Box Score OMAHA, Neb. ? Bradley turned in its worst offensive outing of the season, shooting a season-low 30.6 percent from the field to conclude a three-game Missouri Valley road swing with a 61-46 setback against Creighton Sunday at the Omaha Civic Auditorium.
The Bluejays entered the game as one of the top defensive teams in the Missouri Valley Conference, surrendering a league-low 57.7 points per game. Bradley (13-5 overall, 4-3 MVC) struggled offensively, committing 19 turnovers while shooting a season-worst 30.6 percent from the field en route to a season-low 46 points. The Braves limited Creighton (11-8 overall, 6-2 MVC) to 35.4 percent shooting, but forced just 12 Bluejay turnovers and Creighton owned a 44-36 edge in rebounding.
The Bluejays jumped out to a 12-3 lead, but Bradley held Creighton scoreless for a six and a half minute stretch as the Braves scored 10 consecutive points to take a 13-12 lead with 8:55 to play in the first half.
The Braves tailed 19-18 with 2:52 remaining after a Michelle Lund (Sioux City, Iowa/Bishop Heelan) three-pointer, but BU would go the rest of the half without a field goal. Despite the offensive struggles, Bradley trailed 23-20 at the half and was within striking distance early on in the second half.
The drought from the field continued into the second half, before junior Renee Frericks (Wyoming, Minn./Forest Lake) ended a 10:21 stretch in which the Braves did not make a field goal with a three-pointer with 12:34 left in the game.
Creighton held a 43-36 lead with 9:10 to play when Chevelle Herring scored eight consecutive points to highlight an 11-1 Creighton run which pushed the Bluejays lead to 54-37 with 4:29 left to play. Junior guard Skye Johnson (Olympia Fields, Ill./Marian Catholic) knocked down a jumper in the lane on the Braves next possession, but Herring answered with her fourth three-pointer of the half and Megan Neuvirth had a steal and three-pointer to give Creighton a 60-39 lead to put the game out of reach.
Frericks (Wyoming, Minn./Forest Lake) led the Braves in scoring with a season-high 16 points off the bench. She connected on 4-for-8 from beyond the arc in 19 minutes of play to become the 13th Brave to score in double figures this season and was the only BU player to score more than six points. Frericks and the Bradley reserves combined for 23 of the Braves 46 points.
Creighton held a 20-10 edge in points in the paint and limited Bradley to a season-low one second-chance point. The Bluejays posted a 22-11 advantage in points off turnovers and hauled down 17 offensive boards en route to a 16-1 lead in second chance points.
Herring led all players with 20 points and five assists, as she hit 5-of-9 three-point attempts. Kelsey Woodard chipped in with 14 points, while Neuvirth was also in double figures with 13 points.
Bradley returns to action Friday when the Braves play host to I-74 rival Illinois State at 7:05 p.m. at Lorene Ramsey Gym in East Peoria, Ill. With a sell out expected for Friday's contest, fans are encouraged to contact the Bradley Athletics Ticket Office at (309) 677-2625 to purchase tickets. Friday's game will be televised on WTVP Channel 47 and will also be broadcast on WMBD 1470 AM.
