The last thing Creighton coach Greg McDermott wanted was to get crushed by No. 19 Gonzaga, a perennial power.

Unfortunately for the No. 23 Bluejays (1-1), that is exactly what happened in a 90-63 loss Tuesday.

McDermott, however, predicts his team will bounce back just fine Friday when it hosts Maryland Eastern Shore (1-3) in Omaha, Neb.

"The second half was just a nightmare," McDermott said. "We played soft on offense and it carried over to what we were doing on the defensive end of the floor. Then it was just a learning opportunity."

The Bluejays trailed by only six points at halftime, but Gonzaga outscored them 46-25 in the second half, including a 21-0 run.

Creighton shot just 36.7% (18 of 49) from the floor and 28% (7 of 25) from the 3-point line.

The Bluejays turned the ball ov

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