VILLANOVA, Pa. (AP) — Justin Moore scored 24 points and helped No. 10 Villanova capture the Big East title with a 72-60 win over a No. 14 Creighton team playing with coach Greg McDermott under fire for using language evocative of slavery.
McDermott, who had apologized for urging his players to “stay on the plantation” in a postgame locker room talk following a loss over the weekend, said on Creighton’s pregame radio show that he offered to resign. McDermott said had a long meeting with players on Sunday night and said he saw “pain in their face(s)” and hoped “one mistake doesn’t define you.”
McDermott said he wanted to make sure the Blue Jays wanted him to remain as coach and apologized for the “distraction that I brought to this team for the choice that I made.”
McDermott said the Blue Jays — whose players wear “equality” on the back of their jerseys — did not ask for him to resign.
“Our guys wanted me to coach and that’s my job,” McDermott said.
McDermott has been Creighton’s coach since 2010. McDermott, who is white, acknowledged saying: “Guys, we got to stick together. We need both feet in. I need everybody to stay on the plantation. I can’t have anybody leave the plantation.”
The coach added that he apologized directly to Creighton’s president, the Rev. Daniel Hendrickson, and athletic director Bruce Rasmussen.
Creighton assistant coach Terrence Rencher, who is Black, tweeted that he was “deeply hurt” by McDermott’s words.
The school said any disciplinary action would remain confidential.
McDermott was on the sideline and received a fist bump from seemingly all but one player as they ran off the court from pregame warmups.
McDermott’s racially insensitive remarks overshadowed what was expected to be fantastic showdown between the top two teams in the Big East. The Wildcats instead raced to a 19-point lead and clinched their seventh regular-season title under coach Jay Wright in the last eight seasons.
The Wildcats lost Collin Gillespie, their star senior guard averaging 14.4 points, to a left knee injury in the first half. He writhed in pain on the court and immediately needed help to the locker room.
“It’s serious. We don’t know exactly what it is, but it’s serious,” Wright said.
Mitch Ballock led Creighton with 14 points.
HARD TO WATCH
Gillespie was among the senior class members honored before the game in front of friends and family. It was the first time this season Villanova had allowed fans inside the Pavilion. Gillespie was represented by supporters who held an “I (heart) 2” sign.
Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree, Kevin Hoehn and Jermaine Samuels also were honored.
ANOTHER TITLE
The Wildcats were coming off a 73-61 loss Sunday at Butler and lost to Creighton 86-70 in February in Nebraska.
They bounced back in a big way. After missing 25 of 27 3-pointers against Butler, the Wildcats hit six in the first half against Creighton to build a 42-23 halftime lead.
Creighton went on a 19-2 run in the second half to pull within five. Brandon Slater answered for Villanova with a crucial 3 from the corner.
The Big East title was a formality on the Main Line — Villanova is 114-26 with two national titles since the conference was reconfigured in 2013.
BIG PICTURE
Creighton: McDermott isn’t off the hot seat yet. He’s faced mounting criticism and Creighton could have to make any kind of punishment public. The Big East released a statement Wednesday saying, “there is no place in our society for language that evokes painful chapters in our nation’s history.”
Villanova: The Wildcats have to hope Gillespie isn’t out for a lengthy amount of time. But with the conference crown secured, Villanova could rest him for Saturday’s finale.
UP NEXT
The Blue Jays host Butler on Saturday.
Villanova plays Saturday at Providence.
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