OMAHA, Neb. — Senior Audrey Faber had 24 points, seven rebounds and five assists as Creighton women's basketball used a 20-0 run in the first half en route to a 71-65 upset win over No. 13 Marquette on Friday, March 1.
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Creighton evened its record to 14-14 with the win and remains in a three-way tie for fifth place in the Big East with an 8-9 mark after beating a ranked team for the seventh time in 40 tries under 17th-year coach Jim Flanery. Marquette, which clinched a share of the Big East regular-season title last weekend and was playing without injured Erika Davenport (11.9 ppg., 9.4 rpg.), lost for the third time in five games to drop to 23-6 (14-3 Big East).
DOWN GO THE GOLDEN EAGLES! @CreightonWBB knocks off No. 13 Marquette! #ncaaW pic.twitter.com/JEpxef6Ro5
— NCAA WBB (@ncaawbb) March 2, 2019
The Bluejays opened up a 33-13 lead on the Golden Eagles following a 20-0 run that saw a 13-13 deadlock turn into a 20-point lead. It was Marquette's second-largest deficit of the season, trailing only a 27-point margin against No. 2 Notre Dame on Dec. 22nd. Faber had nine points during the run, including a trey at the 2:42 mark of the first quarter to start the barrage. Freshman Rachael Saunders scored the next five points, and later added a free throw with 0.3 left to give CU a 26-13 lead at the end of the first quarter. Creighton scored the first seven points of the second quarter, as well, with Faber scoring four and fellow senior Brooke Kissinger draining a 3-point basket.
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Marquette answered with a 14-3 run to get within nine points at 36-27 before Faber scored the final four points of the half to take a 40-27 lead into the intermission. It was the first time all season that the Golden Eagles have trailed at halftime in Big East play.
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Faber led all players with 18 points and four assists in the first half, becoming the fifth player in program history to surpass 1,800 career points. Marquette's Natisha Hiedeman had 10 points and two steals at the break, but the program's all-time leading scorer with 2,083 career points Allazia Blockton (14.7 ppg.) was held without a point after picking up three fouls in seven minutes on the court. Blockton fouled out in 12 minutes and was held scoreless for just the second time all season.
After Marquette got within 11, the Jays upped the lead to 17 on a 3-pointer by Jaylyn Agnew and a 3-point play by Temi Carda, but Marquette answered with seven straight to draw within 10 and prompt a Bluejay timeout. CU scored the next five points and led 55-42 after three quarters.
FINAL | Creighton STUNS No. 1⃣3⃣ Marquette for the highest ranked win of the Flannery era!
— Creighton Women’s Basketball (@CreightonWBB) March 2, 2019
STORY: https://t.co/qhxHVuRn31#GoJays pic.twitter.com/QQwuZ0v7FE
Faber scored in transition to push the lead to 57-42 and Carda beat the shot clock with a trey from the right wing to make it 61-46 with 5:20 to play and stem the Marquette momentum.
Marquette got within 10 with 1:40 remaining on a lay-up by Chloe Marotta, then forced another steal and Hiedeman scored an uncontested layup with 1:14 left. MU then forced Creighton's 20th turnover of the night, but Hiedeman missed two shots before committing a turnover, and CU's Tatum Rembao sank two foul shots with 43.0 left to return the lead to double-figures.
MU's Selena Lott dropped CU's lead to 68-61 on a hoop inside with 21.1 to go and Amani Wilborn scored inside with 11.1 left to make it 70-63. After another CU turnover Hiedeman scored with 4.2 left before Rembao tacked on a final free throw to close out the upset.
In addition to Faber's 24 points, seven rebounds and five assists, Agnew added 15 points, six rebounds, and five assists, and Carda contributed 11 points, six rebounds and six assists. Creighton shot 45.1 percent for the game (23-51), 33.3 percent from 3-point range (7-21) and made 78.3 percent (18-23) at the line. CU had 21 assists on 23 baskets.
Marquette was led by 22 points from Hiedeman and 21 more from Wilborn, while King had eight points and 10 rebounds in 31 minutes before being carried off the court with an injury two minutes into the fourth quarter. MU shot 36.2 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from 3-point range and 66.7 percent at the line.
Creighton closes the regular-season when it hosts second-place DePaul on Sunday at 1 p.m. in another game that will air on BEDN. Audrey Faber, Ali Greene, Brooke Kissinger and Jade Owens will be honored after the contest as part of Senior Day festivities.
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