Creighton University
12-10 (5-6BE)
Butler
12-10 (8-3BE)
Janning's 27 Pushes Women's Basketball Past Butler, 62-55
2/1/2015 4:26:00 PM | Women's Basketball
OMAHA, Neb. - Behind a game-high 27 points from junior Marissa Janning, the Creighton women's basketball team ended Butler's eight-game winning streak with a 62-55 win on Sunday, Feb. 1.
The win lifted Creighton to 12-10 on the season and 4-6 in BIG EAST play, while Butler fell to 12-10 overall and 8-3 in conference action.
Early in the game each team relied on its defense as the two teams four eight points in the first four minutes of play.
Trailing 17-16 with just over six minutes remaining the Bluejays turned to junior Marissa Janning for a lift. The Minnesota native responded with a triple, followed by two free throws to push Creighton out to a 21-17 lead (5:24). Senior Alexis Akin-Otiko gave Creighton a six-point lead (23-17) with a driving layup, then traded three-pointers with Butler's Blaire Langlois to make it 26-20 with 3:38 left in the first half.
The Bluejays did not score again until the 17:35 mark of the second half, a span of 7:13, as Butler took a 29-26 lead at halftime and pushed its lead nine early in the second period (35-26).
Sophomore Lauren Works broke through for Creighton with a trifecta to start the Bluejays on a 11-2 run. After a 12-foot jumper by Butler's Ijeoma Uchendu, freshman Jade Owens sandwiched buckets around contributions from Janning and Akin-Otiko to knot the game at 37-37 (13:45).
Butler responded with seven straight, but this time freshman Sydney Lamberty answered the call with an deep trey to get Creighton back on track. Butler's Belle Obert got two back on the next possession but the Bluejays were awake once more. Creighton rattled off the next 17 of the next 18 points to grab its largest lead of the game at 57-47 (3:07).
Janning led the Bluejays' 20-3 charge with seven points, while Lamberty knocked in six and Akin-Otiko had five. The final two points came from the foul line by freshman Bailey Norby.
Creghton had to hold on down the stretch as Butler got within two at 57-55, but Janning answered the challenge with a driving layup to put the game away.
Janning led all scorers with 27 points, the second time she reached that number in three games, while Akin-Otiko finished with 14.
Butler for 17 points from Uchendu and a double-double from Obert with 13 points and 13 rebounds.
Creighton returns to action on Friday, Feb. 6 as the Bluejays battle St. John's at 6 pm.
