Creighton Bluejays Women’s Basketball Rallies from 14 Down to Defeat Xavier
The Creighton Bluejays women’s basketball team saved its best drama for last. On Sunday, March 1, Creighton closed out the regular season. Not just that, but they also stormed back from a 14-point deficit to defeat the Xavier Musketeers women’s basketball team, 73-71. It was the kind of comeback that swings momentum, lifts a locker room, and sends a message heading into March.
Game Sequence That Flipped It All for the Creighton Women’s Basketball
The victory pushed Creighton to 15-14 overall and 11-9 in BIG EAST play. Xavier dropped to 11-18 and 4-16 in conference action. Now, both teams pack their bags for Connecticut and the BIG EAST Tournament. That's where seeding scenarios still hang in the balance.
JAYS WIN! JAYS WIN! JAYS WIN!#GoJays pic.twitter.com/8OrVzVuB7N
— Creighton Women’s Basketball (@CreightonWBB) March 1, 2026
Xavier enters as the No. 11 seed. Creighton’s placement hinges on one final regular-season result. If UConn defeats St. John’s, the Bluejays secure the No. 5 seed and a matchup with No. 4 Marquette. If St. John’s pulls off the upset, Creighton slides to No. 6 and would face Xavier again in a rematch. Either way, Sunday’s finish gave the Bluejays a surge of belief at exactly the right time.
With under 20 seconds left and Creighton trailing 71-69, the tension inside the arena was thick. Head coach Jim Flanery used his second-to-last timeout to draw up a play designed for senior Kennedy Townsend to let it fly from deep if the opportunity was there.
Xavier denied the first inbounds option. Suddenly, the set play dissolved into pure improvisation.
For eight long seconds, the Bluejays swung the ball around the perimeter, searching for daylight. Then Townsend found it. Well beyond NBA range, the Kansas City native rose up with confidence and released a three-pointer that felt suspended in the air.
The go-ahead shot ripped through the net and completed the comeback. Creighton had flipped a two-point deficit into a 73-71 lead in one fearless motion. Townsend’s heroics were only possible because of the work Creighton put in earlier in the fourth quarter.
The response was immediate. Allison Heathcock drained a triple to spark an eight-point burst. Then Grace Boffeli went to work inside, scoring back-to-back baskets to trim the deficit to 55-54 with 7:54 remaining.
Just like that, a 14-point hole was nearly gone.
Xavier answered with five straight points, refusing to fold. Norah Gessert then stepped into a deep three of her own from well beyond NBA range, keeping Creighton within striking distance.
The Bluejays clawed within one point three separate times in the fourth quarter. They stayed patient. They stayed poised. And when the final possession broke down, they trusted Townsend to create something special.
That resilience defined the final 10 minutes. Creighton did not just chip away at the deficit. It methodically erased it.
Xavier’s First-Half Surge and Standout Performances
The comeback story almost overshadowed how strong Xavier looked for much of the game.
Creighton opened with a 10-0 run, but Xavier quickly seized control in the first half. Meri Kanerva was electric. She poured in 16 points in just 20 first-half minutes, shooting 6-for-7 from the field and a perfect 4-for-4 from three-point range.
Xavier’s balance was evident throughout. MacKenzie Givens added 16 points. Mariyah Noel contributed 13. Vivien Nejasmic chipped in 10. It was a collective effort that nearly held up.
But Creighton had answers of its own.
Grace Boffeli delivered another signature performance, leading the Bluejays with 20 points and 10 rebounds. The double-double was the 46th of her career and her ninth of the 2025-26 season, underscoring her steady presence all year.
Norah Gessert posted a career-high 17 points, stepping into big shots when they mattered most. Heathcock added 13 points, including the early fourth-quarter three that ignited the rally.
The win also added another chapter to a one-sided series history. Creighton now leads the all-time series 21-2, including 17 consecutive victories. The Bluejays are 11-0 at home and 10-2 on the road against Xavier.
In their first meeting on January 20, Creighton earned an 82-64 victory. Boffeli finished that game with 18 points and 15 rebounds, while Kendall McGee added 15 points. Five Bluejays reached double figures, and an 11-2 run late in the fourth quarter sealed that win.
Sunday’s contest was tighter. Far tighter. But the ending was the same.
More From Creighton On SI
feed
Stay up to date with the BlueJays by bookmarking Creighton On SI and follow us on Twitter.
Shayni Maitra is a sports girl through and through writing about everything from locker room drama to game-day legends in the NFL and NBA. She’s covered the action for outlets like College Sports Network, Sportskeeda, EssentiallySports, NB Media, and PinkVilla, blending sharp takes with a deep love for storytelling. Whether it’s college football rivalries, Olympic gold-chasers, or the off-field chaos that keeps Twitter alive, Shayni brings the heat with heart—and just the right amount of humor.