Saturday, March 7
Omaha Civic Auditorium
2:05 PM
Creighton University
65
vs
62
Illinois State
Women's Basketball Tops Illinois State in Overtime
3/7/2009 4:30:00 PM | Women's Basketball
OMAHA, Neb. ? Creighton needed overtime and a season-high in field goal attempts and rebounds, and despite shooting less than 30 percent the women's basketball team was able to knock off Missouri Valley Conference regular-season champion Illinois State 65-62 Saturday afternoon. Kelsey Crites came off the bench to score a career-high 13 points for the Bluejays in the final regular-season basketball game ever at the Omaha Civic Auditorium. The Bluejays, the No. 2 seed in the upcoming State Farm MVC Tournament, finish the regular-season 19-10, including a 14-4 record in the MVC.
Trailing 56-51 with less than two minutes to play in regulation, sophomore Stephani Rhoten knocked down her only three-pointer of the game after a Creighton offensive rebound to bring the Jays within two at the 1:47 mark. Two-time MVC Player of the Year Kristi Cirone missed a jumper on ISU's end and Megan Neuvirth pulled down the rebound with 1:15 left. Just as she's done all season, Chevelle Herring hit the clutch basket for Creighton, nailing a 17-foot pull-up shot with 52 seconds left to tie the game at 56.
Neuvirth picked off a Cirone pass with 28 seconds left in regulation, but Herring's game-winning attempt was missed and the Jays and Redbirds went to overtime in Omaha for the second straight season.
The teams exchanged missed field goals to start the extra period, but Neuvirth was fouled after an offensive rebound and made a pair of free-throws to put CU up 58-56 just 44 seconds into overtime.
Ashleen Bracey tied the game at 60 with 2:10 to go and Crites answered with CU's only field goal in overtime to give the Jays a 62-60 lead. ISU tied the game inside of a minute to play in regulation. Neuvirth put CU up 63-62 by going 1-for-2 at the charity stripe with 24 seconds left. Maggie Krick missed a baseline jumper which could have given ISU the lead with eight seconds to play.
A quick foul on Kelsey Woodard and two makes by CU's best free-throw shooter at the line with seven seconds left gave the Jays a 65-62 win, as the Redbirds could not get off the game-tying attempt.
The Jays were just 1-for-7 from the field in overtime, but hit 7-of-8 free-throw shots in the same span to pull of the win. CU finished the game just 22-of-75 for a 29.3 field goal percentage, including 7-of-22 (.318) from long range. The Jays shot above their season average at the line however, finishing 14-of-19 (.737) at the stripe.
Neuvirth and Herring tied for the team-lead with 15 points each, despite combining to make just 9-of-36 shots from the field. Neuvirth added eight rebounds, two assists and a steal, despite picking up her fourth foul less than four minutes into the second half.
Crites scored a career-high 13 points, to go along with seven rebounds in 32 minutes off the bench. Woodard led the Jays with six assists and tied her season-high with nine rebounds. Kellie Nelson grabbed a career-best 11 rebounds for CU off the bench.
The CU defense limited the MVC's leading scorer, Cirone, to just six points and 1-of-12 shooting from the field. Cirone also had five turnovers and led the team with eight assists. Krick led the the Redbirds (24-6, 15-3 MVC) with 19 points and Bracey added 10 points and nine rebounds.
Creighton now turns its attention to the MVC Tournament. The Jays will play as the No. 2 seed, playing the winner of the No. 7 seed Missouri State Lady Bears against a to-be-determined 10th seed. CU's first game will tip at 6:05 p.m., Friday in St. Charles, Mo., at the Family Arena. All CU games at the event can be heard on 88.9 FM KVSS in Omaha and 102.7 FM KBZR in Lincoln and online at www.kvss.com.
