BRYN MAWR, Pa. (Interstat) — Kennedy Henry scored 19 points to lead Villanova to a 74-64 victory over Creighton in a Big East women’s basketball game Thursday at The Pavilion. Henry, a junior from Hockessin, Delaware, added six rebounds, three assists and three blocks for the Wildcats, who improved to 12-2. Villanova’s Jasmine Bascoe contributed 15 points and six assists. Neleigh Gessert scored a game-high 25 points for Creighton, which fell to 6-8. Kennedy Townsend added 19 points for the Bluejays. Villanova led by eight points at halftime and maintained control throughout the second half. The Wildcats have won four consecutive conference games.

Preview: Creighton Bluejays at No. -- Villanova Wildcats BRYN MAWR, Pa. (Interstat) — A surging Villanova squad will look to extend its winning streak when it hosts a struggling Creighton team to open Big East Conference play on New Year’s Day at The Pavilion. The Wildcats (11-2) enter Thursday’s matinee as one of the conference’s hottest teams, having won seven straight games since a Nov. 12 loss to Princeton. Their most recent victory was a dominant 81-48 road win at DePaul on Monday. Villanova has been led by the consistent all-around play of guard Brynn McCurry, who is averaging 17.2 points, 5.2 assists and 4.2 rebounds over her last five contests. In the win over DePaul, she posted 18 points and seven assists in just 26 minutes. Conversely, the Creighton Bluejays (6-7) have lost three of their last five, including a heartbreaking 76-74 loss at Georgetown this past Sunday. Their season has been marked by offensive inconsistency, but a bright spot has been the emergence of guard Kennedy Townsend. Townsend is coming off a career-high 30-point performance in the loss to the Hoyas and has averaged 18.1 points per game over her last seven outings, providing the bulk of Creighton’s scoring punch. The matchup pits Villanova’s balanced and efficient attack, which has scored 76 or more points in five of its last six games, against a Creighton team that has relied heavily on Townsend’s production. Supporting contributors like Ava Zediker and Neleigh Gessert, who combined for 26 points against Georgetown, will need to provide additional firepower for the Bluejays to keep pace. Villanova holds a significant advantage in the early season résumé, with its only losses coming to a ranked Princeton team and on the road at West Virginia. Creighton’s record includes narrow defeats to Kansas State and Georgetown, but also a 34-point loss to in-state rival Nebraska. This game marks the conference opener for both teams. Following this contest, Villanova will hit the road to face Marquette on Sunday, while Creighton returns home to host Butler. Tip-off is scheduled for [TIME] ET on Thursday.