ST. CHARLES, Mo.- An early 13-2 run put Wichita State (17-14) in a hole it could not climb out of, falling to Creighton (20-9), 76-59, Saturday night in the semifinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.

Haleigh Lankster led the Shockers with 23 points while Sam Schuett led the Bluejays with 17 points. It was the fourth time this season that Lankster hit 20 points and the first time since January.

The Bluejays had the hot hand early, opening the game on a 13-2 run. CU turned the Shockers' miscues into points, scoring four points on three turnovers in the run.

In the first eight minutes, WSU shot just 20-percent while the Bluejays were hitting at a 53-percent clip.

WSU tried to claw its way back in the game behind 3-point shooting. Marisah Henderson showed her range, stepping behind the NBA line on the floor and hitting nothing but net. The next trip down the floor Jessica Diamond hit a 3-pointer from the wing.

But 3-pointers from Schuett and Kelsey Woodard gave CU a 27-11 lead with 8:06 until halftime.

Lankster began to heat up for the Shockers, providing a spark on the boards and with her shooting. She scored eight-straight points for WSU and finished with 14 on 5-of-6 shooting, including two 3-pointers.

WSU found itself trailing, 44-30, at the break and looking for an answer defensively. The Bluejays shot 61.5-percent in the half while the Shockers were held to 38.5-percent from the floor.

The Shockers picked up the intensity defensively, getting two steals that led to fast break layups to trim the Bluejay lead to 44-34. Another steal gave CU three turnovers in the first two minutes of the second half, equaling its total in the first half.

A pair of 3-pointers from Schuett helped rebuild the CU lead. But the Shocker defense kept them in the game as a Lankster steal led to a foul and free throws.

After being held to 48 points in both earlier meetings, a pair of Sheena Johnson free throws made it 65-50, with six minutes to play.

WSU began attacking the basket and drawing fouls to try and comeback at the free throw line with the clock stopped. But WSU went just 9-for-17 from the line in the second half.

The Shockers would get no closer than 15 the rest of the way, however, falling 76-59.

WSU will await its postseason fate as the WNIT and WBI fields will be announced on Monday night.