Stacey White matched career highs with 16 points and four three-point baskets as Illinois State jumped all over Creighton early, but the Jays dominated the second half to maintain their two-game hold on first place in the Missouri Valley Conference with a 65-51 win at the Civic Auditorium.
The Redbirds, 6-15 overall, 4-8 in the Valley, rode a fast start to lead by as many as 19 in the first half, but the effects of a virus which continues to work its way through the team limited starting center Kristi Larson to just 15 minutes and point guard Taren O'Brien was in foul trouble most of the second half as Creighton caught, passed and pulled away from the 'Birds.
Redbird coach Jenny Yopp, feeling the impact of the virus herself, nevertheless made no excuses.
"We were right in this game," said Yopp. "We just needed 40 minutes of effort and energy against the first-place teawm in the Valley on the road and we didn't get it. We got 45 minutes of energy against them (in Normal), but now we have to pick ourselves up and move on to face Drake, a team coming off a win at SMS.
"This is a tough road swing, but we have to compete possession for possession," she said.
Katie Donovan had a jump shot, a layup, a free throw and a three-pointer in the first seven minutes as Illinois State jumped on top 12-6. Leading 12-8 with 13:30 left, the Redbirds went on a 14-0 run keyed by a pair of White threes, leading 26-8 on her second long bucket with 9:23 left. After Jenny Burns broke the draught for Creighton, Beth Huston buried a 24-footer to put ISU ahead 29-10.
But that shot, which made Illinois State 11-14 from the field, was like a wake-up call for the Jays, who turned up their physical play over the next four minutes, out-scoring the Redbirds 15-1. That cut the lead to 30-25 before Donovan's driving layup gave ISU its first field goal in four minutes. ISU led 36-32 at halftime, thanks to late baskets by O'Brien and Stacey Nickerson.
Donovan had 10 of her 12 points and halftime, the same total as White. ISU hit 14 of 22 first-half field goals.
Neneman scored the first basket of the second half on an offensive rebound to cut the lead to two. After a Traci Jones free throw, Laura Spanheimer gave Creighton its first lead of the game with a reverse layup with 17:10 left, 37-36. O'Brien broke the Jays's scoring run with a fast-break layup against the Bluejay press.
The teams exchanged leads until Spanheimer and Dayna Finch hit back-to-back three-point shots to put Creighton ahead 45-41 with 12:17 left. Creighton scored 19 of the next 24 points to put the game away. ISU made just 5 of 22 second-half field goals.
Creighton, 16-5 overall, 11-1 in the Valley, extended its winning streak to seven in a row since a 64-57 overtime loss to Illinois State in a network television game Jan. 12 at Redbird Arena. The Jays also extended their winning streak over Illinois State in Omaha to 11 games. With a two-game lead over Drake heading into the weekend action, Creighton's 'magic number' for its first women's basketball regular-season Valley title shrunk to five.
The Redbirds continue their road trip with a 2:05 p.m. game Saturday at Drake.
