Saturday, March 22
Austin, Texas
6:15 PM
Creighton University
vs
Illinois
Photo by: (Ben Solomon/BIG EAST Conference)
#23 Bluejay Women's Basketball Faces Illinois in NCAA Opening Game on Saturday
3/20/2025 10:14:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Austin, Texas -- Having reached a fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history, #23 Creighton women's basketball faces Illinois in the First Round on Saturday, March 22 in Austin, Texas at 6:15 p.m. on ESPN News.
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Series with Illinois: Creighton Trails 0-1
Home: 0-0 Away: 0-0 Neutral: 0-1
It has been over 20 years since the Bluejays and the Fighting Illini last met. The only meeting was played in Corvallis, Oregon in December of 1991, Creighton dropped the contest 87-71.
Series Game-by-Game
Date   Opponent   Score
12/6/96   @ vs. Illinois   L, 71-87
@ = played in Corvallis, Oregon
About Illinois
Claiming the No. 8-seed thanks to a 21-9 record on the season, the Fighting Illini look to rebound after an early exit to No. 10-seed Nebraska in the Big Ten Tournament. Illinois was bounced from the tournament after a 74-70 loss, despite strong performances from Genesis Bryant, Kendall Bostic and Adalia McKenzie.
Bryant, who averaged 15.1 points per game throughout the season, eclipsed her average rate of 15.1 points per game with 20 against Nebraska. Bostic, who has led the Fighting Illini all season in points with 15.9 per game, recorded 19 points against the Cornhuskers.
McKenzie, who rounded out the leading scorers with 16 points against the No. 10 seed, recorded a season-high 10 assists and claimed her first double-double of the season in points and assists.
Heading into their matchup with the Bluejays, the Fighting Illini are led by Head Coach Shauna Green in her third year with the program. This year's tournament appearance marks Green's second appearance as head of the program, and 10th appearance in program history.
Scouting #23 Creighton (26-6)
Heading into their fourth straight NCAA tournament appearance, the Bluejays are seeded at No. 9-seed for the second consecutive year. Fresh off a second-place performance in the BIG EAST Tournament, Creighton has won 52 games over the past two seasons, entering the game on Saturday with a 26-6 mark.
After defeating Georgetown and Seton Hall to reach the final of the conference tournament, Creighton fell for the third time this season by No. 3 Connecticut.
The Bluejays fell by a margin of 70-50 in the championship game, though seniors Lauren Jensen and Morgan Maly led the charge to challenge the Huskies. Jensen led the team with 13 points and seven rebounds, while Maly recorded 12 points and two steals. The pair average 17.8 and 17.3 points per game this season, respectively.
At the helm for the Bluejays heading into the matchup with No. 8-seed Illinois is Head Coach Jim Flanery, who has led the Bluejays to eight NCAA Tournament bids over his 23 years at Creighton.
With A Win...
- Creighton would reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the eighth time in program history.
Milestone Watch
During the 2016-17 season, Creighton and head coach Jim Flanery bested Shauna Green in the Junkanoo Jam in the Bimini Islands, Bahama. That season the Bluejays defeated Dayton during Green's first season at the helm for the Flyers.
Flanery and Green Have More Shared History
Both Jim Flanery and Shauna Green each served as an assistant coach at Loras College at the onset of their coaching career. Flanery was an assistant from 1990-92 under head coach Connie Yori. Green's career began as an assistant at Loras from 2002-05, then went on to become the head coach from 2005-07.
Jensen Becomes Bluejays' Third All-American in Program History
Creighton guard Lauren Jensen became the Bluejays' third All-American in CU Women's Basketball history, earning AP All-American Honorable Mention on Wednesday, March 19. Jensen joins Jaylyn Agnew (2020 AP All-American Honorable Mention) and Marissa Janning (2014 WBCA All-America Honorable Mention) as the only three Bluejays to earn such a high honor.
Jensen enters the 2025 NCAA Tournament as Creighton's scoring leader with 571 points (17.8 ppg), a figure that already ranks as eighth as the Bluejays' single-season scoring list. Jensen is second for the Bluejays with 120 assists and also has grabbed 130 rebounds this season (4.1 rpg). Her 222 made field goals this season also ranks sixth in Bluejay single season Top-10 list.
