Each season Creighton women’s basketball coach Jim Flanery schedules by far the toughest non-conference schedule in the Missouri Valley Conference. This season, the schedule included the likes of last year’s NCAA runner-up Notre Dame, a ranked Nebraska team, North Carolina State from the ACC, and Kansas from the Big 12, not to mention other tough opponents. They had 10 opponents from the RPI top 100. Flanery believes to become a great team, you have to play tough opponents.
The rest of the MVC is not as adventurous. Creighton’s strength of schedule sits at 69. Missouri State (139), Wichita State (193), and Illinois State (92), the three teams ahead of the Bluejays in the MVC race, didn’t play against the same type of competition, averaging 7 games against top 100 competition. The preparation of Creighton in the non-conference is starting to pay off as the Valley hits the last two weekends of games in the regular season.
Nelson has the most double-doubles in 24 years (Spomer/WBR)
Since starting 0-3 in conference play, the Bluejays have gone 9-3, including their current three-game win streak. In case you didn’t realize this, the women closed out their home season last weekend already. The hard part comes now as Creighton hits the road for the final three games with trips to Northern Iowa and Bradley this weekend and then up to Drake a week from Saturday. This is the second straight season that the Bluejays finish their final three regular season games on the road. Last season after the final home game, the Bluejays lost the rest of their games on the road — the three on the road, the first round of the MVC Tournament, and the first round of the NIT. They hope to turn things around to a different finish this season.
Sarah Nelson has been on fire for the Bluejays over the past several games. She has recorded double-doubles in her last two games and four of her last five. In the five games she is averaging 18.8 points and 10.0 rebounds. Her 10 double-doubles for the season is the most by a Bluejay in 24 years.
Tritz is finishing the season strong (Spomer/WBR)
Carli Tritz has also come on strong as the season has gone along. She scored all 16 of her points in the second half last Friday against Illinois State and then turned around on Sunday to pour in 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists to lead the Bluejays to victory against Indiana State. When Tritz and Nelson are both playing well, this team is hard to stop. But it will take continued leadership of Ally Jensen and the growth of Taylor Johnson and McKenzie Fujan to take them to the next level as the Bluejays try to get to the postseason for the fifth straight time.
The Northern Iowa Panthers come into Friday night’s game with a three-game losing streak during their own three-game road trip. The Bluejays won the first game in Omaha 65-50 on January 27, with four players in double-figures. UNI is always tough at home, sporting a 9-3 record.
On Sunday, Creighton will take on Bradley. The Braves have won four in a row at home. They lead the league in free-throw percentage and second in the league in scoring with 68.6 points per game. With the Bluejays only giving up 58.3 points a game, which is second in the league, something will have to give in this one.
For the Bluejays these final games have seeding implications for the MVC Tournament in St. Charles in three weeks. With teams so close in the standings to each other, the Bluejays are fighting to stay out of the play-in games. It could change just like that.
***
Media Menu:
Friday @ UNI, 8:35 p.m.
Creighton will be on television for the fourth time this season when they take on Northern Iowa on Friday night. Here is how you can follow the 8:35 p.m. tip:
The Bluejays will be regionally televised on Fox Sports Net, namely Fox Sports Midwest for those in Nebraska. This game will be broadcast in 16:9 Widescreen SD. Not in HD but still a good picture.
- In the Omaha area, the game will be available on Cox Cable channel 47 and on HD channel 1047.
- The game is available on satellite providers DirecTV channel 671, Dish Network channel 418 and for those with AT&T U-Verse, Channel 748.
- In other areas of the country it will be live on Fox College Sports and Comcast SportsNet Chicago as well as the ESPN Full Court package.
You can also listen to the game on KOIL 1180 AM.
In the Waterloo-Cedar Falls area, you can pick up the UNI side of things on KWLO 1330 AM.
Follow the live stats.
Sunday @ Bradley, 2:05 p.m.
You can listen to the game on KOIL 1180 AM.
In the Peoria, Illinois area you can listen to the Braves broadcast on 1290 WIRL AM.
Follow the live stats.