DES MOINES, Iowa (Interstat) — Kiani Lockett scored 25 points and dished out seven assists to lead the Creighton women’s basketball team to an 83-74 victory over Drake on Sunday afternoon at a packed Knapp Center.

The Bluejays, who evened their record at 1-1, used a balanced offensive attack and stifling defense to secure the road win in front of 2,587 fans. Lockett, a 5-foot-8 guard from Minneapolis, was the catalyst, playing 36 minutes and efficiently orchestrating the offense while adding four rebounds.

Creighton set the tone early, building a 44-33 halftime lead by outscoring Drake 22-16 in the first quarter and 22-17 in the second. The Bluejays’ offense was firing on all cylinders, shooting 43.8 percent from the field and 40 percent from 3-point range for the game. They were also efficient from the free-throw line, converting 15 of 17 attempts.

Drake, which also moved to 1-1 on the young season, mounted a comeback in the third quarter behind the scoring of Abbie Aalsma and Grace Knutson. The Bulldogs outscored Creighton 23-21 in the period, cutting the deficit to single digits and injecting energy into the home crowd. Aalsma, a 5-9 guard from Waupun, Wisconsin, finished with 23 points, while Knutson, a local product from Cedar Falls, Iowa, added 20 points and four rebounds.

However, Creighton’s defense and ball security proved decisive in the final period. The Bluejays forced 12 Drake turnovers while committing only 10 of their own, translating into a 12-10 advantage in points off turnovers. Creighton also tallied nine steals, led by Lockett’s three, compared to just two for the Bulldogs.

The Bluejays’ interior presence was anchored by Grace Boffeli, who recorded a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Neleigh Gessert provided a significant spark off the bench, scoring 17 points and grabbing five rebounds in just 18 minutes of action. Allison Heathcock contributed nine points and four assists for the victors.

Despite being outscored 34-26 in the paint, Creighton’s superior ball movement was a key factor, as evidenced by their nine assists compared to Drake’s two. The Bulldogs were led inside by Quinn Vice, who scored 11 points and blocked two shots, and Maggie Taylor, who pulled down seven rebounds.

The game was a statistical anomaly in several regards. Creighton scored 83 points on 76 possessions for an offensive rating of 109.1, while Drake managed 74 points on 75 possessions for a rating of 98.6. The Bluejays’ victory came despite Interstat’s ELO system giving them a 75.4 percent probability to win before tipoff.

Creighton will look to build on this momentum when they travel to face in-state rival Nebraska on Wednesday. Drake, meanwhile, will prepare for a tough road test against Iowa on Thursday.