Throughout her career Jensen moved past the 2,000-point threshold both at Creighton (2,042 points) and in her career (2,065 points) during March. She enters the NCAA Tournament third all-time for the Bluejays in scoring, fifth in scoring average (15.95), third in made field goals (770), second in free-throw percentage (86.9%) and ninth in assists (389).
Jensen and Maly Earn All-BIG EAST Tournament Team
Bluejay leaders Lauren Jensen and Morgan Maly were rewarded for their strong performance at the BIG EAST Tournament with a spot on the 2025 All-Tournament Team. Creighton's pair were joined by three Connecticut players (Paige Bueckers (MOP), Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong) as well as Georgetown's Kelsey Ransom.
Creighton One of Just Six Schools with Four Consecutive Years of Both MBB and WBB Reaching NCAA Tournament
The list of schools to have their Men's and Women's Basketball Teams in last four NCAA Tournaments is just six (Baylor, Creighton, Iowa State, Tennessee, Texas, UConn). Two of the six are BIG EAST members, while two are in the Austin regional.
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3/22: - 6:15 p.m. (CT)
#23 Creighton (26-5) vs. Illinois (21-9)
Twitter: @GoCreighton, @CreightonWBB
TV: ESPNNEWS (Tiffany Greene & Steffi Sorensen)
https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/dbe6d3ec-4eae-40fe-bbc0-663a477cb852
Radio: 1290 AM (Jon Schriner and Glen Sisk)
https://player.listenlive.co/52391/
Stat Broadcast:
http://statb.us/v/crei/587492
#23 Creighton (26-5) vs. Illinois (21-9)
Twitter: @GoCreighton, @CreightonWBB
TV: ESPNNEWS (Tiffany Greene & Steffi Sorensen)
https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/dbe6d3ec-4eae-40fe-bbc0-663a477cb852
Radio: 1290 AM (Jon Schriner and Glen Sisk)
https://player.listenlive.co/52391/
Stat Broadcast:
http://statb.us/v/crei/587492
Series with Illinois: Creighton Trails 0-1
Home: 0-0 Away: 0-0 Neutral: 0-1
It has been over 20 years since the Bluejays and the Fighting Illini last met. The only meeting was played in Corvallis, Oregon in December of 1991, Creighton dropped the contest 87-71.
Series Game-by-Game
Date   Opponent   Score
12/6/96   @ vs. Illinois   L, 71-87
@ = played in Corvallis, Oregon
About Illinois
- Located in Champaign, Illinois.
- Illinois went 19-15 last season, reaching the Finals of the WBIT Tournament. The Illini defeated Villanova in the championship.
- Head coach Shauna Green is in her third season at the helm for the Illini. She enters the game against Creighton with a record of 62-34 at Illinois and an overall record of 189-84.
Claiming the No. 8-seed thanks to a 21-9 record on the season, the Fighting Illini look to rebound after an early exit to No. 10-seed Nebraska in the Big Ten Tournament. Illinois was bounced from the tournament after a 74-70 loss, despite strong performances from Genesis Bryant, Kendall Bostic and Adalia McKenzie.
Bryant, who averaged 15.1 points per game throughout the season, eclipsed her average rate of 15.1 points per game with 20 against Nebraska. Bostic, who has led the Fighting Illini all season in points with 15.9 per game, recorded 19 points against the Cornhuskers.
McKenzie, who rounded out the leading scorers with 16 points against the No. 10 seed, recorded a season-high 10 assists and claimed her first double-double of the season in points and assists.
Heading into their matchup with the Bluejays, the Fighting Illini are led by Head Coach Shauna Green in her third year with the program. This year's tournament appearance marks Green's second appearance as head of the program, and 10th appearance in program history.
Scouting #23 Creighton (26-6)
Heading into their fourth straight NCAA tournament appearance, the Bluejays are seeded at No. 9-seed for the second consecutive year. Fresh off a second-place performance in the BIG EAST Tournament, Creighton has won 52 games over the past two seasons, entering the game on Saturday with a 26-6 mark.
