OMAHA, Neb. — Creighton scored the last 12 points to overcome a nine-point deficit and defeat the Northern Iowa women’s basketball team 57-54 on Sunday afternoon at Sokol Arena.

The visiting Panthers (5-3) led 54-45 after a Megan Maahs free throw with 3 minutes, 7 seconds left in the game, but UNI didn’t score again. Rachael Saunders made a 3-pointer just six seconds later to start the Creighton comeback, and the Bluejays eventually went ahead on a Saunders free throw with six seconds left in the game.

Northern Iowa shot 0-for-4 and made three turnovers during Creighton’s deciding run. Kam Finley fouled out for the Panthers, sending Saunders to the free-throw line with six seconds remaining. She made the second of two attempts to put the Bluejays in front.

UNI moved the ball down the court quickly and got a layup attempt that missed the mark, and Jaylin Agnew sealed the win for Creighton with a pair of free throws.

Karli Rucker’s 3-point heave at the buzzer was off target, too, leaving the Panthers with their third-straight loss.

Agnew led Creighton (7-2) with 16 points, Temi Carda had 14 points, and Saunders finished with a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Finley came off the bench to lead Northern Iowa with 16 points as the only double-digit scorer.

The Panthers go back to Omaha on Tuesday night to face the University of Nebraska Omaha in a 7 p.m. game.

Creighton 57, UNI 54

At Omaha, Neb.

N. IOWA (5-3) — Rucker 4-9 0-0 8, Kroeger 2-9 0-0 4, Gunnels 1-3 1-2 4, Simon-Ressler 3-4 0-0 6, Maahs 3-5 1-2 8, Morgan 0-1 0-0 0, Finley 4-7 5-6 16, Wolf 0-2 0-0 0, Cavey 1-3 2-4 4, Hillyard 0-1 2-2 2, Gerrits 1-1 0-0 2. TOTALS 19-45 11-16 54.

CREIGHTON (7-2) — Rembao 4-14 0-0 9, Carda 4-11 6-6 14, Agnew 6-14 3-4 16, Griglione 1-2 0-0 2, Saunders 5-9 2-4 14, Pryor 0-0 0-0 0, Bachelor 0-3 0-0 0, Dworak 0-0 0-0 0, Brotzki 0-2 0-0 0, Parham 0-3 2-2 2. TOTALS 20-58 13-16 57.

N. IOWA 11 17 18 8 — 54

CREIGHTON 14 18 7 18 — 57

3-Point Goals–UNI 5-16 (Finley 3-4, Maahs 1-2, Gunnels 1-3, Morgan 0-1, Wolf 0-1, Rucker 0-2, Kroeger 0-3), Creighton 4-18 (Saunders 2-5, Rembao 1-3, Agnew 1-5, Griglione 0-1, Carda 0-2, Bachelor 0-2). Rebounds–UNI 30 (three with 4), Creighton 36 (Saunders 11). Assists–UNI 11 (Kroeger 3), Creighton 7 (three with 2). Total Fouls–UNI 20, Creighton 19. Fouled Out–Finley. A–968.