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Creighton will be a -2 to -2.5 point favorite versus Richmond in this Sweet 16 game.
Jacob Gilyard had an inkling a week ago — well before Richmond had even qualified for the NCAA Tournament — that the Spiders were capable of a first-round upset.
“Probably last Thursday,” the fifth-year guard said, referring to the day Richmond began a four-win run to the Atlantic 10 Tournament title. “We're a fairly confident group and I think last weekend showed that.”
Spiders coach Chris Mooney had a feeling long before then, he said in the wake of the 12th-seeded Spiders' 67-63 first-round win over Big Ten champion Iowa on Thursday.
Jacob Gilyard scored 24 points, Tyler Burton added 18 points and 11 rebounds, and the Spiders improved their NCAA tourney record against fifth-seeded teams to 4-0.
Creighton was facing Kansas without their second-leading scorer and key big man Ryan Kalkbrenner. He's out for the rest of the tournament after getting hurt in the overtime win over San Diego State.
The number 9 seed did knock of San Diego State in overtime, 72-69.
The Bluejays missed their first 10 3-point tries before Arthur Kaluma hit one to get them within five with 4:33 remaining. Creighton finished 2 of 14 from deep after coming in ranked 313th out of 350 teams beyond the arc. Both of the makes were big, though.
- Dan Shapiro, Gambling911.com
