[9:05 PM] #9 Creighton @ Arizona State

Who will WIN this matchup?

#9 Creighton Bluejays (11-0)

@ Arizona State Sun Devils (6-5)

• The line for this game is Creighton by 7.5 points.

• Creighton overwhelmed the majority of its first 10 opponents with a high-powered offense, but the Bluejays proved their last time out that they can call upon their defense when necessary. No. 9 Creighton attempts to complete its non-conference schedule with a perfect record and match its best start since 2003-04 on Tuesday when it visits Arizona State.

• Although Marcus Foster (18.2 points) continues to pace the team in scoring and has topped 15 points ten times already, backcourt mate Maurice Watson Jr. (13.1 points, Division I-best 9.2 assists) has been every bit as impactful lately with three double-doubles over his last five outings – a stretch during which he is also shooting 51.7 percent. The preseason All-Big East first-team selection became the first Bluejay since Doug McDermott in 2014 to record double-doubles in consecutive games Saturday, finishing with 13 points and 10 assists. Despite an uncharacteristic 5-for-8 effort from the field versus the Golden Eagles, freshman forward Justin Patton (11.8 points, 6.3 rebounds) fell to third in the country in field-goal percentage (78.4).

• Hurley admitted how happy he was for freshman forward Andre Adams, who made all three of his shots off the bench Saturday despite still being very much in the process of working through two ACL surgeries in less than a year. Senior Obinna Oleka (12.1 points, 9.8 rebounds) is tied for second in the Pac-12 with six double-doubles (six) and emerging as one of the top forwards in the conference, ranking third overall in rebounding and eighth in steals (team-high 1.4). Reserve guard Torian Graham (16.5 points), Shannon Evans II (16.1) and Tra Holder (15.6) were each held below their season scoring averages against the Aggies, totaling 36 points on a combined 12-for-37 from the field.

• Foster (41.4 percent) is the only Creighton starter who shoots below 51.2 percent beyond the arc.

• Saturday’s loss was Arizona State’s first game without four-star freshman F Sam Cunliffe, who left the program following the Sun Devils’ win at San Diego State. He averaged 9.5 points and 4.8 rebounds while starting each of the first 10 games of the season.

• Watson joined Grant Gibbs as the only Bluejays in the last 25 years to post back-to-back 10-assist games. No Creighton player since at least 1979-80 has had a stretch of three straight games with 10 or more assists.

StreakSmarts Pick: #9 Creighton Blue Jays 

Confidence: 7/10