DES MOINES, Iowa ? The Indiana State women's basketball team was upset tonight (March 9) by the Creighton Bluejays by a score of 69-65. ISU falls to 19-11 on the season while the Bluejays improve to 12-18.
ISU came out of the gates blazing, hitting over 70% of their shots in the first half in route to a 47-32 halftime advantage.
The Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year Kelsey Luna plowed the Bluejays for 16 first half points, hitting four 3-pointers in the first 20 minutes of action. She would finish with a team-high 23 points in the defeat.
ISU pushed its 15-point advantage all the way out to 19 at, 51-32 after junior Laura Rudolphi scored the first four points of the second half.
Creighton began to whittle away at the Sycamore advantage throughout the second half as the Sycamores shot poorly after intermission. Creighton tied the score at 63-63 with just over three minutes left and then took the lead 65-63 on the next possession.
Luna answered with a 15-foot jump shot from near the top of the key with under a minute left to knot the score again at 65.
Bluejay freshman Sam Schuette drilled a running lay-up with under 30 seconds left to give Creighton a 67-65 lead. ISU would turn the ball over on its final possession of the game and Ally Thrall drilled two free throws to lead Creighton to the 69-65 MVC Quarterfinal victory.
The Bluejays advance to face Illinois State in Saturday's second semifinal game, beginning at 4:35 p.m. (ET). ISU now awaits a possible bid to the WNIT. That field will be announced late Monday evening, following the NCAA Selection Show.
