Game Book | Creighton Quotes | Marquette Quotes

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – No. 5 seed Creighton used a big run midway through the second quarter to take a lead it would not look back, outlasting No. 4 seed Marquette, 57-44, in the second quarterfinal game of the 2026 BIG EAST Women’s Basketball Tournament Presented by Jeep.
 
The Bluejays will return to Mohegan Sun Arena Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET to take on top-ranked and No. 1 seed UConn. The game will air on Peacock and NBCSN.
 
Creighton senior guard Kennedy Townsend led a balanced offensive attack with 17 points, joined by freshman guard Ava Zediker (15 points) and graduate forward Grace Boffeli (12) in double figures. Junior forward Skylar Forbes led Marquette with 16 points, while junior guard Halle Vice added a double-double (12p/11r).
 
The first quarter between the Bluejays and Golden Eagles was tightly contested, with Creighton holding a slim 12–11 lead after the opening 10 minutes. Creighton found a bit more rhythm offensively, shooting 5-of-11 from the field, while Marquette struggled slightly to convert despite similar looks, finishing the quarter 5-of-14.
 
In the second period, Marquette briefly looked poised to take command, turning a one-point deficit into a 20–14 advantage with 7:35 remaining as its offense found a groove. However, the Bluejays responded with a decisive surge to close the half, locking down defensively while stringing together a 10–0 run that erased the deficit and flipped the score in their favor heading into the break, 24-20.
 
Overall, Creighton shot 9-of-26 from the field in the opening stanza, but struggled from long range, going just 2-for-14 from 3-point range. Marquette was close behind offensively at 8-of-27 shooting. Marquette committed 13 first half turnovers compared to Creighton’s seven
 
Momentum carried into second half as Boffeli knocked down a jumper 23 seconds into the third quarter, before Townsend drilled a 3-pointer to extend the lead to nine with 7:39 remaining on the clock. Overall, the Bluejays enjoyed a 15-0 run, stretching nearly 10 minutes, to take a 29-20 lead.
 
Holding a 44-28 advantage entering the final stanza, Creighton held on for the 13-point win.
 
For the game, Creighton shot 24-of-58 (.414) from the field and 4-of-24 (.167) from deep, while Marquette was 17-of-58 (.293) from the field and 4-of-17 (.235) from long range.