If you’re a Memphian still in search of a team to cling onto for the rest of the NCAA Tournament, look no further than the only one remaining with multiple players from the 901.

Creighton, in the Sweet 16 for the third time in four seasons, has three former Memphis-area high school stars on its roster.

What might make rooting for the No. 3 seed Bluejays perhaps even more enticing if you’re a Memphis Tigers fan is that they’ll face No. 2 seed Tennessee on Friday (9:09 p.m. CDT, TBS) in Detroit for a chance to go to their second straight Elite Eight.

Memphis native isn’t ‘caught up in the lights’ as he leads Marquette in March Madness

Mason Miller (Houston High) headlines Creighton’s Bluff City trio, which also includes Johnathan Lawson (Houston, Wooddale and East) and Brock Vice (Houston).

While Lawson plays just 3.6 minutes per game after transferring from Memphis last offseason following two seasons with the Tigers, and Vice is a true freshman who’s redshirting, Miller has been an integral piece for a team that’s enjoying one of the most successful seasons in program history.

He’s a son of former NBA champion, former Memphis Grizzlies sharpshooter, former Tigers assistant coach and former Houston High head coach Mike Miller.

After playing less than 10 minutes per game last year and redshirting as a true freshman in 2021-22, Mason Miller, a four-star recruit, has started all 32 games he’s played in this season. The 6-foot-9 forward averages 5.7 points and 3.3 rebounds per game while shooting 44.9% from 3-point range.

“In this day and age, not many young people are willing to redshirt,” Creighton coach Greg McDermott said to reporters Thursday afternoon from Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena.

“Mason’s parents … Mike had an obviously very accomplished professional career and (Jennifer Miller) was a terrific volleyball player at Florida. So they understood that Mason needed time, and he needed to follow a process.”

Though Miller is often overshadowed by third team All-American Baylor Scheierman and All-Big East second-teamers Trey Alexander and Ryan Kalkbrenner when it comes to offensive output, Miller was key in helping the Bluejays pull away in their first-round matchup against No. 15 seed Akron. He finished with 10 points and four rebounds in the third game of his career in which he scored in double figures.

With Creighton tied with Akron at 34 apiece and less than two minutes to go in the first half, Miller drilled a 3-pointer that helped his team gain some separation before halftime. Then he buried another one less than one minute into the second half and sank a third as the Blue Jays pulled away with 8:30 left en route to a 17-point win.

Miller only had one point and one rebound in Creighton’s second-round victory over No. 11 seed Oregon, but his ability to knock down 3-pointers at high clip makes him capable of getting hot at any minute. 

“In the offseason — once the season was over last year — we talked about our expectation that he should be fighting for a starting job this year,” McDermott said. “And, to Mason’s credit, he’s worked and he’s done just that.

“He’s gotten better; he’s worked hard. And he’s become a very important part of our team.”