:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/43496202/478971607.0.jpg)
The Creighton Bluejays ring in the new college basketball season by hosting the Central Arkansas Bears on Friday evening in Omaha, Nebraska. The Bluejays will have a litany of new faces jumping into the starting lineup, as 80 percent of the group that won 27 games in the 2013-14 season has departed, most notably the legendary Doug McDermott. The squad that was the No. 3 team in the country in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency and No. 1 in Effective FG% will be looking to kick off the 2014 season with some bravado, and hopefully not too harsh of a regression.
Central Arkansas is coming off the heels of an abysmal season in the Southland Conference. The Bears went 8-21 with a dismal 5-13 record in conference play. They were beleaguered by minimal offensive play, ranking in the high 200s and low 300s in most offensive statistical categories. Defensively, it didn't appear to be much better either, as this was one of the worst defensive squads in the country in the 2013-14 season.
It's fair to say that this game will serve as a good litmus test for the Jays. They're not thought of highly this coming season, but an impressive victory against a team that they should romp could give way to change the perception.
Game time, TV info: 9 p.m. ET, FSN
Live radio stream: 1620 The Zone