culture at Creighton, which he’s experiencing for the first time this season after spending three years under Bobby Hurley at Arizona State.
“Calmness from Coach Mac and from our seniors and our leaders … trickles down to everybody on the bench.”
“We’re very process-oriented here. We do the same things every day, (whether we) win, lose, or draw.”
As Fanta astutely pointed out in another post after Creighton-UConn, no player was more impactful in the Bluejays’ victory than Neal.
“Jamiya Neal … is the biggest reason why Creighton just beat Dan Hurley’s Huskies,” Fanta said on Saturday.
“A career-high 24 points changed the game for CU and was the key for this win to happen. (Ryan) Kalkbrenner with 16 and 10. A statement maker by the Bluejays.”
Creighton is a huge threat to UConn as a potential Big East champ. The emergence of Neal alongside Kalkbrenner and Steven Ashworth even has the Bluejays looking like an Elite Eight or higher type team when they play like they did on Saturday.
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Colin Keane is a contributing journalist for "UConn Huskies On SI." Born in Illinois, Colin grew up in Massachusetts as the third of four brothers. For his high school education, Colin attended St. Mark's School (Southborough, MA), where he played basketball and soccer and served as student body president. He went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Villanova University. Colin currently resides in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "UConn Huskies On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org