Creighton University
8-9, 2-3BE
Xavier
12-3, 3-1BE
Women's Basketball Found its Rhythm with 74-47 Win Over Xavier
1/8/2016 8:47:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Omaha, Neb. - Powered by a defense that held Xavier to four points in the opening quarter, the Creighton women's basketball team rolled past the Musketeers 74-47 on Friday, Jan. 8.
The win lifted Creighton to 8-9 on the season and 2-3 in BIG EAST play, while Xavier fell to 12-3 overall and 3-1 in conference action.
As they have often this season, the Bluejays jumped out quickly on the Musketeers. The difference on Friday night was the manner Creighton claimed the early lead, with defense. Creighton held Xavier to just four points in the opening 10 minutes, leaping out to a 14-4 lead. Junior MC McGrory got the Bluejays rolling on the offense with seven points in the first five minutes.
Creighton's second quarter performance was characterized by sharing the basketball. Seven different Bluejays scored in the period as eight made field goals yielded eight assists. Freshman Audrey Faber led the way with five points in the second. The Bluejays pushed their lead out to 16 points (34-18) in the closing moments of the period when sophomore Myah Mellman splashed home a trey from the left corner.
Quarter number three saw Xavier pull within 10 at 39-29 behind a 5-0 run to force a timeout from Bluejay head coach Jim Flanery. Out of the timeout Creighton responded with 23 of the next 24 points. Tremendous ball movement got things going as sophomore Bailey Norby found an open shot from the elbow to make it 41-29. Following a free-throw from the Musketeers, Faber took over. The Iowa native scored seven of her game-high 17 points during over the next two minutes and change. Add in a three-point play from McGrory and an interior layup from Lamberty and the result was a 53-30 lead for the Bluejays.
Creighton's bench continued to control the game in the fourth period, pushing the lead to as much as 27 (74-47) behind buckets from sophomore Aimee Rischard and freshman Ali Greene in the final minutes.
Faber led Creighton with 17 points, while McGrory finished 16 points. Xavier was led by eight points from Leah Schaefer.
Creighton continues its three-game home stand on Sunday, Jan. 10 as the Bluejays host Butler at 1:00 pm.
