FARGO, N.D. (Interstat) — Ava Zediker scored 25 points and Creighton held off North Dakota State for a 66-60 women’s NCAA Division I victory Monday at Scheels Arena. The Bluejays improved to 2-0. The Bison dropped to 1-2. Attendance was 941. Creighton had opened the season with a 73-71 win at South Dakota State. North Dakota State had beaten Augustana 86-60 and lost at Gonzaga 56-62.

North Dakota State opened with five straight points on Karrington Asp’s 3-pointer and jump shot. Creighton answered with 14 consecutive points. Zediker started the run with a layup, Niamya Holloway added a layup, Allison Heathcock made a 3-pointer, Mya Moore scored a layup, Kendall McGee made two free throws and Neleigh Gessert hit a 3-pointer for a 14-5 lead. The stretch turned a 5-0 deficit into a 14-5 lead and marked the decisive shift in the game. Asp made a jump shot and a free throw, Moore answered with a layup, Sophie Hawkinson made a layup and Holloway made a layup before Miriley Simon’s 3-pointer closed the first-quarter scoring. Creighton led 18-13 after one quarter.

Creighton stretched its advantage in the second quarter. Neleigh Gessert made a layup and Zediker made a pullup jump shot. Asp made a layup and Frost made a 3-point jump shot for North Dakota State. Moore made a layup, Frost made a layup, Holloway made a layup and Neleigh Gessert made a jump shot. Zediker made a free throw, Hawkinson made a layup and Holloway made another layup. Simon made a jump shot to end the second-quarter scoring. Creighton led 31-24 at halftime.

Zediker took over in the third quarter. She scored on a jump shot, a tip-in layup, a layup, another jump shot, a free throw, a layup and a 3-pointer. Her 3-pointer at the 4:16 mark gave Creighton a 45-36 lead. North Dakota State stayed close with baskets from Asp and Frost. Asp made a layup, Frost made a tip-in layup and a layup, and Asp added a jump shot. Simon made a 3-pointer. Zediker’s jump shot with 5.9 seconds left in the quarter sent Creighton into the fourth with a 49-40 lead.

Norah Gessert opened the fourth quarter with a 3-point field goal to push Creighton’s lead to 52-40. North Dakota State battled back. Jocelyn Schiller made six free throws, Simon made a jump shot, and Asp added layups and free throws. Schiller’s free throws at the 8:56 mark and 7:23 mark helped North Dakota State trim the lead, and Simon’s jumper with 8:04 left made it 52-44. Allison Heathcock made a 3-pointer and Kendall McGee made two layups for Creighton. Frost’s 3-point jump shot with 28.3 seconds remaining cut Creighton’s lead to 62-58. Zediker made two free throws, Heathcock made two free throws, and Neleigh Gessert made a free throw as Creighton closed out the 66-60 win. Asp made a late layup for North Dakota State.

Creighton shot 26 of 67 from the floor, 5 of 16 from 3-point range and 9 of 13 from the free throw line. North Dakota State shot 22 of 44 from the floor, 5 of 12 from 3-point range and 11 of 13 from the free throw line. Creighton had eight offensive rebounds, 21 assists, two blocks and nine turnovers. North Dakota State had three offensive rebounds, four assists, four blocks and 24 turnovers. Creighton scored 38 points in the paint and 20 points off turnovers. North Dakota State scored 32 points in the paint and 12 points off turnovers. Creighton scored 66 points from 74 possessions, an offensive rating of 89.0. North Dakota State scored 60 points from 71 possessions, an offensive rating of 84.3.

Simon finished with 10 points, eight rebounds and two assists in 28 minutes for North Dakota State. Zediker had 25 points, three rebounds, two assists and one block in 36 minutes for Creighton. Asp had 20 points, five rebounds, one assist and one block in 35 minutes. Holloway had eight points, 10 rebounds and one assist in 26 minutes. Frost had 15 points, three rebounds, two assists and one block in 39 minutes. Hawkinson had six points, eight rebounds and one assist in 34 minutes. Neleigh Gessert had eight points, one rebound and one assist in 24 minutes. Heathcock had eight points, four rebounds and two assists in 33 minutes. Schiller had nine points, one rebound and three assists in 36 minutes. McGee had six points, one rebound and one assist in 20 minutes.

Creighton next plays at South Dakota, then at Northern Iowa, against Omaha, against Nebraska, at Houston in Fort Myers, Fla., against Drake, at Kansas State in Saint Joseph, Mo., at Connecticut, at DePaul and against Butler. North Dakota State next plays at Butler, at Texas-Rio Grande Valley, at Texas-San Antonio, against Fairfield in St. Petersburg, Fla., at McNeese State in St. Petersburg, against Concordia-M’head, against Northern Iowa, at Kansas, at Missouri State and against Saint Louis in West Palm Beach, Fla.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected North Dakota State 73, Creighton 65. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Creighton with a 66.5 percent probability to win.