Wednesday, February 18
Indianapolis, Ind.
6:00 PM
Creighton University
at
Butler
Photo by: Creighton Athletics
WBB Preview: Bluejays Travel to Butler on Wednesday
2/16/2026 6:02:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Omaha, Neb. -- After consecutive losses to #1 UConn and Villanova, the Bluejays need to close out the season strong to earn an opportunity at playing in the postseason. Creighton wraps up its regular season with road games at Butler and Xavier surrounding a home contest against Providence.
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Series with Butler: Creighton leads 18-8Â
Home: 8-3 Away: 7-5 Neutral: 3-0
The Bluejays have faced Butler 26 times, collecting 18 wins including the last nine meetings.Â
Series Game-by-Game
Date  Opponent  Score
1/18/14  at Butler  L, 52-58
3/4/14  Butler  L, 59-67
3/9/14  @ ª vs. Butler  W, 61-52
1/4/15  at Butler  L, 58-63
2/1/15  Butler  W, 62-55
1/10/16  Butler  W, 77-49
2/5/16  at Butler  W, 52-42
12/28/16  Butler  W, 67-52
2/26/17  at Butler  W, 65-53
3/5/17  # ª vs. Butler  W, 64-55
1/9/18  at Butler  L, 53-59
2/18/18  Butler  W, 64-55
1/20/19  Butler  L, 43-75
2/15/19  at Butler  L, 46-66
3/10/19  $ ª vs. Butler  W, 60-51
1/26/20  Butler  L, 67-73
2/21/20  at Butler  L, 61-76
12/6/20  at Butler  W, 88-41
1/19/22  at Butler  W, 95-44
2/13/22  Butler  W, 96-49
1/14/23  at Butler  W, 75-56
2/27/23  Butler  W, 74-46
1/10/24  Butler  W, 89-53
2/4/24  at Butler  W, 75-65
1/1/25  Butler  W, 68-64
1/22/25  at Butler  W, 63-52
1/4/26  Butler  W, 67-59
ª - BIG EAST Tournament game
@ = played in Rosemont, Ill.
# = played in Milwaukee, Wis.
$ = played in Chicago, Ill.
About Butler
Scouting Butler (9-17, 3-13 BIG EAST)
Butler faces a six-game losing streak heading into the matchup with Creighton after falling most recently to St. John's 58-47.
The first two quarters of action proved neck-in-neck, with the Bulldogs trailing just 23-20 at the break.Â
The third quarter saw St. John's begin to widen the gap thanks to a pair of separate 6-0 runs. Even though Butler held the Red Storm scoreless for extended stretches, those bursts were enough to build a 44–33 lead entering the fourth.
Butler attempted a late-game comeback fueled by a 7-0 run, but the scoring burst wasn't enough to defeat the Red Storm.
Nobody on the Bulldog managed to reach double-digit point production, though Caroline Dotsey and McKenna Johnson came closest with nine points each. The forward and guard pairing both went 3-of-10 from the field.Â
Saniya Johnson, who accumulated seven points and seven rebounds against the Red Storm, leads her team this season in points and rebounds, with 9.6 points per game and 5.7 rebounds per game.
Scouting Creighton (12-14, 8-9 BIG EAST)
Ahead of visiting Indianapolis to face Butler, the Bluejays couldn't complete the comeback over Villanova at home, falling 74-64.
After two quarters of near-even scoring, where the game was knotted at 14-14 after the first quarter, and Creighton managed a 32-29 advantage at halftime, a 25-17 scoring third quarter in favor of the Wildcats sealed the game.
The Wildcats shot 52.6% from the field (10-of-19) in the third, propelling them to a 54-49 lead ahead of the final quarter of action.Â
Villanova would ride that five-point lead the rest of the game, outshooting Creighton 20-15 in the fourth to grab the 10-point victory.
Kennedy Townsend led all scorers with 23 points on 8-of-16 from the field on the night, while Ava Zediker posted 15 points on 6-of-12 from the field. Grace Boffeli grabbed 12 boards and recorded 10 points for her eighth double-double of the season.
Zediker and Townsend average double-digit scoring this season, with 13.6 points per game and 11.5 points per game, respectively. Boffeli spearheads the Bluejay roster with 8.9 rebounds per game.
Keys to the game:
Recap of First Meeting: 1-4-26
Creighton 67, Butler 59
Behind a combined 47 points from the trio of Grace Boffeli, Kendall McGee and Kennedy Townsend, Creighton Women's Basketball defeated Butler 67-59 on Sunday, Jan. 4.Â
Down 23-13 with 7:11 left in the first half, Creighton flipped the game in its favor with a 16-2 run to close the second quarter. Kendall McGee got things starter for the Bluejays with a steal and a layup. Moments later Elizabeth Gentry dropped in a driving layup. Norah Gessert continued the run via a mid-range jumper to pull within four at 23-19 (2:57).Â
After a Butler bucket on the inside, Kennedy Townsend took the game over! The senior got rolling with a driving layup, then blocked a shot on defense and connected on a transition three. Following another Butler turnover, Townsend dialed long distance once more to give Creighton its first lead at 27-25 with 1:06 left in the half. The Creighton run concluded on a second bucket from Norah Gessert, but Butler dropped in the final basket of the frame as the Bluejays led 29-27 at the break.
