The offensive efficiency Creighton forward Doug McDermott has displayed this season has been praised from coast to coast.

Of all the mind-boggling numbers the sophomore forward has put up, perhaps the most impressive came when he scored 30 points in a Jan. 25 game against Drake.   That total came with McDermott touching the ball for just 1 minute and 23 seconds during the course of play.

McDermott scored nine of his points from the free-throw line against the Bulldogs.  He needed just 83 seconds to score the other 21, taking just 14 shots and making 10.

According to the basketball webside BBstate.com, McDermott ranks fifth nationally in points per shot (1.40).   His teammate, Jahenns Manigat, is third at 1.42 points per shot.

McDermott is third nationally in scoring (23.4 points per game) and eighth in field-goal percentage (.624).

Clearing some other items from the deck before heading to Evansville:

>> Junior guard Grant Gibbs’ status beyoned the 2012-13 season has been a hot topic among Creighton fans. Gibbs redshirted his first season at Gonzaga because of a torn labrum in his shoulder. He played as a sophomore, then decided to transfer to Creighton.   He had to sit out last season to satisfy NCAA transfer requirements. Orginally, it was believed that Gibbs might be able to petition the NCAA after the end of next season for a sixth season of eiligiblilty because of the injury that kept him out of competition that first season at Gonzaga. After further researching Gibbs’ situation, Creighton Compliance Director Brandy Menaugh  said that might not be the case. She said the NCAA could determine Gibbs’ first season at Gonzaga was a voluntary redshirt season since he had not competed in any games before the decision to redshirt was made. Even though Gibbs had two surgical procedures on his knee during the season he sat out at Creighton, Menaugh said, that also would be looked at as a voluntary redshirt because it was Gibbs’ decision to transfer. Gibbs still has the option to petition for another season of eligibility after his five-year clock expires at the end of the 2012-13 season  if he would so choose, and Menaugh said Creighton would assist him with compiling the needed documentation. Based on her research, Menaugh said, it’s uncertain how the NCAA would rule on such a petition.

>> Adrian Rider, Creighton’s director of ticket sales, said that as of Monday night, fewer that 300 reserved-seat tickets remained for Saturday’s game against Wichita State. If all tickets are sold, Creighton will begin selling standing-room only tickets Saturday morning at the CenturyLink box office. He said the box office would probably open around 10 a.m.   Creighton has had five sellouts this season.

>> Creighton’s trip to Evansville will bring Bluejay assistant coach Steve Merfeld back to where he spent five seasons as the Purple Aces’ coach. Merfeld said he is eager to see Evansville’s new downtown arena, the 11,000-seat Ford Center. Asked if he’ll miss Roberts Stadium, where the Purple Aces played from 1956 until the end of last season, Merfeld replied emphatically, “No.” Merfeld said his most memorable moments at Roberts came in a pair of victories over Creighton. “We also beat Purdue there,” he said. “That was a pretty big one for us.”

>> Evansville is averaging 5,273 fans for its 13 home games at its new arena. The Purple Aces drew 9,454 for the Ford Center’s first game against Butler, then had a season-high 9,640 for their game against Indiana. Evansville has averaged 4,496 for its remaining 11 home games. School officials are hoping for a big crowd for Tuesday’s game, and are running several promotions in an attempt to bring out the fans.

>> Creighton raised about $9,000 in donations from fans at its Jan. 28 pink-out game against Bradley. That pushed the total the Bluejays raised for cancer research in the Omaha area to about $30,000.