Bluejay Women on TV at Missouri State Friday

Game 21 at Missouri State ? Friday, Feb. 6 ? 7:35 p.m.
Creighton Bluejays at Missouri State Lady Bears
JQH Arena ? Springfield, Mo.
Radio: 88.9 FM & 102.7 FM, www.kvss.com ? TV: Fox Sports Midwest
Series History: Missouri State leads 26-14
Last Meeting: Creighton won 92-63 in Omaha, Jan. 8, 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. Brad Burwell and Rob Simms will call the action.

? The game will be televised live on Fox Sports Midwest with Mitch Holthus and Laura Leonard on the call.

? Live stats for this game can be found at www.gocreighton.com.

? Creighton ranks sixth in the NCAA in three-point field goal percentage (.387) and ranks eighth in the nation in fewest turnovers per game (14.0).

? CU has the toughest scoring defense in the MVC, allowing 57.5 points per game on the year and just 52.4 per game in Valley play.

? The Bluejays started their seven-game winning streak against Missouri State on Jan. 8. Opponents are averaging 50.4 points per game during the streak, while five of the seven failed to score 50 points.

? CU had winning streaks of at least seven games in 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05, all seasons the Jays advanced to the WNIT.

? CU's 92 points, 15 three-pointers and 58.6 field goal percentage against Missouri State on Jan. 8 were all season-highs.

? Creighton is 2-17 all-time in Springfield, including six straight losses.

Scouting the Bluejays (12-8, 7-2 MVC)
Creighton enters the weekend on a seven-game winning streak, its longest since the 2004-05 team won eight straight, while its streak in MVC play is its longest since 2003-04 ... CU had the strongest non-conference strength of schedule in the MVC, including five games with Big 12 foes and three top-25 opponents ... While CU ranks sixth in the nation in three-point field goal percentage, the Jays are ninth in the MVC in field goal percentage (.374) and free-throw percentage (.681) ... The Jays lead the MVC and rank 19th in the NCAA with 7.2 three-point field goals per game ... CU is averaging 8.7 steals per game in Valley play, including 12 per game in its last four contests ... Junior Megan Neuvirth leads the MVC with 9.4 rebounds and 2.7 steals per game, while she also tops the team in assists, blocked shots and double-doubles ... Sophomore Kelsey Woodard leads the team with 13.8 points per game in MVC play ... Junior Chevelle Herring is averaging 13 points and 3.3 assists per game during the seven-game winning streak ... That trio makes up 66.4 percent of the Bluejay scoring.

Scouting the Lady Bears (6-14, 2-7 MVC)
Missouri State is 3-6 at JQH Arena this year, including 1-3 in Valley play, topping Indiana State for one of its two MVC losses ... The Lady Bears are averaging 4,602 fans in their new home ... While MSU ranks third in the league in offense (62.5 ppg), it ranks ninth in defense (66.6 ppg) ... MSU leads the MVC with 9.2 steals per game and ranks last in three-point accuracy (.246) ... Freshman Casey Garrison, four-time MVC Newcomer of the Week, ranks second in the MVC with 16.3 points per game, while she also leads the team with 6.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.1 steals per game ... Jaleshia Roberson, the reigning MVC Newcomer of the Week, is second on the team with 8.9 points per game and tops the team with 20 three-pointers ... Last year's MVC Newcomer of the Year, Maggie Dwyer, adds 7.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.

The Coaches
Jim Flanery (Creighton, 1987) 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 121-88 (.579). Prior to serving as CU's head coach, Flanery served as CU's top assistant for a decade. Nyla Milleson (Kansas State, 1985) is in her second season at Missouri State and ninth year as a collegiate head coach. She is 17-33 (.340) at MSU and 202-69 (.745) as a head coach. Milleson guided Division II Drury to five NCAA Tournament appearances in seven seasons prior to moving across town to MSU.

