Box Score

OMAHA, Neb. – The University of Evansville women’s basketball team struggled to keep up with the hot shooting Creighton Bluejays Thursday night, who shot 45.6 percent from the field in the game and 51.9 percent in the second half alone, topping the Purple Aces, 65-33, at D.J. Sokol Arena. The loss drops Evansville’s record to 4-12 on the season and 1-4 in Valley play, while Creighton improves to 7-8 overall and 1-3 in the MVC.

Junior Samantha Heck led the Aces with 15 points and six rebounds, marking her 12^th consecutive game reaching double figures and gives her the longest streak scoring over 10 points since the 2005-06 season. Classmate Taylor Ware scored six points for UE, while senior Briyana Blair grabbed a team-high seven boards and added two points, four assists, and four steals.

Scoring the first 10 points for the Aces, Heck gave Evansville a 5-2 lead at the first media timeout and held onto the advantage until the second timeout on the floor, 8-7. However, the Bluejays picked up the defensive pressure, scoring six unanswered points to take the lead for good.

Creighton steadily built its lead to 14 points, but Ware’s basket from the right block beat the buzzer, sending Evansville into halftime trailing by 12, 29-17. The Jays outscored the Aces, 14-7 in the final eight minutes of the period.

Out of the break, the Bluejays exploded with a 10-0 run to take a commanding 22-point lead, 39-17, with 14:16 to go. Jordan Lewis ended UE’s scoreless drought with two jumpers from the top of the key to make the score 43-21 at the 12:05 mark,
Creighton scored five more unanswered points before Katie Ellerson and Heck made back-to-back layups to cut the deficit to 23.

Suffocating CU in the backcourt, Heck hit a jumper and Blair gave the Aces a quick spark with a steal and basket to get within 23 once again, 52-29, with 7:19 remaining. However, that would be as close as Evansville would get the rest of the way, as the Jays expanded the lead to a game-high 32 points, 65-33, with 57 seconds remaining.

Evansville shot 32.6 percent (14-43) in the game and 18.3 percent (2-11) from three, while the Jays knocked down six-of-20 (30%) from behind the arc.

Creighton won the battle of the boards, 39-23, scoring 17 of their points on second chances. They also forced UE into 22 turnovers on 13 steals and scored 29 points off the mishaps.

The Jays were led by Carli Tritz with 15 points, followed by Alexis Akin-Otiko with 11. Sarah Nelson pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds, also adding four points.

The Aces are back in action Saturday when they continue on the road to Drake University. Tipoff versus the Bulldogs is set for 2:05 p.m. CT.