The Creighton women’s basketball team plays host to Marquette Saturday afternoon. The last time these teams faced off at D.J. Sokol Arena, a pair of free throws from a flashy freshman in the game’s waning moments delivered a 63-61 win for the Bluejays. That rookie finished with 10 points and added 5 steals off the bench, while another newcomer contributed 11 points on 5-of-9 shooting as a reserve.
Those freshmen are now senior leaders, each playing their own role on this year’s team. Carli Tritz hit the game-winning free throws with 14.3 seconds left in just her fifth collegiate game to help the Bluejays overcome a nine-point second-half deficit to beat the non-conference visitors from the Big East. Unfortunately for the Jays and for Tritz, she won’t be on the court for this rematch because of her career-ending injury, but her presence is still felt on the Bluejay bench.
Sarah Nelson’s 11 points were part of a 22-0 bench-point advantage for the Bluejays in that Nov. 28, 2010 win, helping the Jays get by the eventual NCAA bound Golden Eagles (despite a then-arena record 32 points from all-Big East guard Angel Robinson). Nelson, who has since positioned herself as one of the greatest frontcourt players in school history, will be a key factor on Saturday as the Bluejays face one of the top rebounding teams in the NCAA.
Creighton (11-8, 5-2 Big East) welcomes Marquette (13-4, 4-2 Big East) to Omaha for a 3 p.m. tip on Saturday with the hopes of extending one impressive streak and ending another. The Bluejays have won 14 straight conference games inside the friendly confines of D.J. Sokol Arena, dating back to a Feb. 4, 2012 loss to Missouri State. On the other hand, Marquette has not lost a game away from Milwaukee this year. The Golden Eagles are a perfect 5-0 on the road and own a pair of neutral site wins. All three of MU’s Big East road wins came against teams picked lower than they were in the preseason poll (Georgetown, Xavier, Butler). Both of the Eagles’ conference losses this year have come to teams picked higher in the preseason poll than their predicted fifth-place finish.
Marquette brings a solid offense to Omaha, ranking second in the league with 74.2 points per game on the season. That offense has dipped in league player however, dropping to 68.5 scored per game. Seven times this year MU has scored more than 80 points in a game.
The greatest weapon the Golden Eagles have is their ability to crash the glass. MU ranks second in the nation with a dominating rebounding margin of plus-14.3. In all but one game this season, the Golden Eagles have out-rebounded their opponent. Its 46.9 rebounds per game are 11 more per game than what Creighton averages this season, while the Jays are being out-rebounded by their foes this year.
This boarding bonanza is led by preseason all-Big East selection, senior Katherine Plouffe. The 6-foot-3 forward is averaging a double-double on the year with team-bests of 19.6 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. Fellow senior Katie Young leads the team with eight double-doubles however, as the 5-foot-11 forward ranks second on the team with 12.8 points and 8.9 rebounds per game.
Two other Marquette starters average at least nine points per game and Arlesia Morse comes off the bench to average nearly 11 points per game.
The Bluejays return home looking to get back on track after a disappointing 58-52 loss at Butler last Saturday. CU’s game against Marquette is just its third home game in January, and as we just showed you, the Jays like sleeping in their own beds. CU looks to build on its 3-0 home Big East record, which includes wins over preseason favorite DePaul and early-season frontrunner Villanova. The Jays have averaged nearly 77 points per game in their first three Big East home contests. They may need a similar output to get past the rebounding and talented offense Marquette will bring to the table.
A key to Creighton’s success all year has been getting contributions from players not named Sarah Nelson and Marissa Janning. That all-conference duo are ranked first or second on the team in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals, clearly demonstrating their importance. Senior McKenzie Fujan has certainly made her presence known since Big East play began. Including her 38-point explosion against DePaul, the slashing guard is averaging 16.4 points and hitting 47.1 percent (16-34) of her three-pointers in league play.
On the year, Fujan is averaging a career-best 11.6 points per game and the Bluejays have proven the need for Fujan and company to step up to assist the Nelson-Janning duo. The Jays are 8-0 on the season when three players score in double figures, and just 3-8 when the scoring isn’t so spread out.
Both squads are fighting for a place at the top of the Big East and the Creighton athletic department has taken notice of this game’s importance. The marketing and ticketing departments have made this game a priority, as they are encouraging attendance through several different avenues:
– Men’s season ticket holders can show their tickets at the door for free entry.
– Students are being rewarded with better seats at the men’s game if they attend the women’s game first.
– Women’s season ticket holders were sent a voucher for 4 free tickets.
D.J. Sokol will once again be rocking for a conference game. Make sure you’re there as the Bluejays look to improve to 4-0 all-time at home against Marquette and keep themselves in the Big East title hunt.
Rob’s Ramblings:
- Marquette is 9-3 in its last 12 games, its three losses in that span have all been two-point defeats.
- Marquette has trailed at halftime in 5 of its 13 wins this season.
- MU’s success on the road and struggles at home isn’t unique to this season. Last year the Eagles were 7-9 at home and 7-6 on the road.
- Marquette’s Katherine Plouffe is the Big East’s active leading scorer with 1,311 career points. Plouffe’s 22.2 points in league play are tops in the Big East. Plouffe has made 24-of-25 free throws in league play, to lead the Big East.
- Creighton’s Sarah Nelson isn’t far behind Plouffe with 1,255 points. With nine points on Saturday, Nelson would move from 17th on the CU career scoring chart to 13th. The names she could pass on Saturday include Megan Neuvirth (1,257), Dayna Finch (1,260), Sam Schuett (1,260) and Angela Timmons (1,263).
- Head coach Jim Flanery is 1-2 against Marquette. The first loss to MU came in the second round of the 2008 WNIT. Marquette would go on to win the WNIT that season, four seasons after Creighton captured its own WNIT title.
- Creighton is averaging 70.3 points per game in league play, to rank second in conference games, while its 63.2 ppg on the year ranks last in the league. Marquette is 4th in league games with 68.5 ppg.
- The Bluejays lead the Big East with 8.6 3-pointers made per league game. Marissa Janning’s 20 3FG in league play are tops in the Big East.
- Marquette ranks last in the league, shooting 27.7 percent from 3-point range as a team.
- Creighton’s defense ranks second in the Big East with 61.2 ppg allowed.
- Creighton is averaging 18 assists and 12 turnovers in its wins this year; 11 assists and 13.5 turnovers in its losses.
- The Bluejays are 20-5 all-time when Sammy Jensen makes a field goal, including 10-1 at home.
- Creighton ranks 12th in the NCAA in fewest turnovers per game, giving the ball up just 12.6 times per game.
- Marissa Janning scored 8 points in Creighton’s loss at Butler last Saturday, dropping the Bluejays to 1-3 this season when she is held below 10 points. CU is 6-8 over the last two years when Janning scores less than 10 points and 30-8 when she scores 10 or more.
- Brianna Rollerson was 7-for-9 from the field for a career-high 14 points in CU’s last home game against Xavier. In her last 7 games outside of the Xavier game, she has a combined 7 field goals for 14 points.
- Bluejay freshmen guards MC McGrory and Lauren Works have combined for 33 assists and just 7 turnovers this year.
- It’s okay if you want to wear pink to the women’s game tomorrow and then head to the men’s “Pinkout” game, but remember the women’s pink game is scheduled for Feb. 15 vs. Providence.
- Listen to myself and Brad Burwell call the game on 1180 AM or online here.
