# 1973–74 Creighton Bluejays men's basketball team

The 1973–74 Creighton Bluejays men's basketball team represented Creighton University during the NCAA Division I collegiate men's basketball season. The Bluejays, led by fifth-year head coach Eddie Sutton, played their home games at the Omaha Civic Auditorium. Creighton finished with a 23-7 record and earned a spot in the 1974 NCAA tournament. Placed in the Midwest Region, the Jays won their first round game against the University of Texas at Austin but lost in the regional semifinal by one point against Kansas. Creighton won the Midwest Region third-place game against Louisville.
This was Sutton's last year as head coach of the Bluejays as he would take the head coaching job at the University of Arkansas. He would be replaced by Creighton assistant coach Tom Apke.

## Roster

| Number | Name | Position | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown |
| 10 | James Pietro | Guard | 5-10 | 167 | Senior | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| 20 | Brian Long | Guard | 5-10 | 155 | Sophomore | New York, New York |
| 21 | Charles Butler | Forward | 6-4 | 180 | Junior | Indianola, Mississippi |
| 22 | Jerry Massie | Guard | 6–2 | 175 | Senior | Indianapolis, Indiana |
| 24 | Cornell Smith | Forward | 6-5 | 185 | Freshman | Chicago, Illinois |
| 25 | Tom Anderson | Forward | 6-4 | 186 | Junior | Arlington, Nebraska |
| 31 | Richie Smith | Guard | 6-1 | 180 | Senior | Campbell, Minnesota |
| 41 | Doug Brookins | Center | 6-8 | 236 | Junior | New Paris, Indiana |
| 42 | Wayne Groves | Center | 6-7 | 204 | Junior | East Orange, New Jersey |
| 43 | Ted Wuebben | Forward | 6-6 | 195 | Senior | Dayton, Ohio |
| 44 | Gene Harmon | Forward | 6-6 | 224 | Senior | Schuyler, Nebraska |
| 52 | Ralph Bobik | Forward | 6-7 | 200 | Senior | Lake Arrowhead, California |
| 53 | Daryl Heeke | Forward | 6-7 | 215 | Sophomore | Spearville, Kansas |
| 54 | Mike Heck | Center | 7-0 | 200 | Sophomore | Papillion, Nebraska |

## Schedule

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Regular Season ||||||
| 11/30/1973 | | Regis | W 93-38 | 1–0 | Omaha Civic Auditorium (-) Omaha, Nebraska |
| 12/04/1973 | | South Dakota State | W 95-68 | 2–0 | Omaha Civic Auditorium (-) Omaha, Nebraska |
| 12/07/1973 | | Air Force | W 55-42 | 3–0 | Omaha Civic Auditorium (-) Omaha, Nebraska |
| 12/08/1973 | | Oklahoma | L 70-73 | 3-1 | Omaha Civic Auditorium (-) Omaha, Nebraska |
| 12/15/1973 | | Saint Francis (PA) | L 58-73 | 3-2 | Omaha Civic Auditorium (-) Omaha, Nebraska |
| 12/17/1973 | | BYU | W 99-86 | 4-2 | Omaha Civic Auditorium (-) Omaha, Nebraska |
| 12/19/1973 | | at Augustana | W 68-49 | 5-2 | (-) Sioux Falls, South Dakota |
| 12/22/1973 | | at Colorado | L 68-73 | 5-3 | Balch Fieldhouse (-) Boulder, Colorado |
| 12/29/1973 | | Drake | W 75-53 | 6-3 | Omaha Civic Auditorium (-) Omaha, Nebraska |
| 01/03/1974 | | San Diego State | W 79-61 | 7-3 | Omaha Civic Auditorium (-) Omaha, Nebraska |
| 01/05/1974 | | at Butler | W 75-58 | 8-3 | Hinkle Fieldhouse (-) Indianapolis, Indiana |
| 01/07/1974 | | at Southern Illinois | W 75-60 | 9-3 | (-) Carbondale, Illinois |
| 01/12/1974 | | Dayton | W 69-62 | 10-3 | Omaha Civic Auditorium (4,697) Omaha, Nebraska |
| 1/17/1974 | | at Wichita State | W 65-63 | 11-3 | The Roundhouse (-) Wichita, Kansas |
| 1/19/1974 | | at Arizona State | L 64-77 | 11–4 | Sun Devil Gym (-) Tempe, Arizona |
| 1/22/1974 | | Bradley | W 79-53 | 12–4 | Omaha Civic Auditorium (-) Omaha, Nebraska |
| 1/24/1974 | | at St. Louis | W 60-54 | 13–4 | Kiel Auditorium (-) St. Louis, Missouri |
| 1/26/1974 | | Southern Illinois | W 67-64 | 14-4 | Omaha Civic Auditorium (-) Omaha, Nebraska |
| 1/29/1974 | | St. Cloud State | W 82-54 | 15-4 | Omaha Civic Auditorium (-) Omaha, Nebraska |
| 2/02/1974 | | Duquesne | W 67-61 | 16-4 | Omaha Civic Auditorium (-) Omaha, Nebraska |
| 2/04/1974 | | St. Thomas | W 81-47 | 17–4 | Omaha Civic Auditorium (-) Omaha, Nebraska |
| 2/09/1974 | | at No. 6 Marquette | W 75-69 | 18–4 | Milwaukee Arena (-) Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
| 2/11/1974 | | St. John's | W 81-43 | 19–4 | Omaha Civic Auditorium (-) Omaha, Nebraska |
| 2/19/1974 | No. 15 | at UC Irvine | W 83-52 | 20-4 | (-) Irvine, California |
| 2/22/1974 | No. 15 | at Hawaii | W 63-59 | 21-4 | (-) Honolulu, Hawaii |
| 2/23/1974 | No. 15 | at Hawaii | L 60-61 | 21-5 | (-) Honolulu, Hawaii |
| 3/04/1974 | No. 16 | No. 14 South Carolina | L 69-78 | 21-6 | Omaha Civic Auditorium (-) Omaha, Nebraska |
| 1974 NCAA Tournament ||||||
| 03/09/1974 | No. 19 | vs. Texas Midwest Region Quarterfinals | W 77-61 | 22-6 | (-) Denton, Texas |
| 03/14/1974 | No. 19 | vs. No. 14 Kansas Midwest Region Semifinals | L 54-55 | 22-7 | Mabee Center (-) Tulsa, Oklahoma |
| 03/16/1964 | No. 19 | vs. No. 16 Louisville Midwest Region Third Place Game | W 80-71 | 23-7 | (-) Tulsa, Oklahoma |

## Rankings

Ranking Movement Legend: ██ Improvement in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking. RV=Others receiving votes. :
| Poll | Pre | Wk 1 | Wk 2 | Wk 3 | Wk 4 | Wk 5 | Wk 6 | Wk 7 | Wk 8 | Wk 9 | Wk 10 | Wk 11 | Wk 12 | Wk 13 | Wk 14 | Wk 15 | Wk 16 | Final |
| AP | | | | | | | | | | | | #17 | #15 | #16 | #19 | #19 | | |
| Coaches | | | | | | | | | | | #18 | #18 | #16 | #16 | #18 | #17 | | #17 |