• Game Notes (PDF)
• AcesTV's Live Video Coverage (Courtesy of Creighton University)
• Free Live Game Audio (Courtesy of WUEV)
The University of Evansville women’s basketball team will try to slow down one of the nation’s hottest teams on Thursday night, as the Purple Aces will travel to Omaha, Nebraska to battle the Creighton University Bluejays. Tip-off is set for 7:05 p.m. and Thursday’s game can be heard live on 91.5 F.M.-WUEV, with video streaming also available at www.gopurpleaces.com.
Evansville will be looking to snap its current two-game losing streak, after seeing a furious second-half rally fall short on Saturday against Bradley, 80-68. UE was able to trim a once 24-point deficit back to just four points with under two minutes to go, but could get no closer, as the Purple Aces fell to 9-13 overall and 2-9 in the Missouri Valley Conference. The loss overshadowed a strong performance by senior center Shannon Novosel, who recorded a season-best 19-point, 11-rebound double-double in the loss. Novosel, who recorded her 900th career point in the game, has led UE in scoring over the last three games at 15.3 points per contest.
Creighton, meanwhile, will ride an MVC-best nine-game winning streak into Thursday’s game, after knocking off Wichita State, 49-47, on Sunday. Do-everything junior forward Megan Neuvirth recorded a game-high 24 points and nine rebounds to help Creighton improve to 14-8 overall and 9-2 in the Valley. Creighton’s nine-game winning streak ranks 15th-best among active winning streaks in NCAA Division I women’s basketball right now, and the Bluejays are trying to win their 10th consecutive game for the first time since the 2001-02 season.
One of Creighton’s victory came at the expense of Evansville, 50-47, on January 17. Neuvirth scored a game-high 16 points to power the Bluejays to victory, while senior guard Ashley Austin paced a pack of three Purple Aces in double-figures with 12 points. Austin currently leads Evansville in scoring with an average of 12.3 points per game this season, while Neuvirth is one of three Creighton players averaging double-figures at 13.4 points per game. Junior guard Chevelle Herring (13.9 ppg) and sophomore guard Kelsey Woodard (12.9 ppg) also average double-digits for the Bluejays this year.
