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Tuesday, March 19, 2013
 Doug McDermott's big opportunity
By Joe Kaiser
Creighton's star junior Doug McDermott could help his NBA draft stock soar with a big NCAA tournament.

The Bluejays' 6-foot-7, 210-pound forward finished second in the nation with 23.1 PPG this season, but remains a longshot to go in the first round of the 2013 NBA draft -- ESPN's Chad Ford lists the junior at No. 47 on the latest Big Board.

McDermott will have the opportunity to return to Creighton next season, but if he comes up big in the Bluejays' opener against Cincinnati, it will set up a likely matchup against Duke. And against Duke, you better believe the eyes of the nation will be on Creighton's star. Another big game there, win or lose, and McDermott could have some thinking to do after the season.

Here's Myron Medcalf with more on the Bluejays' scoring sensation.

Myron Medcalf
McDermott makes Creighton a sleeper
"The Bluejays might be the most dangerous 7-seed in the field. They certainly hit a few bumps during Missouri Valley Conference play. Overall, however, they’ve been one of the top mid-major programs in the country. They have wins against Wisconsin, Arizona State, Akron and Cal. They lead the nation with a 50.8 percent clip from the field. Their defense is suspect (78th in adjusted defensive efficiency per Ken Pomeroy). But McDermott, their leader, is a legit star. He’s averaging 23.1 PPG and 7.5 RPG. He could really go off in the Big Dance. First, he has to lead his team through a tough opening-round matchup against Cincinnati in Philly on Friday. Creighton is definitely a sleeper in the Midwest Region."