Villanova can’t stop Creighton’s Maly in loss
Morgan Maly had 24 points and 13 rebounds, Emma Ronsiek scored 19 points and No. 21 Creighton defeated Villanova 63-49 on Sunday, snapping the Wildcats’ five-game Big East Conference winning streak.
Creighton led 43-32 through three quarters. The teams traded baskets for much of the fourth quarter until a 3-pointer by Lauren Jensen gave the Bluejays a 14-point lead with less than three minutes remaining. A couple of minutes later, Jensen’s layup put Creighton up 61-45 entering the final minute.
Creighton’s Big Three of Jensen, Maly and Ronsiek combined for 55 of the Bluejays’ 63 points. The Bluejays’ only bench points came on a last-minute layup by Kennedy Townsend.
Maly’s 24 points came on 7-of-18 shooting, with 3 of 9 3-pointers, plus 7-for-7 from the free-throw line. In addition to her 19 points, Ronsiek had five rebounds, five assists, four steals and a couple of blocked shots.
Jensen, whose playing time was cut back due to foul trouble, scored 12 points.
Lucy Olsen scored 29 points on 12-for-29 shooting for Villanova (12-6, 5-2 Big East) but she got little scoring help from her teammates in the second half when she scored 17 of Villanova’s 25 points.
The Bluejays (14-3, 5-2) won their fourth consecutive game and created a three-way tie for second place between themselves, Villanova and St. John’s. No. 9 UConn leads with an 8-0 record.
In other Big 5 women’s action Sunday:
SAINT JOSEPH’S 51, RHODE ISLAND 48 » Laura Ziegler finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds, her third-straight double double, as the
Hawks improved to 17-2 in the season with their fourth straight victory.
Talya Brugler scored 11 points and Mackenzie Smith added 15 for the Hawks.
Teisha Hyman scored 16 points and Maye Toure had 14 for Rhode Island.
TEMPLE 73, CHARLOTTE 68 »
Four Owls scored in double figures, led by Aleah Nelson with 14 points and Tristen Taylor with 13.
For Charlotte, Dazia Lawrence led the way with 16 points and Tracy Hueston added 12.
Monmouth 63, Drexel 55 >> Amaris Baker scored 21 points but it was far too short as the Dragons dropped to 9-8 on the season, 4-2 in the CAA.
Ariana Vanderhoop led a balanced Monmouth (10-6, 3-2) effort with 12 points. Ella Farrelly and Jania Hall scored 10 points each.
Brooke Mullin and Chloe
Creighton’s Morgan Maly, seen during a game against Mississippi State in the NCAA Tournament last year, scored 24 points and collected 13 rebounds in a win over Villanova on Sunday.
Hodges each had nine points for Drexel.