Villanova’s three-game winning streak ended with a 70-57 loss to Creighton on Saturday afternoon at Finneran Pavilion.
The Wildcats (13-11, 7-5 Big East) faced their biggest test of the season since hosting No. 6 UConn on Jan. 22. Creighton (20-4, 12-1) entered the game as the second-place team in the Big East. With the loss, the Wildcats fell to fifth in the conference.
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“We ran out of gas against a really good Creighton team and didn’t stay in it,” Villanova coach Denise Dillon said. “You have to be consistent and solid for four quarters. You can’t just play in spurts, but that’s what we did.”
The Wildcats remained in striking distance for much of the game, but the Bluejays sealed the win with a 10-0 fourth-quarter run led by senior guards Lauren Jensen (25 points) and Morgan Maly (21).
Freshman guard Jasmine Bascoe spearheaded Villanova’s offense with 21 points and seven rebounds. Senior forward Denae Carter added 13 points and eight boards.
An unsteady first half
Although the Wildcats scored the game’s first five points, they quickly fell behind as the Bluejays used an 11-0 run over 3 minutes, 48 seconds to take a 13-7 lead. Creighton ended the first quarter ahead by eight points.
The Wildcats rallied in the second quarter. Graduate guard Maddie Burke sank three free throws and Bascoe hit a three-pointer to narrow the deficit to 26-24 with 5:39 left in the half.
Although a Maddie Webber three-pointer brought the Wildcats within one, they were unable to regain the lead.
Creighton’s three-point shooting, ranked first in the Big East, posed a challenge for Villanova. The Bluejays went 5 of 12 from beyond the arc in the first half, while the Wildcats managed just 3 of 10.
Creighton led, 36-31, at halftime.
Carter shows resilience
Carter, a cornerstone of Villanova’s defense, missed all of last season because of a torn ACL. She has since become the team’s leading rebounder, with 6.3 per game.
Midway through the first quarter, Carter left the court with a leg injury but returned late in the second period and recorded a team-high eight rebounds.
“You’ve seen it throughout the year, Denae just continuing to improve and trying to give everything she can,” Dillon said. “Physically, she’s definitely worn down. But she came out with the fire we needed in the second half.”
Carter’s return helped Villanova dominate the boards in the third quarter, 11-5. She contributed four rebounds. The Wildcats also edged the Bluejays in scoring during the period, 17-16.
Villanova entered the final 10 minutes behind, 52-48, looking for a comeback.
Creighton’s late-game push
Villanova repeatedly threatened Creighton early in the fourth quarter but couldn’t take the lead. Bascoe notched two steals and muscled in a layup, cutting the deficit to just two points with 6:24 remaining.
The Bluejays’ 10-0 run over four minutes dashed Villanova’s comeback hopes. Jensen’s layup with 53 seconds remaining extended Creighton’s lead to 13 points, its largest of the game.
The Wildcats struggled offensively in the fourth quarter, shooting just 4-for-12 from the field and 0-for-3 from beyond the arc.
Next up
The Wildcats hit the road Wednesday to face DePaul (8 p.m., FloSports). The Blue Demons (11-14, 6-6) are sixth in the Big East.
In its last meeting with DePaul, Villanova won, 66-55, on Jan. 15 at Finneran Pavilion.
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