WICHITA -  The Shockers surrendered just their third loss at home on Sunday, falling to the Creighton Bluejays despite a tough defensive effort, 58-48.

Looking for vengeance after a Missouri Valley record 41-point defeat at Creighton last month, the Shockers fought resiliently on their home floor, swiping more steals and forcing more turnovers than the second-place team in the MVC.

In her second start of the season, freshman forward Michelle Price recorded a career-high 10 points to put three Shockers in double digits on Sunday. Senior point guard Marisah Henderson caught fire for her first double-digit performance of the conference season for 10 points that included a 2-for-3 mark from three-point range. Freshman center Jazimen Gordon added 10 as well.

Creighton was led by MVC preseason pick for player of the year, senior Megan Neuvirth who recorded a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Junior forward Sam Schuett chipped in 13 points, including a solid 3-for-5 mark from behind the arc.

A pair of buckets from Price and a key three from Henderson sent the Shockers to an early 7-2 lead four minutes in. A wide-open three from junior forward Sam Schuett capped a 7-0 run that gave the Bluejays the lead, 9-7.

Wichita State suffered a blow when an offensive foul called on junior guard Sheena Johnson put the Shocks' leading scorer in the last two games on the bench. Saddled with two fouls not even eight minutes into the contest, Johnson did not return until the five-minute mark.

After forcing the Bluejays' fifth turnover of the half, when Price swiped the ball from Schuett, she converted on the other end with a layup to return the lead back to the home team, 17-15.

Price repeated the feat not even two minutes later to stretch the Shocker lead to four while Henderson followed suit with a contested three to heat their offense up to a 50-percent mark from the floor. The duo combined for 16 of the Shockers' 22 points with less than five to play in the half.

A 10-0 Jays' run capped by another three from Schuett stunted the Shockers' momentum as the Jays' turned a five-point deficit into a five-point lead, 27-22, in the next two-and-a-half minutes. The Shocks' defense clamped down until Kelsey Woodard's three with 11 seconds remaining sent the Creighton to the break with the 30-24 lead.

The Bluejays opened the half with back-to-back threes to push their lead to 10 before the first minute had ticked away. After being held scoreless in the first half, starter Chevelle Herring's quick eight points in the second more than doubled Creighton's halftime lead, 41-26 in the opening three minutes.

Unfazed, the Shocks came back firing. An 8-0 run cut the deficit to single digits five minutes into the half, 41-34. Creighton refused to be held down as a Woodard bucket and a pair of Schuett free throws pushed the lead back to 12, 48-36.

Forcing four Bluejay turnovers in a row, the Shocks took advantage on the offensive end as a Jazimen Gordon layup narrowed the gap, 49-42.

A solid defensive stand forced a shot-clock violation against Creighton and a turnover on the ensuing possession further showed the strength of the Shocker defense as they held the Bluejays to a single free throw in nearly seven minutes down the stretch.

Neuvirth's bucket and a three from Schuett snapped the Jays' scoring drought as they again climbed to a double-digit lead with just over two minutes to play. The Shocks couldn't battle back again, falling by a score of 58-48.

The Shockers are in action again on Friday, Feb. 12, when they travel to Normal, Ill., to face the Redbirds of Illinois State.

-Wichita State-