OMAHA (KMTV) — Creighton men’s basketball left for Detroit Wednesday afternoon, and plenty of fans showed up to send them off.
- The Jays will face Tennessee in the Sweet 16 Friday night.
- Video shows fans lining the sidewalk as Creighton’s men’s basketball team walked to their buses outside Morrison Stadium.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
For the third time in four years, Creighton men’s basketball is in the Sweet 16.
I’m Kelsey Mannix at Creighton where I talked to fans as the Jays headed off to Detroit.
Creighton gave some fans a little scare Saturday against Oregon.
"I was so relieved,” Rich Fitzgerald, a Creighton alumnus, said. “It was up and down four, less than a minute left and I'm going Oh no it's gone! And then the boys just brought it all back.
Now the focus is the Sweet Sixteen, which longtime Jays fans have grown accustomed to seeing.
"They're playing at a high level which is fun,” fan Angie Wayman said. “It's great to be a fan this time of year. I'm excited for the guys, I can't wait."
"After all these years, my little school is there,” Fitzgerald said. “It's something that friends from around the country get to see and it's really kind of important to me."
And after last year’s Elite Eight appearance, once again there’s high hopes.
A win over Tennessee means a matchup with either Purdue or Gonzaga.
“I'd like to see (former Creighton guard Ryan) Nembhard again so I hope it's Gonzaga,” Fitzgerald said, “but Purdue is just tough. I mean, let's face it, it's tough.”
Younger fans on the other hand are already thinking ahead.
“Make it to the Final Four!” Mila Platchkov said.
“To win the whole competition!” Aria Platchkov said.
“The game's pretty late on Friday, is it past your bedtime when the game starts? Are you going to stay up and watch it?,” I asked.
“Yes!” Mila and Aria said.
Tip off against Tennessee Friday just after 9 p.m. on TBS.
