OMAHA, Neb. – The Drake women’s basketball team went on the road on Monday night to take on a talented Creighton Bluejays squad. The Bulldogs fought hard but could not keep pace with Creighton in the second half, falling 80-72.

Anna Miller, who was named MVC Player of the Week just a few hours prior to tip, scored the game’s first basket after Drake won the opening jump. Creighton leapt in front shortly after as Drake went scoreless over the next four minutes. Ava Hawthorne eventually snapped that cold streak with a corner three, tying the score at 7-7. Miller then glassed one in for two to give the Dogs a marginal lead at the first media break.

The two teams were in lockstep down the stretch of the first period with the difference never rising above three points, Guard Lauren Jensen, the Bluejays’ leading scorer in their season debut, snagged the lead back in Creighton’s favor just before the horn. The Bluejays led 19-17 after one.

The back-and-forth action persisted as the second quarter got underway. Abbie Aalsma got organized quickly to bury a three from the wing, giving Drake a 1-point lead. Creighton was able to rebound and draw back even as the score was all square at 25 apiece midway through the period.

The Bluejays built their biggest lead of the first half at 38-31 with just under a minute to play in the half. Courtney Becker pulled down an offensive rebound on Drake’s ensuing trip, but Creighton answered right back with another Jensen deuce to make 40-33 at the half.

The Creighton lead ballooned into double figures shortly after the second half started. Jensen worked her way to the top of the key and cashed in on a high-arching triple to make it 43-33, Creighton. Drake responded with four straight points of their own on layups from Becker and Miller. Aalsma then hit again from deep, after collecting an Anna Miller dish off an offensive rebound, to get back within five.

Jensen almost single-handedly maintained the Bluejays’ separation as the third quarter progressed. The Minnesota native had 10 points in the period to eclipse the 20-point mark for the second game in a row. She eventually finished with 32. Anna Miller had other ideas with seven points of her own in the stanza as Creighton led 57-52 with 10 minutes to play.

The Bluejays dialed up a wide-open trey for Jensen on the very first play of the fourth quarter, adding to her game high scoring output. Kiani Lockett then pulled up from the elbow to extend CU’s lead back to double digits. Becker and Miller went back-to-back for five quick ones to cut right back into their deficit and force Creighton coach Jim Flanery to burn a timeout.

Drake mounted their finale charge at about the 2-minute mark of the fourth quarter. Miller blocked her fifth shot of the night, leading to a driving two by Dinnebier. That spurt of energy cut the Drake deficit to six points. The Dogs’ final hopes were nixed with just over 20 seconds remaining as Jensen dished to Lockett to make it a 9-point margin.

The Bulldogs used their remaining fouls to give to extend the game, but Creighton’s lead was too steep as the Jays won their third straight game over Drake, 80-72.

“I definitely think there are areas for growth, and we have to [grow as players] a little bit faster,” Suzie Glazer Burt Head Coach Allison Pohlman said. “We got some great shots in the end-of-game situations and we’re normally a team that knocks those down. We’re looking forward to getting back to work and hammering those things out.”

Anna Miller stuffed the stat sheet again for Drake with another double-double of 18 points and 14 rebounds. She also blocked five shots, picked up one steal, and dished out three assists. Courtney Becker led the Bulldogs in scoring with 21 points, marking her career best. She also corralled eight boards and had four distributions.

Elsewhere, Katie Dinnebier netted 15 points as Drake’s final double-digit scorer and was tied by Ava Hawthorne with a team-high two steals. Abbie Aalsma added eight points and tied her career high with six rebounds.

Drake will return home for their next contest as in-state rival Iowa heads to Des Moines on Sunday, Nov. 17. The Bulldogs and Hawkeyes are expecting a full house in the Knapp Center as Drake will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of Bulldog women’s basketball.