Townsend picked right up where she left off in the third, scoring the first five points, then Boffeli dropped in a layup to push Creighton out to a 36-27 edge (8:11). Butler responded with seven straight of its own as the third quarter went back and forth.Â
The Bulldogs crept as a close as three (47-44) early in the fourth, but Creighton kept Butler at bay down the stretch by hitting 14-of-18 from the free throw line.Â
Milestone Watch
With Three Games Remaining, Bluejays Can Mathematically Finish Fourth Through Ninth
Entering the game at Butler, Creighton is 8-9 in BIG EAST action. The Bluejays have swept St. John's, been swept by UConn and Villanova and split with Seton Hall, Marquette, Georgetown and DePaul. Creighton's final three games are at Butler, home against Providence and at Xavier.
Townsend Sets Career-Highs in Charity Against Wildcats
Senior Kennedy Townsend set career-highs for free throws attempted and made against Villanova on Sunday. The Missouri native went 5-for-7 from the charity stripe, closing the contest with 23 points. It was the second time in her career she has scored 20 or more in a game. The other was a 30-point effort at Georgetown earlier this season.
Boffeli Proving to Be a Wryly Vet
Despite playing just 597 minutes this season, Grace Boffeli has already set a personal best with 23 blocks this season. TheÂ
sixthyear has 73 blocks in her career. Her previous high in once season came in 2022-23 as she swatted 17 blocks in 918 minutes.
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2/18: - 6:00 p.m.Â
Creighton at Butler
Indianapolis, Ind. (Hinkle Fieldhouse)
Twitter: @GoCreighton, @CreightonWBBÂ
Online Stream: ESPN+ (Kelsie Kasper and Alexia Ayala):Â
https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/3657baef-4cd8-4eeb-9ea1-38154afba428
Radio: 1180 AM (Glen Sisk)
https://player.listenlive.co/52381
Stat Broadcast: http://statb.us/v/crei/616717
Creighton at Butler
Indianapolis, Ind. (Hinkle Fieldhouse)
Twitter: @GoCreighton, @CreightonWBBÂ
Online Stream: ESPN+ (Kelsie Kasper and Alexia Ayala):Â
https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/3657baef-4cd8-4eeb-9ea1-38154afba428
Radio: 1180 AM (Glen Sisk)
https://player.listenlive.co/52381
Stat Broadcast: http://statb.us/v/crei/616717
Series with Butler: Creighton leads 18-8Â
Home: 8-3 Away: 7-5 Neutral: 3-0
The Bluejays have faced Butler 26 times, collecting 18 wins including the last nine meetings.Â
Series Game-by-Game
Date  Opponent  Score
1/18/14  at Butler  L, 52-58
3/4/14  Butler  L, 59-67
3/9/14  @ ª vs. Butler  W, 61-52
1/4/15  at Butler  L, 58-63
2/1/15  Butler  W, 62-55
1/10/16  Butler  W, 77-49
2/5/16  at Butler  W, 52-42
12/28/16  Butler  W, 67-52
2/26/17  at Butler  W, 65-53
3/5/17  # ª vs. Butler  W, 64-55
1/9/18  at Butler  L, 53-59
2/18/18  Butler  W, 64-55
1/20/19  Butler  L, 43-75
2/15/19  at Butler  L, 46-66
3/10/19  $ ª vs. Butler  W, 60-51
1/26/20  Butler  L, 67-73
2/21/20  at Butler  L, 61-76
12/6/20  at Butler  W, 88-41
1/19/22  at Butler  W, 95-44
2/13/22  Butler  W, 96-49
1/14/23  at Butler  W, 75-56
2/27/23  Butler  W, 74-46
1/10/24  Butler  W, 89-53
2/4/24  at Butler  W, 75-65
1/1/25  Butler  W, 68-64
1/22/25  at Butler  W, 63-52
1/4/26  Butler  W, 67-59
ª - BIG EAST Tournament game
@ = played in Rosemont, Ill.
# = played in Milwaukee, Wis.
$ = played in Chicago, Ill.
About Butler
- Located in Indianapolis, Indiana.Â
- Butler went 16-18 last season, splitting two games in the WNIT.
- Head coach Austin Parkinson is in his fourth season as the helm for the Bulldogs.Â
Scouting Butler (9-17, 3-13 BIG EAST)
Butler faces a six-game losing streak heading into the matchup with Creighton after falling most recently to St. John's 58-47.
The first two quarters of action proved neck-in-neck, with the Bulldogs trailing just 23-20 at the break.Â
The third quarter saw St. John's begin to widen the gap thanks to a pair of separate 6-0 runs. Even though Butler held the Red Storm scoreless for extended stretches, those bursts were enough to build a 44–33 lead entering the fourth.
Butler attempted a late-game comeback fueled by a 7-0 run, but the scoring burst wasn't enough to defeat the Red Storm.
