WICHITA, Kan. - In an attempt to win their final home game, the Wichita State women's basketball team (9-17, 4-12) fought back from a 14-point half-time deficit, but could not recover, falling to the Creighton Bluejays (11-16, 8-8), 71-68, on Senior Day. 

The Shockers opened the game with three turnovers and five missed shots, as Creighton raced out to a 9-0 lead on 4-of-6 shooting. A Tyrai Bronson three-pointer with 15 minutes left in the half extended the game-opening run by the Bluejays to 15-2, before a Marcy Sudbeck three-point play with just over 13 minutes left cut the Creighton lead to 15-5.

WSU closed the lead to as few as eight after a Sudbeck free throw trimmed the lead to 21-13 with 9:26 left in the first, but CU answered with a quick 8-0 run to pull ahead to its biggest lead of the game to that point, 29-13, following a Michelle Kaus basket with 6:42 left before the break.

Creighton extended the lead by as many as 18 after a Chevelle Herring layin with under a minute left, but the Shockers scored the final four points of the frame, and a Taylor Steven three-pointer with :37 seconds left took the Shockers to the break, down 41-27.

A 5-0 run to start the second half gave WSU new life, as a three-pointer by Whitney Rice cut the Creighton lead to 41-32 early in the second half. 

CU extended the lead again over the next seven minutes, but the Shockers cut it to eight again after a pair of Daria Frazier free throws and a Stephens basket with 8:04 left to play made the Bluejay edge just seven at 58-51.

A pair of Frazier free throws and Rice's third three-pointer of the day fueled a quick 5-0 run that cut the lead to just four at 60-56 with 6:30 left, but a Kristina Voss free throw gave CU a 61-56 lead 10 seconds later.

Rice's fourth three cut the Bluejay advantage to 61-59 with just under six minutes left, but Creighton continued to sink free throws to maintain the lead until senior Lexee McDonnell's three with just over four minutes left gave the Shockers a 64-62 advantage, their first lead of the second frame.

Bronson answered with a three for CU to give the Bluejays a 65-64 lead, and Ally Thrall's runner with 2:30 left extended the Creighton advantage to 67-64. A pair of McDonnell free throws gave the Shockers a 68-67 lead with 1:08 left to play, but Megan Nueuvirth's first points of the day gave Creighton a 69-68 lead with :50 seconds left.

Thrall sank two free throws with :32.9 left for a 71-68 Bluejay lead, but Stephens missed a turnaround jumper with :16 seconds left, giving CU the ball with Neuvirth at the line with a one-and-one oppportunity. The reigning MVC Newcomer of the Week missed the front end, and Wells came down with the rebound, giving WSU a final shot with :10 seconds left after a timeout.

Wichita State had a chance to tie with a three-pointer in the final seconds but Lexee McDonnell's attempt and last ditch effort fell short, giving the Bluejays the win.

--WICHITA STATE--