Creighton Women’s Basketball Closes Strong to Edge Marquette in Overtime
Creighton women’s basketball delivered one of its most resilient performances of the season on February 8. They did it by grinding out an emotional 80–74 overtime victory against Marquette. The win evened the Bluejays’ record at 12–12 overall and 8–7 in BIG EAST play. At the same time, they injected serious momentum into the final stretch of conference action. Against a Marquette team that entered the day among the league’s elite, Creighton proved it could execute when it mattered most.
Creighton Women’s Basketball Clutch Finish Forces Overtime
For Marquette, the loss dropped the Golden Eagles to 16–8 overall and 10–5 in conference play. For Creighton, it was a statement built on poise, late-game toughness, and a dynamic scoring duo that refused to let the game slip away.
JAYS WIN! JAYS WIN! JAYS WIN!#GoJays pic.twitter.com/VFAuoK3JCc
— Creighton Women’s Basketball (@CreightonWBB) February 8, 2026
With just 20 seconds left and Creighton trailing by three, the Bluejays needed both a stop and a perfect shot. They got exactly that! After a crucial defensive stand, Ava Zediker calmly located Neleigh Gessert just beyond the extended elbow. Gessert rose and buried a clutch three-pointer, tying the game and sending the home crowd into a frenzy as the contest headed to overtime.
That moment capped a furious fourth-quarter rally. Creighton trailed 58–46 early in the final period and looked to be running out of time. Instead, the Bluejays responded with seven straight points, sparked by a corner three from Zediker.
Marquette attempted to steady itself, but Creighton kept chipping away. Allison Heathcock knocked down two free throws with 2:19 remaining, and Kennedy Townsend followed with a layup at the 1:43 mark to pull the Bluejays within two. The stage was set for Gessert’s game-tying heroics.
While the latter three forced overtime, the heartbeat of the win belonged to Ava Zediker and Grace Boffeli. The freshman and graduate transfer formed a powerful tandem, combining for 48 points, 20 rebounds, and nine assists.
Zediker led all scorers with 25 points, continuing to show remarkable composure in pressure-filled moments. Boffeli matched that impact with a dominant double-double, finishing with 23 points and 14 rebounds. It marked her seventh double-double as a Bluejay and the 44th of her collegiate career.
Overtime Execution Makes the Difference
The Bluejays leaned on Boffeli’s experience, and she delivered immediately. Boffeli scored Creighton’s first seven points of the extra session, pushing the Bluejays ahead 74–71 with 1:29 remaining.
From there, Creighton was sharp and composed. The Bluejays shot 4-for-5 from the field and 5-of-6 from the free-throw line in overtime, sealing the victory with efficient execution.
Marquette’s Skylar Forbes led the Golden Eagles with 21 points, while Halle Vice added 15. Lee Volker chipped in 13, and Jaidynn Mason finished with 11. Despite four players reaching double figures, Marquette could not match Creighton’s precision in overtime.
The win was more than just another conference result for Creighton. By evening its record and knocking off one of the BIG EAST’s top teams, Creighton proved it can thrive under pressure.
The Bluejays now turn their attention to a road matchup against top-ranked Connecticut on Wednesday, February 11. Tip-off is set for 6:00 p.m., with the game streaming live on Peacock.
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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.