CU-MSU Series History
Creighton trails the all-time series with Missouri State, 14-26, but the Bluejays are 5-3 in their last eight meetings with the Lady Bears. The Jays are just 2-17 all-time in Springfield, winning in 1999 and 2002. The Jays have lost their last six games in Springfield and are looking for their first road win against MSU under Jim Flanery. Flan is 6-9 all-time against MSU. Each team won on its home court last year, while CU ended MSU's season in the MVC Tournament quarterfinals. CU knocked off MSU 92-63 in Omaha last month.

Last Time vs. Missouri State
Creighton not only scored a season-high 92 points against Missouri state in a 92-63 win in Omaha on Jan. 8, but the Jays enjoyed their best shooting performance from the field in 13 years. A 21-1 first-half run helped the Jays pull away from MSU and lead 45-26 at the half. Six Bluejays scored in double figures, led by Kelsey Woodard's 19 points. CU had 17 assists on 18 second-half baskets and finished 58.6 percent from the floor in the game. The Jays drained 15-of-23 (.652) three-pointers in the win, the most ever by a Lady Bear opponent. Megan Neuvirth tied her career-high with eight assists and added 18 points, while Stephani Rhoten made 4-of-5 three-pointers for a career-best 12 points. Kellie Nelson scored a season-high 13 points, making 6-of-7 shots.

Individuals vs. Missouri State
After her game-high 19 points against the Lady Bears last month, Kelsey Woodard now averages 11.5 points per game against MSU in her career. She is 12-of-27 (.444) from three-point range in four games against the Lady Bears. Stephani Rhoten enjoyed a career game against MSU last month, draining 4-of-5 three-pointers for a career-high 12 points. Kellie Nelson also scored a season-high 13 against MSU last month. Megan Neuvirth averages 8.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 2.3 steals per game in her career against MSU. Chevelle Herring averages 8.4 points and is shooting 47.1 percent (8-17) from three-point range in her career against the Bears. CU will certainly miss Sam Schuett's output against the Lady Bears, as she averages 9.6 points and 9.4 rebounds per game against MSU.

Lucky Seven
Creighton has won seven straight MVC games for the first time since the 2003-04 team did the same. A win at Missouri State would equal CU's longest overall streak under Jim Flanery, a feat the 2004-05 team achieved. The 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05 squads each won at least seven games in a row and each appeared in the postseason WNIT. The Jays advanced to the 2003 WNIT Final Four and won the 2004 WNIT championship.

Birds of Prey
The Bluejay have notched at least 11 steals in each of their last four games, averaging 12 per game in that span. The Jays swiped 12 against Bradley on Jan. 25 and followed with another season-high of 14 steals at Drake on Jan. 31. The Jays average 7.2 steals per game overall, but are up to 8.7 per game in Valley play.

Getting Free
Creighton entered its game at Drake last week 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.

Don't Stop That Thief
Megan Neuvirth has 16 steals in her last four games, including a season-high five against Bradley (Jan. 25). A leading candidate for MVC Defensive Player of the Year, the junior leads the MVC in rebounds (9.4) and steals (2.7) per game and is fourth in blocked shots (1.4). Neuvirth is tied with assistant coach Dayna Finch for ninth on the CU career steals list with 182.

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 106 career three-pointers rank 11th on the school list. Next in her sights, older sister and graduate assistant Kristi Woodard who is 10th on the Bluejay career list with 132 trifectas.

Flan Will Miss Jan(uary)
The Bluejays just wrapped up a 7-2 January, moving Creighton's record to 40-16 (.714) in January during head coach Jim Flanery's tenure. Outside of January, CU's record under Flanery is 81-72 (.529), including 21-21 (.500) in February.

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 last Saturday. 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.

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 ?? ??
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

Megan's Record Rebounding Pace
Junior Megan Neuvirth is on pace to set a Creighton record for rebounds in a season. With 187 rebounds through 20 games and at least 10 games remaining for the Jays, she is on pace to finish the season with at least 281 rebounds. The Bluejay record for boards in a year is 260 set by Janet Ensign in 1986-87. Her 9.4 average would be the highest rebounding average by a Bluejay since Connie Yori's 9.1 average in 1982-83.

