OMAHA, Neb. — A new opponent for the Creighton men’s basketball team for its November 25th season-opening game at the Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic was announced on Monday. The Bluejays will now face South Dakota State at Sanford Pentagon, as the Jackrabbits replaced Utah in the eight-team field.

Creighton is 20-3 all-time against South Dakota State, though the teams have not met since SDSU joined the Division I ranks in 2008. The teams last squared off in 1975, a 72-62 Bluejay win in Brookings.

South Dakota State went 22-10 last year. The Jackrabbits return their top six scorers from that squad, and more than 89 percent of its points overall, for second-year head coach Eric Henderson. Henderson worked three seasons with current Bluejay coach Greg McDermott‘s Iowa State program as a graduate manager (2006-08) and academic learning specialist (2008-09). Henderson also played four seasons for McDermott at Wayne State from 1996-2000, helping the Division II Wildcats to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances. As a senior in 1999-00, Henderson averaged 11.3 points and 11.1 rebounds as WSU tied for the regular season conference championship, a league tournament title and a trip to the Sweet 16.

A limited number of tickets for the general public go on sale later this morning at 10 a.m. on Ticketmaster.com.

SCHEDULE
Nov. 25 (All times Central)
1 p.m. West Virginia vs. Texas A&M
3:30 p.m. Ohio State vs. Memphis
6 p.m. Creighton vs. South Dakota State
8:30 p.m. Dayton vs. Wichita State

Nov. 26
11 a.m. Semifinal No. 1
1:30 p.m. Semifinal No. 2
5:30 p.m. Consolation semifinal No. 1
8 p.m. Consolation semifinal No. 2

Nov. 27
TBD