Considering the preseason predictions and warnings, a postseason trip seemed unlikely for Avery Johnson's first Alabama basketball team.

This was about building for the future. Johnson requested patience.

So, even though an NCAA bid appeared doable a month ago, the current reality could be much worse.

Alabama (18-14) will play at Creighton (18-14) at 8 p.m. CT Tuesday to open its third NIT trip in four seasons. For All-SEC guard Retin Obasohan and graduate transfer Arthur Edwards, these are collegiate career knockout games.

"It means everything," Obasohan said, "to get another game, another opportunity to play with these brothers of mine."

For those who'll return, the NIT is another opportunity to build on a rejuvenated program's better-than-expected first season.

The Alabama-Creighton winner will play the survivor of regional top-seed St. Bonaventure (22-8) and Wagner (22-10).

Here are a few things to consider before Alabama faces Creighton in Omaha.

Another first

Johnson's coached 47 NBA playoff games, but he's the first to admit that experience doesn't exactly translate to the college level. And now that he's here, the list of first-time college coaching experience will end.

"It's a little bit of an adjustment because you get one shot at it," Johnson said. "It's not like going into an NBA series. You lose the first game and it's a seven-game series. This is one and done."

The preparation isn't completely different. The balance of rest and preparation remains from his time in the NBA.

There wasn't much time to prepare for a completely unknown opponent with only one common opponent. Johnson said his video team got right to work when the brackets were announced at 7:30 p.m. CT Sunday. Assistant coach Bob Simon takes the lead in scouting report preparation.

"It was a really late night last night in the office," Johnson said Monday. "And an early morning."

A bus was waiting outside Coleman Coliseum after the Monday practice to take the team to the airport for the flight to Omaha.

Scouting Creighton

What did the coaching staff see when the tape of Creighton rolled?

Point guard Maurice Watson Jr. led the Big East with 6.6 assists per game while scoring 14.2 points a night.

"Boy, he's a fast little player," Johnson said.

Johnson counted five or six Bluejays capable of knocking down 3s. Four of the five starters average double figures with the other checking in at 9.8 points a game. Creighton has wins over NCAA teams Xavier, Butler and Seton Hall after being picked to finish ninth (of 10) in the preseason Big East poll.

Geoffrey Groselle is a 7-foot center who shoots 69.4 percent from the field, second best in the country. He made 21 straight shots at one point earlier this season, so he'll be a considerable challenge for shot-block specialists Jimmie Taylor and Donta Hall.

Forward Cole Huff is coming off a 35-point game against Seton Hall in the Big East tournament. He's hit double figures in eight of the last nine games.

Obasohan remembers Creighton

This will be the second Alabama-Creighton meeting in the postseason. The Bluejays beat the Tide 58-57 in the only NCAA tournament game of the Anthony Grant era back in 2012. Alabama had a 48-41 lead in the second half before Creighton went on a 10-0 run.

The only player remaining from that game is Obasohan. Now a fifth-year senior, he was redshirting that year.

"I remember every single play of that game," he said. "It's crazy how it works out."

Obasohan was standing on the Alabama bench when Trevor Releford's attempt at a game-winning jumper missed the mark as the buzzer sounded.

"Trust me," Obasohan said with a smile, "I haven't forgotten that game."

Mindset

After rising to the top 30 in the RPI by mid-February, Alabama had a serious shot a surprise trip to the NCAA tournament this season. That ended by losing five of the final seven games of the season.

Johnson is keeping a close eye on how his team reacts to playing in the NIT.

"This is a mental game," Johnson said. "I really want to know are we ready to go on spring break or do we want to play basketball for a long time. And I'm going to see that in our attitudes. I'm going to see it in timeouts. I'll see it tomorrow in shoot around. I have a pretty good gauge and a temperature for our team. If we are mentally and physically ready to play, we'll have an opportunity to win."

There was an encouraging sign, Johnson said, when his players got in the season's first in-practice scuffle Monday morning.

"It's good stuff," Johnson said. "I don't want to divulge too much, but it's good for you guys to know that. And I like that kind of stuff. I like it. You go to some football practices, you always see guys getting tangled up. We need more of that."

Numbers of note

-- 18 wins by Johnson tied him with Wimp Sanderson (1980-81) for the most by a first-year coach at Alabama.

-- 24-16 is Alabama's record in NIT games with seven wins in the last 10 games.

-- 5 times Alabama has opened NIT play on the road in 14 appearances. It's the first time in the last five appearances the Tide will play Round 1 away from Coleman Coliseum.

-- 14-1 is Creighton's record when scoring at least 80 points this season. It averages 78.8 points a game. Alabama is 8-0 when holding opponents under 60 points.

-- 5 games Alabama lost to teams ranked in the top 10 of the RPI including No. 2 Oregon (NCAA regional top seed), No. 7 Xavier and No. 10 Kentucky (three times).

-- 6-3 is Alabama's record in games decided by five or fewer points.

-- 13.7 points averaged by Arthur Edwards in the last three games after averaging 9.7 a game this season. The senior made 11 of 18 from 3-point range in the three most recent games.

-- 18 is Alabama's national ranking in blocks with an average of 5.2 a game.

-- 3-game losing streak is what Creighton brings to the NIT.

-- 12-5 is the Bluejays' home record this season.