Women's Basketball Battles Braves Thursday

Game 25 at Bradley ? Thursday, Feb. 19 ? 7:05 p.m.
Creighton Bluejays at Bradley Braves
Lorene Ramsey Gym ? East Peoria, Ill.
Radio: 88.9 FM & 102.7 FM, www.kvss.com ? Video: www.gocreighton.com
Series History: Creighton leads 32-5
Last Meeting: Creighton won 61-46 in Omaha, Jan. 25, 2009

? The game can be heard on 88.9 FM KVSS in Omaha and 102.7 FM KBZR in Lincoln and online at www.kvss.com. Matt SantaMaria and Rob Simms will call the action.

? Live video is available for the game at www.gocreighton.com, while live stats will not be available for this game.

? Creighton has won 11 straight games for its longest MVC winning streak in school history. The 11 consecutive wins is tied for the fourth-longest streak in CU history.

? CU is one of 14 teams in the NCAA with a current win streak of at least 11 games.

? Creighton had a season-low eight turnovers on Saturday ? the Jays lead the MVC and rank ninth in the NCAA in fewest turnovers per game (14.0).

? CU ranks 12th in the NCAA in three-point percentage (.376) and 22nd with 7.1 three-pointers per game.

? Kelsey Woodard's 65 3-pointers this year rank seventh in single-season CU history.

? Kristina Voss scored a season-high 17 points on Saturday and is 24-of-36 (.667) from the field in her last five games.

? CU is 32-5 all-time against Bradley, including a sparkling 17-2 on the Braves home court.

Scouting the Bluejays
Creighton's 11-game winning streak is the longest under Jim Flanery and best since the 1991-92 team established the school record with 16 straight ... The Jays have won five straight road games ... CU had the strongest non-conference strength of schedule in the MVC, including five games with Big 12 foes and three top-25 opponents ... CU owns the top defense in the MVC, allowing 57.0 points per game and just 53.1 in league play ... Junior Megan Neuvirth leads the MVC with 9.6 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game, while she also tops the team in assists, blocked shots and double-doubles ... Neuvirth is averaging a team-best 13.8 points during the 11-game winning streak ... Sophomore Kelsey Woodard leads the Jays with 13.7 points per game in MVC play 14.0 per game on the road ... She leads the MVC in free-throw shooting (.845) and minutes per game (37.1) ... Junior Chevelle Herring, who averages 16.3 points per game at home, scores 11.7 per game on the road ... All three players rank in the top eight in the MVC in scoring and they account for 65.1 percent of CU's scoring.

Scouting the Braves
Bradley is on a four-game winning streak, following a four-game losing streak, which followed its four-game winning streak to open MVC play ... At 8-4 in MVC play the Braves are on pace for their first winning season in conference play since the 1991-92 team went 11-7 in the Gateway Conference ... BU is 9-1 at home this year, its only loss to league-leading Illinois State ... The Braves are the second-highest scoring team in the MVC with 67.8 points per game, but scored a season-low 46 points at CU last month ... BU leads the MVC in three-point shooting (.377) and is second in field-goal percentage (.431) ... BU also leads the MVC in rebound margin (+7.9) and blocked shots (5.6), but is last in turnover margin (-3.6) ... Monica Rogers leads the team with 11.8 points, along with 7.9 rebounds ... Sonya Harris tops the team with 8.2 rebounds and adds 9.8 points ... Skye Johnson, the 2008 MVC Defensive Player of the Year, leads the team and is third in the MVC with 6.2 assists per game.

The Coaches
Jim Flanery (Creighton, 1987), a leading candidate for MVC Coach of the Year, has led his team to four WNIT postseason appearances and three 20-win seasons in his first six seasons at Creighton. In 2003 he became the winningest rookie coach in school and MVC history and led the Jays to the 2004 WNIT Championship. Now in his seventh season at CU, his overall mark is 125-88 (.587). Prior to serving as CU's head coach, Flanery served as CU's top assistant for a decade. Bradley is coached by former UNO head coach Paula Buscher (Missouri State, 1986). Buscher, the dean of MVC coaches is 113-138 in her ninth season with the Braves, while she is 156-176 in her 12th year as a collegiate head coach.