NOTES: Seniors Michelle Kaus and Kristina Voss were honored in a postgame ceremony ... Kaus, who had not played since tearing her ACL in CU's second game this season, started and played three minutes in her final home game ... Voss had four points, five rebounds and tied her season-high with three steals (previously done against this same ISU squad) ... Creighton went 8-1 at home in MVC play for the second straight season, losing only to Drake (for the second straight year) ... CU was 8-0 at the Omaha Civic Auditorium in Valley play, falling to Drake at Qwest Center Omaha ... The Jays ended their final season at the Civic with an 11-3 mark, including 10 straight wins at the venue to conclude the year ... CU will move into the on-campus Ryan Center and D.J. Sokol Arena prior to next season.
Trailing 56-51 with less than two minutes to play in regulation, sophomore Stephani Rhoten knocked down her only three-pointer of the game after a Creighton offensive rebound to bring the Jays within two at the 1:47 mark. Two-time MVC Player of the Year Kristi Cirone missed a jumper on ISU's end and Megan Neuvirth pulled down the rebound with 1:15 left. Just as she's done all season, Chevelle Herring hit the clutch basket for Creighton, nailing a 17-foot pull-up shot with 52 seconds left to tie the game at 56.
Neuvirth picked off a Cirone pass with 28 seconds left in regulation, but Herring's game-winning attempt was missed and the Jays and Redbirds went to overtime in Omaha for the second straight season.
The teams exchanged missed field goals to start the extra period, but Neuvirth was fouled after an offensive rebound and made a pair of free-throws to put CU up 58-56 just 44 seconds into overtime.
Ashleen Bracey tied the game at 60 with 2:10 to go and Crites answered with CU's only field goal in overtime to give the Jays a 62-60 lead. ISU tied the game inside of a minute to play in regulation. Neuvirth put CU up 63-62 by going 1-for-2 at the charity stripe with 24 seconds left. Maggie Krick missed a baseline jumper which could have given ISU the lead with eight seconds to play.
A quick foul on Kelsey Woodard and two makes by CU's best free-throw shooter at the line with seven seconds left gave the Jays a 65-62 win, as the Redbirds could not get off the game-tying attempt.
The Jays were just 1-for-7 from the field in overtime, but hit 7-of-8 free-throw shots in the same span to pull of the win. CU finished the game just 22-of-75 for a 29.3 field goal percentage, including 7-of-22 (.318) from long range. The Jays shot above their season average at the line however, finishing 14-of-19 (.737) at the stripe.
Neuvirth and Herring tied for the team-lead with 15 points each, despite combining to make just 9-of-36 shots from the field. Neuvirth added eight rebounds, two assists and a steal, despite picking up her fourth foul less than four minutes into the second half.
Crites scored a career-high 13 points, to go along with seven rebounds in 32 minutes off the bench. Woodard led the Jays with six assists and tied her season-high with nine rebounds. Kellie Nelson grabbed a career-best 11 rebounds for CU off the bench.
The CU defense limited the MVC's leading scorer, Cirone, to just six points and 1-of-12 shooting from the field. Cirone also had five turnovers and led the team with eight assists. Krick led the the Redbirds (24-6, 15-3 MVC) with 19 points and Bracey added 10 points and nine rebounds.
Creighton now turns its attention to the MVC Tournament. The Jays will play as the No. 2 seed, playing the winner of the No. 7 seed Missouri State Lady Bears against a to-be-determined 10th seed. CU's first game will tip at 6:05 p.m., Friday in St. Charles, Mo., at the Family Arena. All CU games at the event can be heard on 88.9 FM KVSS in Omaha and 102.7 FM KBZR in Lincoln and online at www.kvss.com.
NOTES: Seniors Michelle Kaus and Kristina Voss were honored in a postgame ceremony ... Kaus, who had not played since tearing her ACL in CU's second game this season, started and played three minutes in her final home game ... Voss had four points, five rebounds and tied her season-high with three steals (previously done against this same ISU squad) ... Creighton went 8-1 at home in MVC play for the second straight season, losing only to Drake (for the second straight year) ... CU was 8-0 at the Omaha Civic Auditorium in Valley play, falling to Drake at Qwest Center Omaha ... The Jays ended their final season at the Civic with an 11-3 mark, including 10 straight wins at the venue to conclude the year ... CU will move into the on-campus Ryan Center and D.J. Sokol Arena prior to next season.
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