South Dakota State Takes Down Creighton Women, 78-62

Omaha, Neb. -- Freshman Ava Zediker delivered a statement with 11 points in the third quarter, finishing with a team-high 17, but it wasn't enough as Creighton Women's Basketball fell in the season opener to South Dakota State 78-62 on Monday, November 3.

As expected in the first game of the season the opening quarter was a series of feeling out the opposition. The two squads traded buckets with Creighton leading by as much as 7-4 (8:16) on a trey from senior Kennedy Townsend. Creighton held a 13-11 edge with 3:49 left, but the Jackrabbits closed the quarter with seven consecutive to capture an 18-13 advantage.

Down 24-15 early in the second quarter, the Bluejays found their three-point range. Allison Heathcock got the Jays rolling with a trey. After South Dakota State answered with a bucket in the paint, Townsend hit back-to-back from distance to pull Creighton within two at 26-24 (5:21). Still within a bucket at 32-30 with under two minutes remaining, the Jackrabbits closed with six straight to hold a 38-30 lead at the half.

Coming out of the locker room South Dakota State pushed its lead out to double figures at 42-30 (7:00) courtesy of a pair of buckets on the interior. Steadied by a bucket from grad transfer Grace Boffeli, the Bluejays went a 17-7 run to bring the game back within one possession at 49-47 with 38 seconds on the clock. South Dakota State, however, delivered at the bell once again as Emilee Fox connected from distance to send the game to the final stanza with Creighton down 52-47.

South Dakota State delivered a three-point play to open the fourth to push out to a 55-47 edge and pulled away down the stretch.

Zediker's 17 points led Creighton, while Townsend closed the game with 14 points. 

South Dakota State's Brooklyn Meyer led all scorers with 33 points, while Katie Vasecka finished with 18 points.

Creighton will return to the court on Sunday, November 9 in the road opener at Drake. The contest is set for a 4:00 pm tip.