CU-BU Series History
Creighton has dominated the all-time series with Bradley, as the Bluejays own a 32-5 lead in the series. The Jays are 17-2 all-time on the Braves home court, as they had a 17-game road winning streak in the series snapped last year. CU's loss in Peoria last year was its first since 1989. The Jays are 4-2 against BU since the Braves snapped an 18-game losing streak in the series in 2006. Head coach Jim Flanery is 11-2 all-time against the Braves.

Last Time vs. Bradley
Creighton held the Braves to a season-low 46 points in a 61-46 victory in Omaha last month. The Jays led 12-3 before BU scored the next 10 points to take its only lead of the game. CU led 23-20 at half and held BU without a field goal for the first 7:26 of the second half, building to a 34-22 lead in that span. The Jays used a 17-3 run to build to a 60-39 lead at one point. Chevelle Herring led all players with 20 points and Kelsey Crites led everyone with a career-high 10 rebounds. Megan Neuvirth had a season-high five steals. BU shot just 30.6 percent in the game and the Jays out-rebounded the Braves 44-36.

Individuals vs. Bradley
Kelsey Crites scored a career-high 11 points against BU last year and had a career-best 10 rebounds against the Braves in Omaha last month, in her career she averages 6.2 points and 4.8 rebounds per game against BU. Chevelle Herring tied her career-high with five three-pointers against BU last month. She averages 11.8 points per game against BU and is shooting 44.1 percent from the field and 47.1 percent from long range against the Braves. Megan Neuvirth averages 8.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 2.0 assists per game against Bradley. CU will miss Sam Schuett's 9.5 points and 9.5 boards per game against the Braves.

We're Going Streaking!
Creighton is on an 11-game winning streak, its longest under Jim Flanery and best since the 1991-92 team set the school record with 16 straight victories. The 2004-05 team won eight straight, which was the former mark under Flan. Each of the last four teams to win at least seven straight in a season advanced to the NCAA postseason that year ? NCAA (2002) & WNIT (2003, 2004, 2005).

Longest Winning Streaks at CU
16 Jan. 30, 1992 ? March 18, 1992
13 Dec. 15, 1990 ? Jan. 26, 1991
12 Nov. 30, 1991 ? Jan. 23, 1992
11 Jan. 8, 2009 ? present
11 Jan. 2, 1986 ? Feb. 8, 1986
10 Jan. 14, 2002 ? Feb. 17, 2002
10 Dec. 30, 1993 ? Jan. 29, 1994

Streakly Speaking
All of Creighton's 11 wins during its streak have come in MVC play, the longest Valley streak in school history, surpassing the 2002 MVC champions who won 10 straight. The 1992 squad won 12 consecutive conference games as a member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).

Three Straight Streak Notes
Creighton is one of 14 schools in the nation with at least an 11-game winning streak through games on Feb. 16. Connecticut (25) and Bowling Green (22) had streaks of better than 20 straight wins at the start of the week.

Summarizing the Streak
During Creighton's 11-game winning streak the Bluejays are averaging 63.5 points per game, while allowing just 51.9 points. CU is shooting 41.3 percent from the field and 38.8 percent from long range in its last 11 games, while opponents are shooting just 35.5 percent from the field and 29.2 percent from beyond the arc. The Jays have a plus-4.4 rebounding margin during the streak and are averaging 8.5 steals and 4.0 blocks in the same span. Six of CU's 11 opponents have failed to score 50 points during the streak. Megan Neuvirth leads the Bluejays with 13.8 points per game during the streak.

Winning on the Road
Creighton has won five road games during its winning streak. The Jays had not won five straight road games since the 2003-04 WNIT championship team did so ? also in Valley play. The Jays have not won six straight road games in a season since the 1993-94 NCAA Tournament team won eight straight true road games between Dec. 6, 1993 and Jan. 29, 1994.

A Rolling Stone Gathers No Voss
Kristina Voss is on a role lately, as she is shooting 66.7 percent from the field in her last five games. The senior center scored a season-high 17 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field against Southern Illinois (Feb. 14). Over her last five games, she is now 24-of-36 from the field and averaging 10.8 points per game.

Now Starting
Junior Kelsey Crites was given her first start in over a year in CU's win over Evansville (Feb. 12). She responded by scoring a season-high 10 points to go along with five rebounds and three assists. She followed with nine rebounds, six points, five assists and four steals in another start against SIU (Feb. 14).

