Creighton Women’s Basketball Falls to Villanova Despite Strong Defensive Showing
On a day dedicated to celebrating the legacy of its departing veterans, Creighton Women’s Basketball faced a familiar and formidable foe. On Sunday, February 15, 2026, the Bluejays hosted Villanova for a high-stakes BIG EAST showdown. Despite a resilient defensive effort and standout individual performances, Creighton could not hold off a late surge, falling 74-64 at D.J. Sokol Arena.
Leadership and Freshman Spark Keep Creighton Women’s Basketball Close
After the final buzzer, Bluejay Nation honored seniors Kiani Lockett, Grace Boffeli, and Kennedy Townsend. While the scoreboard did not deliver the fairy-tale ending the home crowd hoped for, the trio left everything on the floor. The loss moves Creighton to 12-14 overall and 8-9 in BIG EAST play. Villanova improved to 21-5 and 14-3 in conference action.
Final | Creighton 64, Villanova 74
— Creighton Women’s Basketball (@CreightonWBB) February 15, 2026
The Bluejays stayed competitive thanks to strong contributions from their senior leaders and a rising freshman star. Kennedy Townsend delivered a career-defining performance on her Senior Day, leading all scorers with 23 points.
Grace Boffeli added another milestone to her decorated career, securing her 45th career double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds. Together, Townsend and Boffeli combined for 33 points and 14 rebounds, anchoring Creighton’s effort on both ends of the floor. Freshman Ava Zediker chipped in 15 points, continuing to prove she belongs on the big stage.
Villanova's Jasmine Bascoe led the Wildcats with 21 points. Kennedy Henry added 17. Denae Cater finished with 16, and Brynn McCurry contributed 11. That depth ultimately proved decisive.
After trailing 2-0 in the opening moments, Creighton raced out to a 9-2 lead on baskets from Townsend and Boffeli. They did it along with freshmen Ava Zediker and Neleigh Gessert. Villanova answered with a 12-0 run. But the Bluejays refused to fade. The final five points of the first quarter belonged to Creighton, tying the game at 14-14.
In the second period, Gessert and Townsend found their rhythm from beyond the arc. Creighton knocked down four of its five three-pointers in the quarter, energizing the crowd inside D.J. Sokol Arena. The surge gave the Bluejays a 32-29 lead heading into halftime.
The third quarter shifted the narrative. Villanova’s offense came out connecting on 10 of 19 shots in the period. The Wildcats surged ahead 54-49, seizing control of the tempo. From that point forward, Villanova never relinquished the lead.
Creighton continued to compete and battled on the boards. However, timely buckets and defensive stops from the Wildcats stretched the margin just enough. The final score read 74-64, the same outcome as the teams’ first meeting earlier this season.
Echoes After Their Previous Meet-Up
Previously, Sunday’s result mirrored the first meeting between these teams on January 1, 2026, when Villanova also secured a 74-64 victory. In that game, Creighton jumped to a 13-5 lead behind early baskets from Townsend and Neleigh Gessert. Villanova responded with a 20-3 run over the next nine minutes, taking a 25-16 advantage and eventually extending the lead to 36-23 at halftime.
Out of the break, Kendall McGee and Gessert sparked a rally, combining for 18 third-quarter points. McGee scored nine in the frame as Creighton trimmed the deficit to eight at 52-44. However, Villanova answered with 10 of the next 11 points to build a 62-45 cushion. Down the stretch, the Bluejays got no closer than nine points at 71-62.
Gessert led all scorers in that contest with 25 points, tying her career high. She knocked down seven three-pointers, moving into a 13-way tie for seventh in single-game program history. Townsend finished with 19 points, and McGee recorded a career-high 14.
The Villanova game came on the heels of a challenging road trip to face No. 1 UConn. That's where Creighton’s four-game winning streak ended in a 94-44 loss.
Entering that matchup at 12-13 overall and 8-8 in BIG EAST play, the Bluejays competed early. They shot 44.4 percent from beyond the arc in the opening quarter and tied the score at 14 with one minute remaining.
The final three quarters told a different story. UConn outscored Creighton 65-30. The Bluejays shot 26 percent from three and 22.58 percent from the field overall. Kennedy Townsend led Creighton with 10 points. On the other hand, Elizabeth Gentry added 12 for her seventh double-digit performance of the season. Creighton did win the offensive rebounding battle 11-1.
The Bluejays will travel to Indianapolis to face Butler on Wednesday, February 18. The tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. at Hinkle Fieldhouse, with the game streaming live on ESPN+.
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.