INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JANUARY 14: Creighton Bluejays guard Morgan Maly (30) celebrates a score during the women's college basketball game between the Butler Bulldogs and Creighton Wildcats on January 14, 2023, at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN.

No. 21 Creighton women defeat Villanova behind Maly's 24 points

The Associated Press
2 years ago
Icon Sportswire / Getty

VILLANOVA, Pa. (AP) — Morgan Maly had 24 points and 13 rebounds, Emma Ronsiek scored 19 points and No. 21 Creighton defeated Villanova 63-49 on Sunday, snapping the Wildcats' five-game Big East Conference winning streak.

Creighton led 43-32 through three quarters. The teams traded baskets for much of the fourth quarter until a 3-pointer by Lauren Jensen gave the Bluejays a 14-point lead with less than three minutes remaining. A couple of minutes later, Jensen's layup put Creighton up 61-45 entering the final minute.

Creighton's Big Three of Jensen, Maly and Ronsiek combined for 55 of the Bluejays' 63 points. The Bluejays' only bench points came on a last-minute layup by Kennedy Townsend.

Maly's 24 points came on 7-of-18 shooting, with 3 of 9 3-pointers, plus 7 for 7 from the free-throw line. In addition to her 19 points, Ronsiek had five rebounds, five assists, four steals and a couple of blocked shots. Jensen, whose playing time was cut back due to foul trouble, scored 12 points.

Lucy Olsen scored 29 points on 12-for-29 shooting for Villanova (12-6, 5-2 Big East) but she got little scoring help from her teammates in the second half when she scored 17 of Villanova's 25 points.

The Bluejays (14-3, 5-2) won their fourth consecutive game and created a three-way tie for second place between themselves, Villanova and St. John's. No. 9 UConn leads with an 8-0 record.

Villanova plays at Providence on Wednesday and Creighton goes to Georgetown, also on Wednesday.

___ Get alerts and updates on AP Top 25 basketball throughout the season. Sign up here ___ AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball

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