Helping Out
Creighton dished 22 assists on 28 field goals in its win over Evansville (Feb. 12). Each of CU's five starters had at least three assists in the contest. Kelsey Woodard led the Jays with six, Chevelle Herring added five, Kristina Voss had a season-high four and Kelsey Crites and Megan Neuvirth each had three helpers in the victory. The Jays followed with 20 assists on 26 buckets against SIU (Feb. 14), with four of the five starters racking up at least three assists.

From Blanked to Blackjack
Junior Chevelle Herring, CU's leading scorer on the season, was held without a point in the Jays' win at Wichita State (Feb. 8), finishing 0-for-8 from the field. She rebounded to score 21 and shoot 8-of-16 from the field, including a career-high tying five threes on 5-of-11 shooting from long range against Evansville (Feb. 12). Her 21 points are her highest MVC total this year.

Top 10 Lists For Woodard & Neuvirth
Kelsey Woodard has hit 65 three-pointers this season, the most by a Bluejay since assistant coach Dayna Finch drained 98 in 2003-04. Her 65 treys rank seventh in CU single-season history. Megan Neuvirth grabbed 26 rebounds in two games last week to give her 230 boards on the season, good enough to rank ninth in school history. If Neuvirth continues her rebounding average this weekend, she could move up to fourth place.

Megan's Record Rebounding Pace
Junior Megan Neuvirth, who ranks 26th in the NCAA in rebounding, is on pace to set a Creighton record for rebounds in a season. With 230 rebounds through 24 games and at least six games remaining for the Jays, she is on pace to finish the season with at least 288 rebounds. The Bluejay record for boards in a year is 260 set by Janet Ensign in 1986-87. Her 9.6 average would be the highest rebounding average by a Bluejay since Connie Yori's 9.1 average in 1982-83.

Home vs. Road Numbers
The Jays are 9-3 at home this year and have won eight straight at the Civic, including all six MVC games. The Jays average 10 points more at home than on the road (66.3 compared to 56). CU is shooting 41.3 percent from the field and 39.1 percent from three-point range at home, compared to 34.9 percent from the field and 35.9 percent from beyond the arc on the road, where the Jays are 7-5 this season.

Keep the Chevy in Town
Chevelle Herring is CU's leading scorer in home games at 16.3 points per game, while she shoots 40.4 percent from the field, 44.6 percent from three-point range and 80.0 percent at the free-throw line at home. On the road, Chevy averages 11.7 points and shoots just 27.9 percent from the field, 30.4 percent from three-point range and 75.5 percent at the line.

Herring is Sharing
Point guard Chevelle Herring leads the team with 3.7 assists per game during CU's winning streak, including 4.7 assists per game in her last seven games. She handed out a career-high seven helpers against Northern Iowa on Jan. 23. Her 3.5 assists per game in MVC play are tops on the team and rank fourth in the league.

Neuvirth Honored by MVC
Junior Megan Neuvirth was named the MVC Player of the Week and MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week (Feb. 9) after averaging 19.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game in CU's road wins at Missouri State and Wichita State. She scored 20 of her game-high 24 points in the second half to account for nearly half of CU's points in a 49-47 victory at WSU. The forward, who owns a 3.24 GPA in marketing, has now earned the scholar honor three times this year and been named Player of the Week twice.

50-50 Chances
Creighton held North Dakota State to just 40 points on Dec. 29, tying the lowest output by a Bluejay opponent under Jim Flanery. The Jays also kept five straight foes from reaching 50 points (Jan. 10-25). After holding Wichita State to 47 points on Feb. 8, the Jays have now held seven opponents below 50 points this year. The Jays are 13-1 when keeping foes below 50 since 2002-03, including seven wins this year. CU was held to a season-low 43 points at Illinois State (Jan. 1), dropping to 1-10 under Flanery when failing to score 50 points.

Free-Throw Facts
Kelsey Woodard leads the MVC in free-throw percentage, making 49-of-58 for 84.5 percent on the season. She has missed just three free-throws since Dec. 9, making 28-of-31 (.903) in that span. Creighton's season-low free-throw percentage of 28.6 (4-14) against Evansville on Feb. 12 was the worst day at the charity stripe by the Jays since hitting 2-of-8 (.250) free-throws against SIU on Feb. 17, 2006.

Another Game on TV
The MVC has announced that it will be bringing its cameras to Omaha for Creighton's game with Drake on Feb. 27. That game ? which will be the first regular-season women's game played at Qwest Center Omaha ? will now tip off at 7:35 p.m. (a change from its original 7:05 p.m. start).

