• Box Score: Creighton 64, Indiana State 62
• Video Below: See coach Jim Flanery's post game comments
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TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — Sophomore guard Carli Tritz knocked down a game-winning shot with 2 seconds remaining to lift Creighton to a 64-62 women's basketball victory over Indiana State.
The game-winning shot capped a 14-2 run that brought the Bluejays (9-8, 3-3 MVC) back from a 12-point, second-half deficit.
“That was the definition of stealing a win,” Creighton coach Jim Flanery said. “We're really fortunate to win, there's no question.”
Tritz scored 17 of her team-leading 19 points in the second half, and added six rebounds and five assists to lead the Bluejays to their first three-game winning streak of the season.
Indiana State (10-8, 4-2) equaled its largest lead of the game when Brittany Schoen heaved a step-back, 25-foot 3-pointer as the shot clock expired with 7:25 left, putting the Sycamores ahead 57-45. From there, the Bluejays' press bothered the Sycamores, forcing five Indiana State turnovers down the stretch.
Creighton made 8 of 13 shots from the field to end the game, including 7 of 8 during a 17-3 run that put the Bluejays ahead 62-60 with 3:08 left. Creighton scored the final 12 points of that run, which included seven points from Tritz, a 3-pointer from Ally Jensen and the go-ahead layup from Sarah Nelson.
Shannon Thomas, who entered the game averaging a double-double, made her only field goal of the night for the Sycamores with 2:08 left to tie the game at 62.
The teams then exchanged a pair of in-and-out 3-pointers, and Tritz missed a layup with 1:12 to play.
The Sycamores had two opportunities in the final minute to go ahead, but Schoen and Taylor Whitley both missed their attempts. Tritz followed with a missed jumper at 18 seconds, but McKenzie Fujan pulled in the offensive rebound and Creighton called a timeout with 14.8 seconds on the clock.
Tritz came out of the timeout with the ball and used a high ball screen to curl around and hit a jumper from the top of the key to give the Bluejays the win.
Creighton made 10 of 25 3-pointers, including 6 of 16 in the second half to aid the comeback. But Flanery said his team’s defense provided the spark for the comeback.
“Before our offense started getting better, it was our defense and our full-court trap that got better,” he said.
Tritz finished 3 for 3 from long range and led three Jays in double figures. Jensen and Fujan added 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Deja Mattox led Indiana State with a career-high 25 points. She made 10 of 11 free throws to lead Indiana State at the line. Schoen finished with 11 points and Whitley added 10 points.
The comeback victory was Creighton’s eighth in nine wins this season. It marked the second time the Bluejays have overcome a double-digit deficit for a victory this season.
“As a coach, you feel bad for Indiana State because for 35 minutes, they were the better team,” Flanery said. “But Carli was fantastic at the end. That’s one of the things that I love about our team: We’re too young to be good consistently for 40 minutes, but our kids have kept their heads up and they’ve fought.”
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• Video: See coach Jim Flanery's postgame comments:
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