Seniors Chevelle Herring and Megan Neuvirth provided Creighton coach Jim Flanery with a couple of early indicators that his team will be ready to play in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament.

The Bluejays learned late Monday night that they would be facing Stephen F. Austin in a first-round WNIT game Friday at D.J. Sokol Arena. The news came just more than 24 hours after Creighton had suffered its third heartbreaking loss in four years in the championship game of the Missouri Valley tournament.

Sunday’s 54-53 defeat to Northern Iowa denied Creighton a trip to the NCAA tournament and added to the frustration caused by title game losses in overtime to Drake in 2007 and to Evansville in 2009 on a buzzer-beating shot.

As the Bluejays were preparing to leave the Family Arena in St. Charles, Mo., on Sunday, Flanery crossed paths with Herring.

“She looked at me and said, ‘Well, Coach, at least this means we get to play a little more,’’’ Flanery said. “She’s a kid that likes to play, and she likes to play for the right reasons.

“Ten minutes before I found out who were playing in the NIT, Megan is texting me. She was getting all nervous because we hadn’t heard anything. When two of your seniors are that excited about playing, I know we’re going to be all right.’’

The fact that Creighton also isn’t playing until Friday could be a positive, Flanery said.

“I think with each day that passes we’ll be a little more ready,’’ he said. “Not playing until Friday should give us time to get over any hangover we have from that last game.’’

The loss to UNI left Creighton with a 20-10 record and headed for the WNIT for the third straight season and the eighth time in school history. The Bluejays won the WNIT in 2004.

Creighton’s first-round opponent will bring an 18-10 record into the 7:05 p.m. game. Stephen F. Austin had won seven straight games before getting upset by Northwestern State 96-82 in the first round of the Southland Conference tournament.

The Ladyjacks went 13-3 in regular-season conference play to earn a share of the title. They are led by Whitney Cormier, who averages 14.8 points per game, and Tammara Marion, who averages 11.5.

The winner of the Creighton-Stephen F. Austin game will play the winner of the Kansas-Prairie View contest in the second round of the 64-team tournament. The WNIT field has been expanded from 48 teams last season.

The Jayhawks ended Creighton’s 2009 WNIT run with a 79-64 loss in the second round. Kansas also has posted regular-season wins over Creighton the past two seasons.

Contact the writer:

679-2298, steve.pivovar@owh.com

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