Getting Free
Creighton entered its game at Drake (Jan. 31) ranked last in the MVC in free-throw percentage, shooting 66.2 percent at the line. The Jays proceeded to shoot 25-of-28 at the line in the three-point win. The 25 makes and 89.3 free-throw percentage were season highs for the Jays.

Climbing the Family Tree
Kelsey Woodard became the 13th player in school history, and the second this year, to make 100 career three-pointers when she knocked down a trey at Evansville (Jan. 17). Her 117 career three-pointers rank 11th on the school list. Next in her sights, older sister and graduate manager Kristi Woodard who is 10th on the Bluejay career list with 132 trifectas.

Only Megan
Megan Neuvirth is the leading candidate for MVC Defensive Player of the Year and a candidate for MVC Player of the Year. The junior forward leads the MVC with 9.6 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game, while she also ranks in the MVC top-10 in several other statistical categories. She is the only player in the league to rank in the top-10 in rebounding (1st), steals (1st), scoring (6th), three-point percentage (8th), assists (7th), and blocked shots (6th). She also tops the MVC with 3.2 offensive boards per game, ranks fourth in minutes per game (35.2) and is ninth in assist-TO ratio (0.8).

MVC Leaders
Megan Neuvirth leads the MVC with 9.6 rebounds, 3.2 offensive rebounds and 2.4 steals per game. Kelsey Woodard leads the MVC in minutes played (37.1 per game) and free-throw percentage (.845). The Jays lead the league with 7.1 three-pointers per game and just 14.0 turnovers per game.

CU in the NCAA Rankings
Creighton ranks ninth in the NCAA in fewest turnovers per game at 14.0. The Jays are 12th in the NCAA in three-point accuracy, shooting 37.6 percent from long range. CU is 22nd in the NCAA with 7.1 three-pointers per game. Kelsey Woodard ranks 17th in the NCAA with 2.7 three-pointers per game.

Flipping the Trend
Creighton is shooting 38.2 percent from the field this year and 37.6 percent from three-point range. For a bulk of the season the Jays have shot better from beyond the arc than from inside of it. In fact, CU's top three scorers ? Chevelle Herring, Kelsey Woodard, Megan Neuvirth ? each shoot better from three-point range than they do inside the arc.

X-X First-Half Leads to X-X Finish
Creighton started MVC play 7-2 this year for the first time since the 1997-98 team. The Jays have started 8-1 through the first half of Valley play three times since then. The previous three times CU had at least seven wins in the first half of conference play, it finished first or second in the league. This marks the 14th time in 17 seasons as a member of the MVC that the Jays have posted a winning record through the first half of the league schedule.

Season 1st Half Overall Finish
2008-09 7-2 11-2 ??
2007-08 6-3 12-6 4th
2006-07 5-4 8-10 6th
2005-06 4-5 5-13 T-9th
2004-05 8-1 13-5 T-2nd
2003-04 8-1 15-3 2nd
2002-03 6-3 13-5 T-1st
2001-02 8-1 16-2 1st
2000-01 5-4 11-7 4th
1999-00 4-5 7-11 6th
1998-99 5-4 9-9 7th
1997-98 7-2 11-7 3rd
1996-97 4-5 7-11 8th
1995-96 6-3 10-8 T-4th
1994-95 6-3 12-6 4th
1993-94 8-0 14-2 2nd
1992-93 7-1 12-4 T-2nd

Don't Stop That Thief
Megan Neuvirth nabbed a season-high five steals against Bradley (Jan. 25). A leading candidate for MVC Defensive Player of the Year, the junior leads the MVC in rebounds (9.6) and steals (2.4) per game and is sixth in blocked shots (1.4). Neuvirth ranks ninth in school history with 186 career steals.

She Walks the Line ...
... and shoots well from it. Chevelle Herring went a perfect 10-for-10 at the free-throw line in CU's 68-65 win at Drake (Jan. 31). Both numbers were career-highs for the redshirt junior, while she is the first Bluejay to make 10 free-throws in a game since current graduate manager Kristi Woodard also went 10-for-10 at the stripe against Louisiana Monroe on Dec. 10, 2005.

Nelson Ratings
Sophomore Kellie Nelson pulled down a career-high 10 rebounds at Evansville on Jan. 17. She scored a season-high 13 points, dished two assists, had a blocked shot and a steal against Missouri State (Jan. 8). She tied her career-high with six field goals, finishing 6-of-7 from the field in the win over the Lady Bears. Her three steals against Bradley (Jan. 25) were a career-high.

