Sunday Showdown of Shoot-It-Or-Share-It

Sunday, February 27

Omaha, NE

11:00 A.M. CT

DePaul University

Creighton

2/26/2022 8:11:00 PM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Live Stats De Paul Notes Creighton Notes

FS1 national TV audience will see DePaul and Creighton match explosive attacks

OMAHA, Neb. – There's an interesting comparison at play here in recent renditions of this DePaul-Creighton BIG EAST rivalry as they get set to renew acquaintances at 11 a.m. Sunday before a nationwide FS1 audience.

For one thing, no other team in the conference more closely resembles the Blue Demons than the Bluejays.

Just like coach Doug Bruno's special brand of basketball, Creighton (20-7, 15-4 BIG EAST) also loves to shoot-it-or-share-it.

In fact, the team from the heart of Middle America is actually outshooting DePaul in three-pointers and breathing down the Blue Demons' necks in assists.

Creighton has knocked down 281 from behind the arc led by Lauren Jensen (72-of-160 or 45 percent). DePaul (21-9, 13-6) has converted 262 times from deep.

When it comes to sharing the ball, DePaul leads the nation with 571 assists and Creighton is second with 562.

No wonder there's an electric atmosphere and indoor fireworks every time these two explosive offenses get together.

And here's another intriguing factoid for fans of both teams. Recently, they both play better in the other one's arena.

In baseball (oh, for a CBA settlement), they call it reverse splits.

The Blue Demons have beaten Creighton the last five times they have ventured into D.J. Sokol Arena near downtown Omaha. On the other hand, they have lost three of their last four times at Wintrust Arena.

Does that bode well for Bruno & Co.? Guess it all depends on which version of "DePaulball" shows up on Sunday.

When things are right, Lexi Held (12.8 points a game) is facilitating a fast-paced attack that comes at you in waves with dizzying effects. Sonya Morris (18.2 points), Deja Church (14.4 points) and Darrione Rogers (10.2 points) are swishing shots from everywhere and feeding off each other's energy. The nation's leading rebounder Aneesah Morrow (20.8 points, 13.9 rebounds) is dominating inside and imposing her will on the game as befitting a leading All-American candidate.

Then, there's the other side of DePaulball where the movement (both basketball and players) is stalling and inconsistency bogs down a finely tuned operation.

That's when the greenest green light in America to shoot it turns to a yellow caution hue.

For DePaul to come home with a crucial BIG EAST win, the Demons will need to lock it down defensively. Perhaps not the entire 40 minutes, but at critical junctures and difference-making moments for sure.

They will need to keep Creighton's best Emma Ronsiek (14.8 points per game) in check.

They will need to make sure Lauren Jensen (12.4 points) and Morgan Maly (12.1 points) have plenty of company along that three-point arc as they have combined to hit 142 shots from distance.

They will need to make sure a balanced attack also featuring Carly Bachelor, Tatum Rembao (6.3 assists per game), Molly Mogensen and Rachel Saunders don't come up with a career performance.