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OMAHA, Neb.—The University of Evansville women’s basketball team found out on Sunday that when you have a double-digit game winning streak in the Missouri Valley Conference this year, it does not pay to face the Creighton Bluejays, as the Bluejays put an end to UE’s 10-game streak with an 82-71 victory at the Omaha Civic Auditorium.
Creighton, which snapped Illinois State’s league-best 15-game winning streak earlier this year, used 50.0 percent shooting from the floor, a 46-24 edge in points in the paint, and a 48-25 rebounding advantage to put an end to Evansville’s school-best 10-game winning streak on Sunday.
“The discrepancy inside really killed us,” said UE head coach Tricia Cullop. “I felt like we had a good game plan to try and defend their post players today, but we did not execute that game plan. I was embarrassed at the rebounding total at halftime, and I thought that we did a better job on the glass in the second half, but you still can not afford to have a rebounding discrepancy like we did today and expect to win.
“It was a disappointing loss today because of the fact that our kids can play much better than they did, but credit Creighton because they did a great job defensively today and really made us work for our shots.”
After a back-and-forth first half, Creighton was able to build an eight-point lead, 48-40, thanks to a 6-2 run over the first three minutes of the second half. The Bluejays would build as much as a 10-point lead, 65-55, with 8:09 to play, before UE would answer with an 8-2 run keyed by three-pointers by juniors Ashley Austin and Shannon Novosel to get the Purple Aces back within just four points, 67-63, with 5:39 remaining.
Evansville would get no closer the rest of the way, however, as the Bluejays would go a perfect 9-for-9 from the free throw line down the stretch to keep the Purple Aces at bay. Senior guard Ally Thrall would hit six of the Bluejays’ nine free throws to ice the victory for Creighton.
Novosel led Evansville with 18 points, while Austin and senior guard Rebekah Parker both pitched in 14 points apiece. Rookie forward Kellie Nelson led a balanced Creighton attack with a career-high 16 points and eight rebounds off of the Bluejays’ bench. Creighton’s reserves outscored UE’s bench 29-14.
With the victory, Creighton improves to 15-8 overall and 8-4 in the MVC. Evansville, meanwhile, falls to 16-8 overall and 10-3 in the MVC. Evansville will return to action next on Friday night, as the Purple Aces will travel to Carbondale, Illinois to battle the Southern Illinois Salukis. Tip-off is set for 7:05 p.m. and the game can be heard live in the Tri-State area on 91.5 F.M.-WUEV.