Bench Warms Up
Sparked by the recent play of Kelsey Crites and Kellie Nelson, the Bluejays have been getting bigger contributions from their bench lately. In CU's last 11 games, the Bluejay bench is averaging 13.9 points per game after averaging 8.3 points in their first 13 contests. The Bluejay bench scored a season-high 29 points against Missouri State (Jan. 8), led by Nelson's 13 points and Stephani Rhoten's 12.

Impressive Defensive Streak
Creighton's opponents failed to score at least 50 points in five straight games from Jan. 10-25. The last time CU put together a five-game streak in which opponents failed to scored 50 points came during the 1977-78 season. In fact, prior to this year's streak, the last time the Jays had even gone back-to-back games without allowing 50 came on Dec. 30, 1993 and Jan. 2, 1994.

D-D-D-Defense
Creighton is the top scoring defense in the league, allowing opponents to average just 57.0 points per game and a league-low 53.1 per game in Valley play. Prior to this season, the Jays had held an opponent to less than 50 in seven games since 2002-03, while the Jays have now held seven opponents below 50 points this year, including a season-low of 40 scored by North Dakota State (Dec. 29).

Sensing a Theme?
Creighton's defense is allowing just 57.0 points per game, the lowest by a Bluejay team since the fifth year of women's basketball at Creighton. The 1977-78 Bluejays allowed just 49.3 points per game.

Turnover Topic
Creighton leads the MVC with the fewest turnovers per game, while its 14.0 turnovers per game ranks ninth in the NCAA. Those numbers are all the more impressive when noting the Jays lost four-year starting point guard Ally Thrall after last season. The Jays averaged 17.3 turnovers per game last year.

Neuvirth Giveth and She Taketh Away
Megan Neuvirth leads the team and MVC with 58 steals, while she also tops the team and ranks seventh in the MVC with 3.1 assists per game. Neuvirth tied her career-high with eight assists against Missouri State on Jan. 8. She swiped a season-high five steals against Bradley (Jan. 25).

It's Raining Threes
Creighton dropped in a season-high 15 three-pointers in its 92-63 victory over Missouri State (Jan. 8). The 15 treys were the most by a Bluejay squad since making 15 against Evansville on Jan. 18, 2003. It marked the most three-pointers ever made by a Lady Bear opponent and fell one shy of the CU record set in 1989 and four shy of the MVC record which Missouri State set in 2005.

More Three Information
Creighton shot 65.2 percent from three-point range against Missouri State (Jan. 8), making 15-of-23 and then followed by making 6-of-9 (.667) at Southern Illinois. It was the best three-point shooting day by the Jays since hitting 12-of-18 (.667) against Iowa on Dec. 8, 2002.

Shoot, Shoot, Shoot ...
... and keep shooting. The Jays shot 58.6 percent from the field against Missouri State on Jan. 8, the best shooting day by a Bluejay team in nearly 13 years. The field goal percentage was the highest by a CU squad since they shot 63.2 percent at Bradley on Feb. 8, 1996.

Six in Double Figures
Six Bluejays scored in double figures against Missouri State (Jan. 8), led by Kelsey Woodard's 19. The game marked the second time in three seasons CU has put six players in double figures, also pulling off the feat at Memphis on Dec. 6, 2006. Megan Neuvirth added 18, Chevelle Herring had 13 and Kristina Voss had 12. Stephani Rhoten scored a career-high 12 off the bench, and Kellie Nelson had a season-high 13 in a reserve role.

90 Points
Creighton's 92 points in a 92-63 win over Missouri State on Jan. 8, were the most scored by the Bluejays in regulation since a 96-86 win at Siena on March 22, 2003 in the WNIT. The 92 points were the most scored by the Jays since topping Wichita State 93-83 in overtime on Jan. 7, 2006. It marked the seventh time CU has scored 90 points for Jim Flanery, as CU improved to 7-0 when scoring 90 points since 2002-03.

Woodard For Three (x7)
Kelsey Woodard made a career-high seven three-pointers at Indiana State (Jan. 3), including six in the first half. Her seven treys were the most by a Bluejay since current assistant coach Dayna Finch drained seven at Iowa on Dec. 28, 2003. She is one of just six players in CU history to make at least seven in a game, while her seven trifectas are tied for the fifth-most in a single game in school history.

