Creighton Cruises Past Rutgers in College Basketball Crown

Seniors Nik Graves and Josh Dix lead the way for the Bluejays in tournament victory

Apr. 3, 2026 at 5:30am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the action and energy of a college basketball game, with overlapping shapes and planes in shades of navy, gold, and crimson.Creighton's tournament championship victory showcases the program's sustained excellence under outgoing coach Greg McDermott and the bright future ahead under new head coach Alan Huss.Omaha Today

Creighton seniors Nik Graves and Josh Dix played like they didn't want their careers or their coach's career to end just yet, leading the Bluejays to a decisive victory over Rutgers in the college basketball tournament crown.

Why it matters

Creighton's win marks the end of an era for the program, as longtime head coach Greg McDermott is stepping down after the season. The performance of Graves and Dix in the championship game showcases the talent and leadership that has defined the Bluejays' success under McDermott's tenure.

The details

Nik Graves scored 25 points and grabbed 8 rebounds, while Josh Dix added 18 points and 6 assists to power Creighton to the tournament title. The Bluejays built a double-digit lead in the first half and never looked back, cruising to a comfortable victory over the Scarlet Knights.

  • The game was played on Thursday, April 3, 2026.

The players

Nik Graves

A senior forward for the Creighton Bluejays who led the team to the tournament championship with a dominant performance.

Josh Dix

A senior guard for the Creighton Bluejays who contributed 18 points and 6 assists in the title game victory.

Greg McDermott

The outgoing head coach of the Creighton Bluejays, who is stepping down after the season.

Alan Huss

The new head coach of the Creighton Bluejays, who was introduced at a press conference on March 25, 2026.

Rev. Daniel S. Hendrickson

The president of Creighton University, who introduced the new head coach at the press conference.

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What they’re saying

“We've had an incredible run under Coach McDermott, and we wanted to send him out on a high note. Nik and I just left it all on the court tonight.”

— Josh Dix, Creighton Senior Guard

“Greg has built this program into a national powerhouse, and I'm honored to be the one to carry on that legacy. I can't wait to get started with this talented group of players.”

— Alan Huss, New Creighton Head Coach

What’s next

Creighton will now await their seeding and opponent for the upcoming NCAA Tournament, where they will look to make a deep run and send outgoing coach Greg McDermott out on a high note.

The takeaway

Creighton's tournament championship victory showcases the program's sustained excellence under Greg McDermott, as well as the bright future ahead under new head coach Alan Huss. The performance of seniors Nik Graves and Josh Dix highlights the talent and leadership that has defined the Bluejays' success.