OMAHA, Neb.—The University of Evansville women’s basketball team will try to solve the Missouri Valley Conference’s best defensive team on Saturday morning, as the Purple Aces will travel west to Omaha, Nebraska to do battle with the Creighton University Bluejays. Tip-off is set for 11:05 a.m. and Saturday’s game can be heard live on 91.5 F.M.-WUEV.

 

Creighton will enter Saturday’s contest in second place in the MVC with a 14-7 overall record and 9-3 conference mark. The Bluejays are currently perched second in the league behind a defense which has allowed four fewer points per game than any Valley team this year, as Creighton leads the MVC and ranks 55th nationally by allowing just 58.2 points per game. They have held six Valley opponents to 50 points or below so far, including holding Evansville to a season-low 37 points in a 63-37 victory in Evansville on January 14.

 

“Defensively, Creighton is one of the most well-coached and most discipline teams we have faced this year,” said UE head coach Misty Murphy. “Every player on the roster knows their role inside and out, and they are always in good position defensively to take away what the opposition likes to do.

 

“Offensively, Creighton is just as tough to go against, because they have a wealth of great shooters on the floor at all times, and just about every single player is a threat from three-point range. Creighton is really a complete team.”

 

Four Creighton players currently average double-figures, led by the preseason MVC Player of the Year, Megan Neuvirth (12.8 ppg). Junior forward Sam Schuett (12.6 ppg), who has reached double-figures in 14-straight games, also averages double-digits, as does junior sharpshooter Kelsey Woodard (10.9 ppg) and junior center Kellie Nelson (10.6 ppg). As a team offensively, Creighton ranks 17th nationally in three-point field goals per game at 7.5 per contest, while also ranking 54th nationally in three-point field goal accuracy at 35.3 percent.

 

Evansville will enter Saturday morning’s game looking to snap a current four-game losing streak, after dropping a 69-48 decision at Drake on Thursday night. Overall, the Purple Aces stand at 4-19 overall and 1-11 in the MVC. Senior guard and Nebraska native Amy Gallagher currently leads UE offensively with an average of 10.4 points per game, and she will enter Saturday’s game just five points shy of 800 in her UE career. Freshman center Samantha Heck, who has reached double-figures in three of UE’s last four games, ranks second on the team in scoring at 6.8 points per contest.