Getting Moore
Freshman DaNae Moore had a career-game in CU's 53-45 win over Wichita State on Jan. 10. The rookie guard pulled down a game-high and career-best 12 rebounds, and scored a career-high nine points on 4-of-6 shooting from the field.

That's Offensive
Creighton's offense was offensive in three road games from Dec. 29-Jan. 3, as CU totalled just 148 points in that span for an average of 49.3. That marked the lowest three-game point total by a Bluejay team since the 1981-82 team closed the season with just 131 points (43.7 per game) in its final three games.

More Offensive Numbers
After holding a 30-29 halftime lead at Illinois State (Jan. 1), the Jays were out-scored 34-13 in the second half. The 13 points in a half tied the lowest scoring half of basketball by the Bluejays since 2002-03. The Jays scored 13 points in the first half at Drake on Feb. 29, 2004 and had 13 points in the first half at Northwestern on Nov. 21, 2003.

Something New From Neuvirth
Junior Megan Neuvirth has added “shot-blocker” to her basketball resum? this season, as she leads the team and ranks sixth in the MVC with 30 blocked shots. With three blocked shots against North Dakota State (Dec. 29), she became the first Bluejay since Jenny Olson in 1994-95 to swat at least three shots in three straight games. Neuvirth blocked three against UC Davis (Dec. 20) and six against Colorado State (Dec. 21) before her three at NDSU. Olson had four, three and four blocked shots in a three-game span from Dec. 31, 1994 through Jan. 4, 1995. CU's all-time leading shot-blocker, Amy Hoffman, never had three straight games with at least three blocks.

Megan's Double-Doubles
Megan Neuvirth has six double-doubles this year, after posting four double-doubles in her first 55 career games (all as a freshman). Her most recent double-dime came with 13 points and 11 rebounds at Southern Illinois (Jan. 17). She had 26 points and 13 rebounds against UC Davis (Dec. 20) and followed with 18 points and 14 boards against Colorado St. (Dec. 21).

200
Creighton's game at North Dakota State marked the 200th for head coach Jim Flanery at the helm of the Bluejays. He is the third Bluejay coach to reach the 200 game plateau, following Bruce Rasmussen (343) and Connie Yori (285). Through 200 games, Rasmussen owned a record of 115-85 (.575), while Yori was 117-83 (.585) in her first 200 games at Creighton. Flanery was 114-86 (.570) through his first 200 games.

Player of the Week ? #2
Junior Megan Neuvirth was named the MVC Player of the Week on Dec. 22 following a pair of dominating performances. Neuvirth logged back-to-back double-doubles against UC Davis (Dec. 20) and Colorado State (Dec. 21). Against UCD, she poured in a career-high 26 points, including a career-best four three-pointers, to go along with 13 rebounds. Against CSU, she finished with 18 points, 14 rebounds, six blocks, five assists and three steals. For the week she averaged 22 points, 13.5 rebounds, 4.5 blocks, 3.5 assists and 3.0 steals per game.

Player of the Week ? #1
Junior Chevelle Herring was named the MVC Player of the Week on Dec. 15 for her play against No. 25 Kansas State (Dec. 9) and Kansas (Dec. 13). For the week she averaged 27 points and four rebounds against the Big 12 foes. She poured in a game-high 23 at nationally-ranked K-State and followed with a career-high 31 points in a one-point overtime loss to Kansas. She also played every minute of both games. For the week she shot 48.7 percent (19-39) from the field, 50 percent (4-8) from three-point range and 75 percent (12-16) from the free-throw line.

Neuvirth on the Block
Megan Neuvirth had 23 career blocked shots through 65 games before this season, with a career-best 15 as a freshman. This year she has swatted 30 shots through 22 games, including a career-high six blocks against Colorado State on Dec. 21. The six blocks were the most by a Bluejay since Amy Hoffman swatted six at Oregon State on Dec. 2, 2004. The CU record for blocks in a game is seven, done by Kris Kugel on Dec. 20, 1991 at Northern Iowa.

Move Evidence of a Tough Schedule
If having the strongest strength of schedule in the MVC wasn't proof enough of CU's tough slate, here is further. The Jays faced five Big 12 teams, five 20-win teams and four opponents which advanced past the first round of the NCAA tournament last year. In addition to the four NCAA teams (Iowa State, Kansas State, Nebraska, Oklahoma), the Jays also battled two WNIT teams in non-conference play (Kansas, UC Davis).

