INDIANAPOLIS (Interstat) — A dominant first-half offensive display and a resilient defensive stand in the second half propelled the Creighton women’s basketball team to a 67-58 victory over Butler in a Big East Conference matchup Wednesday night at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

The Bluejays, who improved to 13-14 overall, built a commanding 44-28 halftime lead by shooting with remarkable efficiency. They cooled considerably after the break but relied on their defense to hold off a persistent Butler squad that fell to 9-18.

The game’s decisive stretch came in the second quarter, where Creighton outscored Butler 25-14 to break open a close contest. After leading 19-14 through one period, the Bluejays opened the second on a 12-1 run, capped by a Norah Gessert 3-pointer assisted by Grace Boffeli, to seize a 31-15 advantage. Creighton shot 9 of 20 from 3-point range for the game, with several key makes coming during that pivotal first-half surge.

Butler, struggling to find consistent offense, could not cut the deficit to single digits until the final minute of play. The Bulldogs were hampered by 14 turnovers and shot just 9 of 18 from the free throw line. Creighton scored 66 points on just 52 field goal attempts, showcasing an offensive rating of 102.1 points per 100 possessions, while Butler managed only 58 points on 72 possessions for an offensive rating of 81.1.

The Bluejays were led by a balanced scoring effort. Grace Boffeli, a 6-foot-1 forward from Eldridge, Iowa, posted 15 points in 28 minutes. Ava Zediker of Des Moines, Iowa, added 13 points, and Allison Heathcock of Edmond, Oklahoma, contributed 11. Norah Gessert from Omaha, Nebraska, and Kendall McGee of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, each chipped in nine points.

Butler’s offense was carried by McKenna Johnson of Wilmot, Wisconsin, who scored a game-high 18 points. Anna Wypych from Rockford, Michigan, provided a spark with 12 points, all in the second half, including a late 3-pointer that brought the Bulldogs within 65-58 with 21 seconds remaining. Mallory Miller of Aberdeen, South Dakota, finished with eight points, four assists and two blocks.

The third quarter was a stark contrast to the first half, as Creighton’s offense stalled, managing only seven points. Butler slowly chipped away, pulling within 51-43 heading into the final period. The Bulldogs had several opportunities to draw closer in the fourth quarter but were repeatedly turned back by Creighton’s defense, which recorded five blocks and six steals. A key sequence came with just over six minutes remaining when consecutive blocks by Ava Zediker and Allison Heathcock preserved a 10-point Bluejay lead.

Creighton ultimately sealed the game at the free throw line, making 10 of 14 attempts, including two by Zediker with 42 seconds left to extend the lead to nine.

The game was a rematch of a Jan. 4 meeting in Omaha, which Creighton also won 67-59. With the victory, the Bluejays completed a regular-season sweep of the Bulldogs.

An announced crowd of 1,210 watched the contest at the historic venue.

Creighton will next host Providence on Thursday, Feb. 26. Butler travels to face Georgetown on Saturday.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, Creighton entered the game with an 86 percent probability to win.