OMAHA, Neb. (Interstat) — The Creighton women’s basketball team overcame a slow start to defeat DePaul 70-50 in a Big East Conference game Saturday at CenturyLink Center. DePaul led 20-10 after the first quarter, but Creighton seized control with a 17-8 second-quarter advantage. The Bluejays then pulled away after halftime, outscoring the Blue Demons 43-22 in the second half. Grace Boffeli led Creighton with 17 points. Allison Heathcock added 14 points. Kate Novik scored 11 points for DePaul. Creighton improved to 6-5 overall. DePaul fell to 3-11.

OMAHA, Neb. (Interstat) — The Creighton women’s basketball team methodically overcame a sluggish start to pull away from DePaul for a 70-50 victory in a Big East Conference game Saturday at CenturyLink Center. The Bluejays, improving to 6-5 overall, shook off an early 10-point deficit by dominating the middle quarters and capitalizing on a barrage of DePaul turnovers. The Blue Demons, who fell to 3-11, saw a promising opening frame dissolve amid offensive struggles and miscues. DePaul opened the game with surprising energy, particularly on the defensive end. The Blue Demons forced five Creighton turnovers in the first five minutes, fueling a 14-2 run. Kate Novik, the sophomore from Grodno, Belarus, was instrumental early, scoring seven points during the surge, including a 3-pointer and a transition layup off her own steal. DePaul’s aggressive defense held Creighton to just 4-of-15 shooting in the first quarter, and the visitors led 20-10 after one. The game’s complexion shifted decisively in the second quarter. Creighton’s defense stiffened, and DePaul’s offense stalled completely. The Blue Demons went scoreless for nearly seven minutes, missing 10 consecutive field goal attempts and committing six turnovers during the drought. Creighton pounced with a 17-0 run, turning the 10-point deficit into a 27-20 lead. Allison Heathcock and Neleigh Gessert provided key baskets during the turnaround, while the Bluejays began to consistently attack the interior. DePaul’s offensive woes were stark. After shooting 50% in the first quarter, they managed just 3-of-16 from the field in the second, scoring only eight points. Creighton took a 27-28 lead into halftime, having outscored DePaul 17-8 in the period. Any hope of a DePaul resurgence was extinguished in the third quarter as Creighton’s Grace Boffeli took control. The junior forward from Eldridge, Iowa, scored eight of her game-high 17 points in the period, working effectively in the paint and on the offensive glass. Her layup at the 6:34 mark sparked a 9-2 Creighton run that extended the lead to 42-31. DePaul, meanwhile, continued to battle inefficiency, shooting 4-of-15 in the quarter with another five turnovers. Creighton outscored DePaul 21-11 in the third to carry a 48-39 advantage into the final frame. The Bluejays sealed the victory by opening the fourth quarter on a 12-2 run, pushing the lead to 60-41 with 7:25 remaining. Boffeli scored six points during the stretch, and Kendall McGee added a crucial 3-pointer. DePaul never threatened again, as Creighton maintained at least a 17-point cushion for the remainder of the game. Boffeli’s 17 points on 8-of-10 shooting from inside the arc anchored Creighton’s offense. Heathcock added 14 points, and Kennedy Townsend facilitated with five assists. The Bluejays scored 34 points in the paint and converted 23 points off DePaul’s 21 turnovers. For DePaul, Novik led the way with 11 points, but shot just 5-of-13 from the field. Alayna West and Shakara McCline each added eight points. The Blue Demons shot 30% overall and 19% from 3-point range. Their 64.4 offensive rating, derived from scoring 50 points on 78 possessions, underscored the persistent struggles. Creighton finished the game shooting 40.3% from the field and outrebounded DePaul 42-35. The Bluejays also attempted 20 free throws, making 14, compared to DePaul’s 14 attempts. The announced attendance at CenturyLink Center was 984. Creighton next hosts Seton Hall on Monday, while DePaul returns home to face Villanova on Dec. 29.

OMAHA, Neb. (Interstat) — The Creighton women’s basketball team looks to continue its momentum against a struggling DePaul squad when the Bluejays host the Blue Demons in a Big East Conference matchup Saturday at CHI Health Center. Creighton (5-5) enters the contest having won four of its last five games, including a dominant 92-48 road victory over Omaha on Wednesday. The Bluejays have found a potent offensive weapon in sophomore guard Neleigh Gessert, who is coming off a 25-point performance against Omaha. Gessert has scored 20 or more points in three of Creighton’s last six contests, providing consistent scoring punch. DePaul (3-10) seeks to halt a four-game losing streak, most recently a 77-67 loss at Illinois-Chicago on Wednesday. The Blue Demons have faced a difficult non-conference schedule, with losses to ranked opponents like Connecticut and Michigan State, but have struggled defensively, allowing 90 points or more in three of their last five defeats. A key matchup will feature each team’s top scoring guard. DePaul will rely on Shakara McCline, who erupted for 25 points in 23 minutes off the bench against Illinois-Chicago. Creighton will counter with Gessert, who averages 17.4 points over her last five games. The Blue Demons have faced significant offensive droughts this season, including a 46-point outing in a loss to Michigan State. They will need more consistent production beyond McCline to challenge a Creighton team that has shown balanced scoring, with Norah Gessert and Elizabeth Gentry combining for 32 points in the win over Omaha. This game opens the Big East schedule for both teams. Creighton holds a distinct advantage in recent form and on its home floor, where it is 3-2 this season. DePaul, which has lost all four true road games this year, will need a significant turnaround to compete. Tipoff is set for Saturday afternoon in Omaha.