KC Masterpiece
Creighton's recent improved play has been helped by the re-emergence of Kelsey Crites (KC) off the bench. Over her last six games, the junior is averaging 6.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.7 steals per game, while she is shooting 14-of-31 (.452) from the field. Crites pulled down a career-high 10 rebounds against Bradley on Jan. 25 and has twice equalled her season-high of eight points in her last six games.

Crites Finds Offense in the Ozarks
Kelsey Crites has played four career games in Springfield, two against Missouri State and two in the 2006 MVC Tournament. In those four games she has found her shooting touch, making 12-of-24 (.500) shots from the field and 7-of-11 (.636) from three-point range, while averaging 8.5 points in 15.3 minutes. Her three three-pointers on four attempts at MSU on Feb. 2, 2006 remain a career high.

No Bailout for This Chevy
Chevelle Herring poured in 20 points against Bradley (Jan. 25), her highest scoring output in a conference game this year and most points scored since her career-high 31 against Kansas on Dec. 13. Herring tied her career-high with five three-pointers in the win, including a 4-for-4 performance from beyond the arc after halftime.

Three is Better Than Two
Simple concept, right? Well it applies to the Bluejays in that they shoot better from three-point range than they do from inside the arc. On the year the Jays rank sixth in the NCAA with a 38.7 three-point field goal percentage, while they rank ninth in the MVC in field goal percentage, at 37.4. Those numbers mean the Jays are shooting just 36.7 percent from inside the arc, compared to 38.7 from long range. CU's top three scorers ? Chevelle Herring, Kelsey Woodard, Megan Neuvirth ? each shoot better from three-point range than they do inside the arc.

Herring Can Help
Point guard Chevelle Herring leads the team with 3.3 assists per game during CU's seven-game winning streak. She handed out a career-high seven helpers against Northern Iowa on Jan. 23. Her 3.0 assists per game in MVC play are tops on the team and rank seventh in the league.

Summarizing the Streak
During Creighton's seven-game winning streak the Bluejays are averaging 63 points per game, while allowing just 50.4 points. CU is shooting 40.6 percent from the field and 42.6 percent from long range in its last seven games, while opponents are shooting just 35.8 percent from the field and 25.9 percent from beyond the arc. The Jays have a plus-3.7 rebounding margin during the streak and are averaging 9.3 steals and 4.3 blocks in the same span.

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 seven games, the Bluejay bench is averaging 16.0 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.
Crites had eight points, seven rebounds and team-best four assists at UE and then added a career-best 10 rebounds against Bradley (Jan. 25). Nelson had eight points and career-high 10 rebounds against the Purple Aces and swiped a career-high three steals against Bradley.

Impressive Defensive Streak
Creighton's opponents failed to score at least 50 points in five straight games (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 57.5 points per game and a league-low 52.4 per game in Valley play. CU's last six opponents are averaging 48.3 points per game. 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 six 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 57.5 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.

Keep the Chevy in Town
Junior Chevelle Herring leads Creighton with 14.6 points per game this year. At home, Herring is averaging 16.6 points, shooting 41.0 percent from the field and 46.4 percent from three-point range. On the road, Chevy is averaging 12.6 points and shooting 27.3 percent from the field and 29.2 percent from long range.

She's a Leader
Not only a team-leader, but Megan Neuvirth is a statistical leader for the Jays. Neuvirth leads the team and MVC with 9.4 rebounds and 2.7 steals per game. She also leads the Jays with 28 blocked shots, 61 assists and six double-doubles. She ranks 37th in the NCAA in both rebounds and steals per game.

Only Megan
Megan Neuvirth is a leading candidate for MVC Defensive Player of the Year. The junior forward leads the MVC with 9.4 rebounds and 2.7 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 (8th), three-point percentage (8th), assists (7th), and blocked shots (4th). She also tops the MVC with 3.3 offensive boards per game, ranks fourth in minutes per game (35.5) and is seventh in assist-TO ratio (0.8).

Individual Statistical Rankings
Megan Neuvirth leads the MVC with 9.4 rebounds, 3.3 offensive rebounds and 2.7 steals per game. Chevelle Herring and Kelsey Woodard are tied for the MVC lead with 37 minutes played per game and Neuvirth is fourth with 35.5 minutes played per game. Woodard leads the MVC in free-throw shooting at 84.6 percent.

