As we unveil the first installment of our “Getting to Know” series this season, we check in with Creighton’s Marcus Foster. After sitting out last season as a transfer from Kansas State, all Foster has done so far this season is average a team-best 18.3 points a game, be named the Most Valuable Player of the Paradise Jam, pace an offense that is averaging 92 points a game (good for 8th nationally) while leading the nation in three-point percentage (47.9%) and placing second in field goal percentage (54.72%, trailing only UCLA’s 54.73).
Foster lets us in on his close friendship with teammate Maurice Watson Jr., that he’s living the dream playing in head coach Greg McDermott’s run-and-gun offense, how great it is to be back on the court after sitting out a season and why Creighton season ticket holders might see their cholesterol levels climb with each Bluejay home win this season.
BIGEAST.com: When you left Kansas State after two pretty successful years with the Wildcats, why did you choose Creighton as your next college home?
FOSTER: “Honestly it was because I knew (Creighton head) coach (Greg) McDermott and (assistant coach) Steve Lutz since my freshman year in high school, so I’ve had a good relationship with them. To be honest, I really wanted to come to Creighton right out of high school but at the time when I committed and signed Creighton was still in the Missouri Valley (Conference) and growing up in Texas all you watch is Big 12 basketball so that was important to me and something I wanted to do, play in the Big 12. But looking back on it, if Creighton had been in the BIG EAST I for sure would have been a Bluejay my whole career.”
BIG EAST.com: So how difficult was it to sit out last year and basically be a bystander the whole season?
FOSTER: “That was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. With me and my family, basketball is a big part of our lives and everyone plans things around me and my basketball schedule. So not having my family watch me play made me think about how much I cherish the game. So I have to take advantage of this opportunity because you never know when you’re not going to be on the court again.”
BIGEAST.com: At BIG EAST Media Day Maurice Watson Jr. could hardly control himself when talking about playing with you this year. How much did he help you adjust to life at Creighton being that he also transferred into the program?
FOSTER: “He helped me a lot. I went to him and Cole (Huff, another transfer) with any problems that I had during my redshirt year because they had done it already. They told me it was going to be a tough process and some days would be harder than others. But Maurice is my best friend. He’s like one of my brothers. We are very close.”
BIGEAST.com: Was there ever any concern on your part about how you would fit in at the start of the season chemistry-wise with the team?
FOSTER: “Honestly I didn’t have any concerns. This is the tightest team I’ve ever been on in my whole life. Everybody likes each other, we all get along and we all joke with each other, but when it’s time to practice we’re serious, locked in and motivated. Chemistry was never going to be a problem. It was just about getting a feel for each other and that came really quick.”
BIGEAST.com: So how much fun is it playing in Coach McDermott’s run-and-gun offense?
FOSTER: “It’s so much fun, the best thing ever. It’s like playing an official game in open gym. I love how we play. On any make or miss, all you hear is coach yelling, ‘Run, run, push it, push it.’ He wants us to score as soon as we can and that’s always fun to do.”
BIGEAST.com: You topped the 1,000-point plateau in your win over Buffalo this past Tuesday night. What do you think of the accomplishment, especially since you still have a ton of playing time left in your career this year and next to add to that total?
FOSTER: “If you watch me play, you know I’m all about scoring so that is something big for me to be proud about. A lot of people don’t do that, so I’m happy to say I did it in my college career.”
BIGEAST.com: You are the reigning BIG EAST Player of the Week after averaging 20.5 points a game in a pair of Creighton wins last week. How many more times are we going to be calling you the Player of the Week this season?
FOSTER: “(Laughs) Hopefully, a lot because I take my game week by week. I want to see improvement in it every week, so to get that award means a lot to me. So hopefully you’ll be seeing my name a lot more this year.”
BIG EAST.com: You have scored in double figures in the first seven games of your Creighton career (as has freshman Justin Patton). The Creighton record for consecutive double-digit scoring games to begin a career is eight straight set by some guy named Doug McDermott in 2010-11. You can tie the record Saturday night vs. Akron. That’s some pretty nice company to be in, isn’t it?
FOSTER: “I always laugh and joke with Doug and tell him that I really want to beat him. Honestly, I do want to be like Doug because on and off the court he’s real good guy. So anytime I can be up there and mentioned with Doug McDermott, it’s a happy feeling for me.”
BIGEAST.com: You guys aren’t beating any patsies like a lot of big-name programs do at this time of year. You already have wins over then-No. 9 Wisconsin, North Carolina State, Washington State and Ole Miss. That makes the Bluejays 4-0 vs. the so-called “Football Five” conferences. What does that say about this team?
FOSTER: “I think that says a lot about us that we can go out and play teams from any conference and come out with wins. That’s going to help us when we’re in the tournament where we’ll be facing Pac-12 teams, Big 12 teams, ACC teams. We’re going to face all of those kinds of teams, so it’s good that we’ve already starting to play so many different conferences and getting wins.”
BIGEAST.com: While you were at Kansas State you bagged 138 three-pointers and are in 10th place on that school’s all-time list. You already have 21 this season with 24 regular-season games left and all of next season. You could end in the top 10 at two different schools before your career is over.
FOSTER: “If that happened I’d be so honored. It would be something I could tell my kids when they grow up. That’s really something I’m going to look forward to doing this season. I didn’t even think about that until you mentioned it. But it’s something I hope I can accomplish this year.”
BIGEAST.com: Back in your sophomore season at Kansas State you sank two game-winning three-pointers to defeat nationally-ranked Oklahoma twice in a 35-day span. Would you say that has been the highlight of your career so far?
FOSTER: “Without a doubt those two are my highlights. My family was there for both of them and we beat a top 15 team in the country twice. That was definitely an honor for me and the greatest moments of my career. But there’s more to come. That was only a start.”
BIGEAST.com: Creighton is off to a 7-0 start and you along with Villanova and Xavier are all unbeaten and in the Top 10. What does that say about the strength of the BIG EAST and are we looking at a wild conference season this year?
FOSTER: “At the start of the season people thought we could be a good team, but they needed to see it first and now they’ve seen it and they are taking notice that we are a good team. Having Xavier and Villanova in the top 10, too, is going to make for a great BIG EAST season. Playing those guys is going to be the best. Those are the games you always dream about.”
BIGEAST.com: The CenturyLink Center is one of the great home courts in the country. You’re averaging 17,157 fans a night which is fifth best in the nation behind Kentucky, Syracuse, Louisville and Wisconsin and is also better than 13 NBA teams. How wild is it to play in front of that kind of house every night?
FOSTER: Man, it’s so crazy there. It’s so different from just being on the sidelines and actually being on the court. Just to see all those fans when you come out of the tunnel is just amazing. I’ve never been at a home game and had that many fans and that much support from a city. It definitely intimidates visiting teams to play in front of all those people. Once we get it going the crowd really gets into it and it gets so much louder. It’s a great place to play.”
BIGEAST.com: I see Creighton has a promotional arrangement with a local pizza company where if you score over 75 points the season ticket holders get free pizza. Omaha pizza lovers are going to love this team, no?
FOSTER: “Oh man they love it. Every time they see it on the scoreboard they go crazy. They expect it every night from us.”
BIGEAST.com: So should fans attending your game against Akron Saturday night refrain from eating dinner before attending?
FOSTER: “Yes, they should just wait until after the game and get their free pizza!”