Creighton Women’s Basketball Closes Regular Season Home Schedule vs Providence
As winter lingers in Omaha, the temperature inside D. J. Sokol Arena is rising. On Thursday, February 26, the Creighton Bluejays women's basketball team will close out its 2025-26 regular-season home schedule. And they will be doing it against the Providence Friars women's basketball team in a pivotal BIG EAST showdown.
Creighton Women’s Basketball Showcased High Stakes on the Ground
Creighton enters at 13-14 overall and 9-9 in conference play. Providence arrives at 14-15 and 7-11 in the BIG EAST. Tip-off is set for 8:00 p.m. on TNT, and this is far more than a farewell to the home crowd.
🎥 Got the dub at Hinkle #GoJays pic.twitter.com/pTYgQL0kj3
— Creighton Women’s Basketball (@CreightonWBB) February 21, 2026
The Bluejays are in a mathematical swing zone, capable of finishing anywhere from fourth to seventh in the final standings. Every possession matters. Every defensive stop matters. And protecting home court is essential for securing a favorable conference tournament seed.
Historically, Creighton has controlled this matchup, leading the all-time series 19-5 and owning an 8-3 mark against the Friars in Omaha. The Bluejays have won 19 of 24 meetings overall. But history will not take the floor Thursday night. Recent memory will! On January 17, Providence escaped with an 80-77 victory in a game that never truly tilted in either direction. It was a 40-minute tug-of-war.
Creighton shook off an early seven-point deficit in the first quarter and surged to a 21-18 lead. An 8-2 run late in the second quarter helped the Bluejays carry a 38-36 advantage into halftime. In the third, Creighton stretched its lead to five. However, Providence responded with a decisive 13-2 run that shifted momentum entering the fourth.
The Bluejays battled back within one possession in the final minute. But at the same time, a desperation three-pointer from Kennedy Townsend was blocked with 36 seconds remaining, sealing the Friars’ win.
Sabou Gueye poured in 22 points, while Orlagh Gormley added 21 points, four assists, and two steals. The duo accounted for 43 of Providence’s 80 points. Townsend led Creighton with 18, Ava Zediker scored 17, and Neleigh Gessert and Grace Boffeli each contributed 14. That loss still stings. Thursday offers redemption.
Head coach Jim Flanery and his staff have clear priorities heading into the rematch. First, establish an interior presence. In January, Providence outscored Creighton 42-28 in the paint. The Bluejays must tighten rim protection and finish stronger through contact.
Second, slow down Gueye and Gormley. They combined for 43 points on 32 shots in the first meeting. Limiting their touches and forcing secondary scorers to shoulder the load is essential. Third, protect the basketball. Creighton committed 11 turnovers in the loss, which Providence converted into 20 points.
A Home Finale with Offensive Balance that Builds Confidence
Creighton enters the home finale riding momentum from a 67-58 road win over the Butler Bulldogs women's basketball. The victory snapped a two-game skid against UConn and Villanova and restored confidence at a crucial time.
Against Butler, the Bluejays built a commanding 44-28 halftime lead by shooting over 50 percent from the field and at or above 60 percent from three-point range in both quarters. Butler trimmed the lead to 51-43 by the end of the third, but timely perimeter shooting in the fourth preserved control.
Six players scored eight or more points. Grace Boffeli led with 15 points, nine rebounds, and three assists. Ava Zediker added 13. Allison Heathcock scored 11. Gessert and Kendall McGee each contributed nine, while Townsend added eight.
Boffeli continues to anchor the Bluejays inside. With 240 rebounds, averaging 8.9 per game, she is tied for 10th on Creighton’s single-season list. She leads the BIG EAST in total rebounds and rebounds per game, giving Creighton a steady interior presence.
Townsend enters with 682 career points and remains the emotional heartbeat of the team. Her leadership will be critical in a high-pressure rematch.
Gessert, making her third straight start in place of her injured twin sister Neleigh. She delivered a spark against Butler with three first-half three-pointers. She also finished with nine points and four rebounds, helping build a 21-point second-quarter lead.
Creighton’s 9-9 conference record tells the story of a season defined by splits and sweeps. The Bluejays swept St. John’s and Butler. They were swept by UConn and Villanova. They split with Seton Hall, Marquette, Georgetown, and DePaul.
Thursday night is more than the last regular-season home game. It is a chance to build momentum before closing the regular season at Xavier on March 1. It is a chance to avenge January’s narrow defeat. And it is a chance to give the Omaha faithful one more memory inside D.J. Sokol Arena.
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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.