OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - Emily Cady scored 18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, Hailie Sample made 3 of 4 free throws in the final 14 seconds Thursday night and No. 12 Nebraska held on to defeat in-state rival Creighton 60-57.
The Huskers (8-1) dominated the first half, building a 33-17 lead, but had to hold on as Alexis Akin-Otiko rallied the Bluejays (4-5) by hitting all six of her 3-pointers and 20 of her career-high 23 points in the second half.
Rachel Theriot had 16 points and 9 assists for Nebraska, which out-rebounded Creighton 36-23, with Brandi Jeffery grabbing 12.
MC McGrory had a career-high 14 points for Creighton, but leading scorer Marissa Janning was held scoreless in the first half and finished with five points, 11 below her averaging, ending a streak of 17 double-figure games.
Akin-Otiko entered the season with two 3-pointers and had 10 for her career entering the game.
No 22 MISSISSIPPI STATE 81, LOUISIANA TECH 77
STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) - Kendra Grant's rebound and free throw with 1:05 left- her only point of the game - broke a tie, and Ketara Chapel's jumper moments later lifted Mississippi State past Louisiana Tech.
Chapel blocked Whitney Frazier's jumper with 51 seconds left and after Dominique Dillingham's steal - one of her five in the game - Martha Alwal fed Chapel for the jumper that made it 80-77 with 20 seconds left. Morgan William made 1 of 2 from the line with 1 second left for the final margin.
Louisiana Tech (3-4) led 40-33 at intermission and the second half was hotly contested throughout. The Lady Techsters were paced by Kelia Shelton's 31 points and Chrisstasia Walter added 10 points.
No. 22 Mississippi State (9-0) was led by Victoria Vivians' 20 points. Chapel finished with 13 points and Chinwe Okorie had 11 points and 14 boards.
No. 24 IOWA 76, IOWA STATE 67
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) - Ally Disterhoft scored 16 points to lead Iowa.
Whitney Jennings added 15 points and Kali Peschel 13 on a career-best three 3-pointers for the Hawkeyes (8-2).
Jadda Buckley scored 25 points for the Cyclones (5-2), who made only two field goals in the final 7½ minutes.
Iowa led for almost the entire game, but Iowa State stayed close until the final minute. Buckley's 3-pointer with 54 seconds left cut Iowa's lead to 71-67. However, the Hawkeyes made 5 of 7 free throws and forced three turnovers to close out the game.
The home team has won 13 of the last 14 meetings in the series.