CU in the NCAA Rankings
Creighton ranks sixth in the NCAA in three-point accuracy, shooting 38.7 percent from long range. The Jays rank eighth in the nation with just 14.0 turnovers per game and they rank 19th in the NCAA with 7.2 three-pointers per game. Kelsey Woodard ranks 21st in the NCAA with 2.7 three-pointers per game.

Turnover Topic
Creighton leads the MVC with the fewest turnovers per game, while its 14 turnovers per game ranks eight 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 54 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 has 16 steals in her last four games, including a season-high five 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.

Fifty-Fifty
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 have also now kept five straight foes from reaching 50 points, moving CU's record to 12-1 when holding teams below 50 since 2002-03. CU was held to 43 points at Illinois State (Jan. 1), dropping to 1-10 under Flanery when failing to score 50 points.

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.

Driving 60
In Jim Flanery's first six years at Creighton, the Bluejays never went more than two straight games scoring less than 60 points ? this year's team now has three three-game streaks of scoring less than 60 points in a game. Prior to this season, CU had not gone three consecutive games without scoring 60 since Dec., 2000.

Something New From Neuvirth
Junior Megan Neuvirth has added “shot-blocker” to her basketball resum? this season, as she leads the team and ranks fourth in the MVC with 28 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.

Voss FT Streak Ends at 21
Senior center Kristina Voss made 21 consecutive free-throw attempts before missing at Illinois State on Jan. 1. A career 71.9 percent free-throw shooter to begin the year, she started the season with an 0-for-4 performance at the line and was 4-for-10 after two games.

Megan's Double-Doubles
Megan Neuvirth has six double-doubles in 20 games 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 State (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 already swatted 27 shots through 18 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.

No Rest for the Weary
With a small roster, it's no surprise that three Bluejays are atop the MVC leader board in minutes played per game. Chevelle Herring has played every minute in five games this year ? including all 45 minutes against Kansas ? and leads the MVC with 37.2 minutes played per game. Kelsey Woodard ranks second in the MVC with 36.9 minutes per game and Megan Neuvirth ranks third in the league with 35.4 minutes played per 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. As a prep at Mandan High she was a part of five Class A state championships.

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. Creighton's bench has scored less than 10 points 10 times in 20 games this year. Last year the Bluejay bench scored less than 10 points twice in 33 games.

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.

Be Careful Kristina
Should Michelle Kaus choose to take a medical redshirt and return next season, that would make senior Kristina Voss the only member of the five-person class to make it through her career in four seasons and without a season-ending injury. Kelsey Crites, Chevelle Herring and Megan Neuvirth are all fourth-year juniors, having already redshirted because of injuries. While Voss has not suffered a season-ending injury, she did sustain a sprained ankle at Kansas State on Dec. 9 and missed the Kansas game on Dec. 13.

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.

We're Back
The Bluejays return eight letterwinners and four players who started at least 15 games last year, while they lose three letterwinners and two starters. Gone are Tyrai Bronson and starters Sara Cain and Ally Thrall. Returning starters Kristina Voss (32), Megan Neuvirth (21), Kelsey Woodard (19) and Sam Schuett (15) were all regulars in the starting lineup, while Michelle Kaus also started 11 contests last year.

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.

Nebraska Flavor
Six of Creighton's 11 players on this year's roster are from Nebraska ? Bellevue natives Chevelle Herring (East) and Kelsey Woodard (West), Omaha products Kellie Nelson (Westside) and Sam Schuett (Millard West), along with Katie Frank (South Sioux City) and Megan Neuvirth (West Point Central Catholic).

Women's Turn at Qwest Center
Creighton will play the first regular-season women's basketball game in Qwest Center Omaha history when the Bluejays host Drake on Friday, Feb. 27. The Jays have previously played two exhibition games, both wins over Central Missouri, at the Qwest Center.

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 2,500 to 3,000, 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

Tyrai Bronson

Sara Cain

DaNae Moore

Ally Thrall

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