On Thursday, February 27, 2021, McDermott used an "insensitive and racist" analogy ("Guys, we need to stick together...We need both feet in. I need everybody to stay on the plantation. I can't have anybody leave the plantation.") while speaking to his team in the locker room after a 77-69 loss to the Xavier Musketeers. McDermott apologized for his actions, and was suspended by the university from all team activities for four days. Assistant coach Alan Huss served as interim head coach and coached the Bluejays to a 93-73 win over the Butler Bulldogs on March 6. McDermott was reinstated on March 8, 2021. Creighton finished the 2020–21 regular season with an 18-7 record, 14-6 in conference play, to finish in second place in the Big East. Creighton received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament as the No. 5 seed in the West Region. In the first round, the Bluejays defeated the UCSB Gauchos 63-62. In the second round, the Bluejays defeated the Ohio Bobcats 72-58, to reach the program's first regional semifinal since 1974. Creighton was defeated by Gonzaga 83-65, to finish the season with a record of 22-9.