Nov. 19, 2009

Box Score

BOX SCORE (PDF) | PHOTO GALLERY

MILWAUKEE - The Marquette University women's basketball team, led by a career-high 20 points from senior Lauren Thomas-Johnson defeated Creighton, 66-59, Thursday evening at the Al McGuire Center.

Thomas-Johnson was a perfect 6-of-6 from the charity stripe for the Golden Eagles (2-1), sinking two free throws with 14 seconds left to seal the victory.

Trailing by 13 points in the second half, the Bluejays fought back to tie the score at 53-53, but could not overcome the Marquette pressure.

After a Creighton layup by Kellie Nelson to tie the game, sophomore Jessica Pachko scored underneath the basket for MU with time expiring on the shot clock, to put MU up for good at 55-53.

Spanning the end of the first half and the beginning of the second, a 13-0 Marquette run, helped the Golden Eagles to a 38-25 lead, their largest of the game.

Marquette held a 33-25 advantage at the half with nine points coming from Thomas-Johnson and six from Angel Robinson. 

The Golden Eagles led by nine at 25-16 on a three-pointer from Thomas-Johnson before they allowed a Creighton 9-0 run, tying the score at 25-25.

Both teams made only nine field goals in the first half as MU shot 34.6 percent (9-of-26), while the Bluejays hit only 26.5 percent (9-of-34) of their shots.

Without Thomas-Johnson's proficiency from the free throw line, the rest of the MU squad was a combined 15-of-27 from the free throw line. MU only hit 44 percent from the charity stripe in the second half after shooting 87 percent in the first.

Sophomore center Georgie Jones reached a career high with 15 rebounds, leaving her one short of the Al McGuire Center record of 16, last reached by Jocelyn Mellen on March 3, 2008 against USF. Jones also recorded three blocks in the contest.

Freshman forward Sarina Simmons was able to chip in a career-high 11 points to go along with career-highs in rebounds (five) and assists (three). 

The Bluejays (2-1) were led with 12 points from guard Chevelle Herring, while Megan Neuvirth and Kelsey Woodard each had 10 points for the Missouri Valley Conference pre-season favorites. 

The Golden Eagles return to action Saturday against Oakland at the Al McGuire Center at 2 p.m.