Herring Named All-Big 12
OK, not really, but junior Chevelle Herring could make a case to earn all-conference honors from the Big 12 this year after her play against the league. In five games against the league this year, she averaged 22.6 points per game. In each of the five games, she was the game's high-scorer, establishing a career-high in three games. She averaged 40.2 minutes per game, while shooting 44.4 percent (12-27) from three-point range and 77.8 percent (21-27) at the free-throw line. Herring scored a career-high 31 points against Kansas, in addition to 24 points against Iowa State and 23 against Kansas State.

30-Point Performance
Chevelle Herring poured in a career-high 31 points against Kansas on Dec. 13, the first Bluejay to score 30 in a game since Sam Schuett had 30 at Nebraska on Nov. 30, 2007. Herring became the fifth different player under head coach Jim Flanery (since 2002-03) to score at least 30 in a game, joining Schuett, Angie Janis, Laura Spanheimer and Christy Neneman. It marked the 10th time a player has scored at least 30 in a game under Flanery, as Neneman accomplished the feat five times with Flanery at the helm.

We're Hurting
Over half of Creighton's original 11-person roster has been affected by injury or illness this season, causing the Jays to add walk-on Michaela Kraft to the team.
First ? DaNae Moore breaks her right hand in preseason practice and misses both of CU's exhibition games.
Second ? Sam Schuett injures her left ankle in practice on Oct. 31, has surgery on Nov. 10 and will miss the season.
Third ? Michelle Kaus tears her left ACL for the second time in eight months against Nebraska on Nov. 17. She underwent surgery on Dec. 18 and will miss the remainder of the season.
Fourth ? Megan Neuvirth is struck with an illness which caused her to lose weight. Tests for mono were negative, however she did received an I-V before the game at Oklahoma (Dec. 3), but played all 40 minutes that night.
Fifth ? Kristina Voss sprains her left ankle early in the first half at Kansas State (Dec. 9), plays just two minutes that game and misses the Kansas contest (Dec. 13).
Sixth ? Kelsey Woodard suffers a cut above her right eye in a collision during the Kansas game on Dec. 13, misses a key seven-minute span in the second half, before returning to the floor with stitches.

40-40-40 Club
Chevelle Herring, Megan Neuvirth and Kelsey Woodard each played all 40 minutes at Kansas State on Dec. 9. It marked the first time since Dec. 29, 2005, that three Bluejays played at least 40 minutes in a game, as Angie Janis (40), Kristi Woodard (41) and Ally Thrall (45) all played that much in a 67-64 overtime win at Northern Iowa. It was the first time under Jim Flanery that three players had played an entire game in the same game.

Welcome Aboard
With season-ending injuries to senior Michelle Kaus (knee) and junior Sam Schuett (ankle), the Bluejay roster was down to nine. It's now back to 10 active players with the addition of walk-on Michaela Kraft. The 5-foot-3 guard from Mandan, N.D., joined the team in late November, and debuted in a game against Colorado State on Dec. 21.

Lonely No Moore
Freshman DaNae Moore is no longer the lone freshman on the Bluejay roster, as Michaela Kraft has joined the team as a walk-on. Alone, Moore represented the smallest freshman class in school history to start the season. While Kraft is in her second year at Creighton, athletically she is listed as a freshman.

This Chevy Drives Well
Junior Chevelle Herring scored in double figures in seven straight games (Nov. 17-Dec. 13), including four games with at least 20 points and the first 30-point game by a Bluejay in over a year. On Nov. 17 against Nebraska she scored a then career-best 19 points on 9-of-22 shooting from the field. She followed with a then career-high 24-point outing against No. 24 Iowa State (Nov. 23). Against KU (Dec. 13), she again led all players with a career-high 31 points, finishing 11-of-18 from the field.

IV for Intravenous, Not the Numeral
Despite receiving an IV before the game at sixth-ranked Oklahoma (Dec. 3), Megan Neuvirth played a career-high 40 minutes (and followed with 40 minutes played at K-State on Dec. 9). She established a then career-high by making all three of her three-point attempts at OU. The junior also led the team with six rebounds and led all players with four steals and two blocked shots against the nationally-ranked Sooners.

