The Record Book - Creighton University Bluejays

Creighton Basketball GlossaryCreighton UniversityAthletic Hall of FameRick Apke 1989Tom Apke 1995Edward Beisser 1977Lee C. Bevilacqua, M.D. 1988Ralph Bobik 1988Conrad “Cornie” Collin 1991Randy Eccker 1999Oneri Fleita 2000Donald Fleming 1976Bob Gibson 1968Pam Gradoville 1999Kathy Halligan 2002Gene Harmon 1985Bob Harstad 2002Rev. Robert P. Hart, S.J. 2001Dick Harvey 1983Jim Hendry 2001E.S. “Eddie” Hickey 1973Mary Higgins 1987Jean Tierney Holt 1990Werner Jensen, M.D. 1975John C. Johnson 1991Brian Kamler 2002John Knolla 1978Donald Knowles 1969Ralph “Swede” Langer 2000Leonard Lovely, D.D.S. 1969Dr. Ralph Mailliard 1972Kevin McKenna 1998John J. “Red” McManus 1979Gil Passarella 1984Ira Philson 2003Bob Portman 1982Anthony F. Porto, Sr., D.D.S. 1990Kelly Prokupek 2003Dennis Rasmussen 1993Roman Roh, D.D.S. 1981Sebastian “Subby” Salerno 1986Randy Schwartz 1994Scott Servais 2003Paul Silas 1974Eddie Sutton 1997John Trautman, M.D. 1980Rev. Maurice Van Ackeren, S.J. 1971Tanya Warren 1996William Worthing 1970Connie Yori 1992Mary Yori 1992League Baseball’s All-Century Team.Rasmussen was a solid contributorfor the Bluejay basketball team during1977-80, but like Gibson, decided tomake baseball his professional sport.Rasmussen won 91 games as amajor league starting pitcher.MascotBilly Bluejay is the official mascotof the Creighton University AthleticsDepartment. Originally, the Bluejayswere depicted as a “birdwatcher’sb l u e j a y,” but that was changed in1941 when Creighton alumnus Joseph P. Murphydesigned the current version of Billy, one with amore human stance and expression.Prior to 1924, the Creighton teams were referredto as the Hilltoppers, but that name lost favorbecause at least six other teams in the country alsoused the same nickname. The Omaha Bee assistedthe University’s Athletic Board and A l u m n iAssociation in finding a new nickname by asking itsreaders to submit possibilities. After considering200 entries, the Athletic Board decided uponBluejays because of the school’s colors, blue andwhite.To d a y, Creighton remains the only NCAADivision I athletics program known officially as theBluejays.McKenna, KevinK e v i n McKenna isthe only player in MVChistory to win an MVCregular-season title(Creighton, 1977-78),a Valley tournamenttitle (Creighton, 1978and 1981), an NBAchampionship (LosAngeles Lakers, 1982)and a CBA crown (LaCrosse, 1990). As a player from 1977-81,McKenna was a two-time all-MVC performer andfinished his career with exactly 1,500 career points.He was then a fourth-round draft pick of the LosAngeles Lakers in 1981. An assistant coach atCreighton from 1994-01, he is currently the headcoach at Nebraska-Omaha.McManus, John J. (Red)Creighton’s third-winningest coach is John J.( R e d ) McManus, wholed CU to a 138-118mark from 1959-69,including NCAA bids in1962 and 1964. A 1979C U Athletics Hall ofFame inductee,McManus remainsloyal to the program to this day, attending all homeand selected road games in support of theBluejays.National ChampionshipThe 1918-19 Creighton men’s basketball teamcapped its second straight undefeated season bywinning a two-game seriesagainst the U.S. A r m y ’sCamp Grant. By winning theseries, the March 20, 1919,Creighton Chronicle reported,“the Creighton team isrecognized as the championsof the west, not onlyamong the college teams,but professionals.”Dr. Floyd Paynter took thesuccess one step furtherwhen he wrote in the March1934 Creighton Alumnus, “After this great seasonwe claimed the basketball championship of thenation for Creighton University.”Overtime GamesIn 85 seasons, Creighton has played 75 overtimegames with a 37-38 record. Creighton’s firstovertime contest resulted in a 19-17 triumphagainst Marquette on January 18, 1930, inMilwaukee. The Bluejays’ longest game was an 85-82 loss to DePaul in triple overtime on February 1,1978, at the Omaha Civic Auditorium.The most recent overtime game was a 70-67 winover SMS on Feb. 12, 2003. The Bluejays havewon eight straight multiple-overtime games datingto a March 1, 1986 loss in double-OT.Portman, BobAlthough he is now the fourth-leading scorer inCreighton history, Bob Portman is certainly themost prolific scorer in school history. Becausefreshmen were notallowed to play for thevarsity during his playingdays (1966-69),Portman’s 1,876 careerpoints were scored inonly three seasons.Portman averaged aschool-record 24.6points per game for hisc a r e e r, including 29.5points per game during1967-68. He scored 30or more points 15 timesin his career, including aschool-record 51-pointe ffort against theUniversity of Wisconsin-Milwaukee on December 16, 1967.Schabinger, Arthur A.Creighton’s all-time winningest men’s basketballcoach for 75 years, Arthur A. Schabinger directedCreighton to a 163-66 record as coach of theBluejays from 1922-35. Eleven of his 13 teams finishedfirst or second in the league, including eightteams that won or tied for the title.Sears, Ryan & Walker, BenKeying the rejuvenation of Creighton basketballin the late ‘90’s were a pair of guards who spentfour years in the starting line-up together, RyanSears and Ben Walker. Sears ended his career107 2003-04 Creighton Men’s Basketball