After defeating Georgetown and Seton Hall to reach the final of the conference tournament, Creighton fell for the third time this season by No. 3 Connecticut.
The Bluejays fell by a margin of 70-50 in the championship game, though seniors Lauren Jensen and Morgan Maly led the charge to challenge the Huskies. Jensen led the team with 13 points and seven rebounds, while Maly recorded 12 points and two steals. The pair average 17.8 and 17.3 points per game this season, respectively.
At the helm for the Bluejays heading into the matchup with No. 8-seed Illinois is Head Coach Jim Flanery, who has led the Bluejays to eight NCAA Tournament bids over his 23 years at Creighton.
With A Win...
- Creighton would reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the eighth time in program history.
Milestone Watch
- Mallory Brake needs 15 points to reach 500 in her career.
- Jayme Horan needs one three-pointer to notch 100 in her career.
- Lauren Jensen needs two rebounds to reach 500 in her career and two assists to reach 400. She needs nine rebounds for 500 as a Bluejay and 11 assists for 400 while at Creighton.
- Already with 571 points this season, Lauren Jensen is eighth on the Creighton single season rankings. She'll move into seventh with two points and can climb into the top five with 19 points.
- Kiani Lockett needs 15 points to reach 300 in her career.
- Morgan Maly has a streak of 52 games with at least one three pointer
- Morgan Maly is three rebounds (797) away from reaching 800.
- Molly Mogensen is nine assists from reaching 500 and two points from passing assistant coach Carli Berger (Tritz) with 1,042 points.
During the 2016-17 season, Creighton and head coach Jim Flanery bested Shauna Green in the Junkanoo Jam in the Bimini Islands, Bahama. That season the Bluejays defeated Dayton during Green's first season at the helm for the Flyers.
Flanery and Green Have More Shared History
Both Jim Flanery and Shauna Green each served as an assistant coach at Loras College at the onset of their coaching career. Flanery was an assistant from 1990-92 under head coach Connie Yori. Green's career began as an assistant at Loras from 2002-05, then went on to become the head coach from 2005-07.
Jensen Becomes Bluejays' Third All-American in Program History
Creighton guard Lauren Jensen became the Bluejays' third All-American in CU Women's Basketball history, earning AP All-American Honorable Mention on Wednesday, March 19. Jensen joins Jaylyn Agnew (2020 AP All-American Honorable Mention) and Marissa Janning (2014 WBCA All-America Honorable Mention) as the only three Bluejays to earn such a high honor.
Jensen enters the 2025 NCAA Tournament as Creighton's scoring leader with 571 points (17.8 ppg), a figure that already ranks as eighth as the Bluejays' single-season scoring list. Jensen is second for the Bluejays with 120 assists and also has grabbed 130 rebounds this season (4.1 rpg). Her 222 made field goals this season also ranks sixth in Bluejay single season Top-10 list.
Throughout her career Jensen moved past the 2,000-point threshold both at Creighton (2,042 points) and in her career (2,065 points) during March. She enters the NCAA Tournament third all-time for the Bluejays in scoring, fifth in scoring average (15.95), third in made field goals (770), second in free-throw percentage (86.9%) and ninth in assists (389).
Jensen and Maly Earn All-BIG EAST Tournament Team
Bluejay leaders Lauren Jensen and Morgan Maly were rewarded for their strong performance at the BIG EAST Tournament with a spot on the 2025 All-Tournament Team. Creighton's pair were joined by three Connecticut players (Paige Bueckers (MOP), Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong) as well as Georgetown's Kelsey Ransom.
Creighton One of Just Six Schools with Four Consecutive Years of Both MBB and WBB Reaching NCAA Tournament
The list of schools to have their Men's and Women's Basketball Teams in last four NCAA Tournaments is just six (Baylor, Creighton, Iowa State, Tennessee, Texas, UConn). Two of the six are BIG EAST members, while two are in the Austin regional.
Players Mentioned
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