Twice the Double-Doubles
In addition to Megan Neuvirth's 17 points and career-high 16 rebounds at Saint Louis (Nov. 25), Kristina Voss added a double-double of her own. Voss chipped in 10 points and 10 rebounds for her fourth career double-dime. They were the first pair of Jays to have double-doubles in the same game since Neuvirth and Sam Schuett pulled off the feat on Feb. 3, 2007 at Northern Iowa.

No Bench Scoring
For the first time under head coach Jim Flanery, the Creighton bench was held scoreless in the Jays' 63-59 loss to Iowa State on Nov. 23. Three times previously the Bluejays had notched two points off the bench since 2002-03, with the last coming against Kansas in 2005.

ACL-U
That's Anterior Cruciate Ligament University, not that other ACLU. When Michelle Kaus tore her ACL against Nebraska (Nov. 17), it marked the latest in a long line of ACL tears for Bluejays. Kaus also tore the same ACL last March. No longer a Bluejay, Abby Henry tore her ACL in the preseason last year and missed the entire season. Megan Neuvirth tore her ACL in CU's final game of the 2006-07 season and Kelsey Crites tore her ACL in Creighton's sixth game of the 2006-07 season. Even women's basketball sports information contact, Rob Simms, tore his ACL in May, 2008.

Season-Ending Injuries
For the fourth consecutive season the Bluejays have lost at least one player to injury for the entire season. This year junior Sam Schuett suffered an ankle injury in practice on Oct. 31 and will be forced to miss the season following surgery on the left ankle on Nov. 10. Senior Michelle Kaus tore her left ACL on Nov. 17 and will also miss the season. Chevelle Herring (2007-08), Kelsey Crites (2006-07) and Megan Neuvirth (2005-06) were the previous players to go down with season-ending injuries. Crites played six games in 2006-07, while Herring and Neuvirth did not play a game the seasons they were injured.

Adjust the Numbers Again
When the season started, the Jays returned 75.9 percent of their rebounding, 66.1 percent of their scoring and 61.1 percent of their assists from last year's squad. However, subtract Sam Schuett's stats from the mix and the numbers drop to 59.1 percent of rebounding, 54.3 percent of scoring and 49.3 percent of assists. Schuett led the team with 6.8 rebounds per game last year, was third in assists and fifth in scoring Then subtract Michelle Kaus' numbers from the equation and the numbers fall to 55.4 percent of rebounding, 48.5 percent of scoring and 47.1 percent of assists from last year are now active on the roster.

Preseason Picks
The Bluejays have been picked to finish second in the MVC preseason poll as voted on by league coaches, media and sports information directors. The Jays were picked to finish sixth in last year's preseason poll, and ended the year in fourth. The last time the Bluejays were tabbed for a second-place finish was 2004-05, and then went on to finish second. In fact, each of the previous three times the Bluejays were tabbed for a second-place finish (1993-94, 2003-04 and 2004-05), the Jays did finish in second place. Illinois State is the unanimous MVC preseason favorite, earning all 40 first-place votes.

Welcome to Creighton
The Jays welcome three newcomers to this year's roster, sophomore Stephani Rhoten of Canyon, Texas, freshman DaNae Moore of Apple Valley, Minn., and Michaela Kraft of Mandan, N.D. Rhoten, who attended Seward County (Kan.) Community College last year, is Creighton's first junior college transfer since Taya Allen in 1998-99. Allen was named the MVC Newcomer of the Year that season. Moore, a high school teammate of Bluejay senior Michelle Kaus at Eastview High School, alone made up the smallest freshman class in CU women's basketball history, before she was joined by CU's third newcomer Kraft. Kraft joined the team as a walk-on after the season started.

So Long Civic
Creighton is playing in its final season at the Omaha Civic Auditorium, as it is slated to move into the new, on-campus Ryan Center and D.J. Sokol Arena prior to next season. The Bluejays went 11-1 at the Civic last year.

About Our New Home
Creighton is currently building an on-campus facility for basketball and volleyball. The Ryan Center and D.J. Sokol Arena, a 75,600 square-foot facility, will house a gym seating nearly 2,500, athletics staff offices, locker rooms, ticket offices, athletic training and meeting rooms, a media workroom and much more. Construction on the facility located just two blocks north of the Civic Auditorium at Webster and Florence Blvd. (19th Street) is expected to be completed in August, 2009. A live webcam of the construction site can be viewed at www.gocreighton.com.

Players Mentioned

DaNae Moore

Ally Thrall

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