Nobody on the Bulldog managed to reach double-digit point production, though Caroline Dotsey and McKenna Johnson came closest with nine points each. The forward and guard pairing both went 3-of-10 from the field.Â
Saniya Johnson, who accumulated seven points and seven rebounds against the Red Storm, leads her team this season in points and rebounds, with 9.6 points per game and 5.7 rebounds per game.
Scouting Creighton (12-14, 8-9 BIG EAST)
Ahead of visiting Indianapolis to face Butler, the Bluejays couldn't complete the comeback over Villanova at home, falling 74-64.
After two quarters of near-even scoring, where the game was knotted at 14-14 after the first quarter, and Creighton managed a 32-29 advantage at halftime, a 25-17 scoring third quarter in favor of the Wildcats sealed the game.
The Wildcats shot 52.6% from the field (10-of-19) in the third, propelling them to a 54-49 lead ahead of the final quarter of action.Â
Villanova would ride that five-point lead the rest of the game, outshooting Creighton 20-15 in the fourth to grab the 10-point victory.
Kennedy Townsend led all scorers with 23 points on 8-of-16 from the field on the night, while Ava Zediker posted 15 points on 6-of-12 from the field. Grace Boffeli grabbed 12 boards and recorded 10 points for her eighth double-double of the season.
Zediker and Townsend average double-digit scoring this season, with 13.6 points per game and 11.5 points per game, respectively. Boffeli spearheads the Bluejay roster with 8.9 rebounds per game.
Keys to the game:
- Start the game off right: The first time Butler and Creighton met, four turnovers defined the Bluejays' first four possessions, allowing the visiting Bulldogs to take a 17-9 lead after the first frame. Playing clean basketball from the first whistle will prevent the Bluejays from having to play catch-up, making the road to another victory smoother.
- Use Bench Depth: In the first matchup, the Bluejays recorded a 21-16 advantage in bench points on 15 points from Kendall McGee and six points from Elizabeth Gentry. Once again, taking advantage of their bench depth to complement scoring from starters will give Creighton a more balanced attack.
- Win the 3-point battle: While the Bluejays barely managed a five-to-three advantage in made 3-pointers in the first contest, Kennedy Townsend's 4-of-5 performance from beyond the arc was critical in the Bluejays' second-quarter comeback after a slow start. Controlling the 3-point line from the start will be crucial for the Bluejays to establish an early lead and get their offense running.
Recap of First Meeting: 1-4-26
Creighton 67, Butler 59
Behind a combined 47 points from the trio of Grace Boffeli, Kendall McGee and Kennedy Townsend, Creighton Women's Basketball defeated Butler 67-59 on Sunday, Jan. 4.Â
Down 23-13 with 7:11 left in the first half, Creighton flipped the game in its favor with a 16-2 run to close the second quarter. Kendall McGee got things starter for the Bluejays with a steal and a layup. Moments later Elizabeth Gentry dropped in a driving layup. Norah Gessert continued the run via a mid-range jumper to pull within four at 23-19 (2:57).Â
After a Butler bucket on the inside, Kennedy Townsend took the game over! The senior got rolling with a driving layup, then blocked a shot on defense and connected on a transition three. Following another Butler turnover, Townsend dialed long distance once more to give Creighton its first lead at 27-25 with 1:06 left in the half. The Creighton run concluded on a second bucket from Norah Gessert, but Butler dropped in the final basket of the frame as the Bluejays led 29-27 at the break.
Townsend picked right up where she left off in the third, scoring the first five points, then Boffeli dropped in a layup to push Creighton out to a 36-27 edge (8:11). Butler responded with seven straight of its own as the third quarter went back and forth.Â
The Bulldogs crept as a close as three (47-44) early in the fourth, but Creighton kept Butler at bay down the stretch by hitting 14-of-18 from the free throw line.Â
Milestone Watch
- Grace Boffeli has 1,497 points
- Kendall McGee has 98 rebounds
- Kennedy Townsend has 674 points, including 299 and 97 rebounds this season.
With Three Games Remaining, Bluejays Can Mathematically Finish Fourth Through Ninth
Entering the game at Butler, Creighton is 8-9 in BIG EAST action. The Bluejays have swept St. John's, been swept by UConn and Villanova and split with Seton Hall, Marquette, Georgetown and DePaul. Creighton's final three games are at Butler, home against Providence and at Xavier.
Townsend Sets Career-Highs in Charity Against Wildcats
Senior Kennedy Townsend set career-highs for free throws attempted and made against Villanova on Sunday. The Missouri native went 5-for-7 from the charity stripe, closing the contest with 23 points. It was the second time in her career she has scored 20 or more in a game. The other was a 30-point effort at Georgetown earlier this season.
Boffeli Proving to Be a Wryly Vet
Despite playing just 597 minutes this season, Grace Boffeli has already set a personal best with 23 blocks this season. TheÂ
sixthyear has 73 blocks in her career. Her previous high in once season came in 2022-23 as she swatted 17 blocks in 918 minutes.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Basketball
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