Feb. 7, 2001
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Villanova University (15-6 Overall, 6-4 Big East)
vs.
Georgetown University (13-8 Overall, 5-5 Big East)
February 7, 2001 * 8:00 P.M.
McDonough Arena
Washington, D.C.
Series History:
Overall Series Record: VU Leads 25-13
Last VU Win: 1/10/01, 61-51
Last GU Win: 2/5/00, 63-50
Streak: VU won last meeting
Game Notes:
ROUND TWO: Wednesday's game between Villanova and Georgetown will be the second meeting between the teams this year. On Jan. 10 at The Pavilion, Villanova defeated the Hoyas by a score of 61-51. The Wildcats led 24-18 at halftime and outscored Georgetown, 37-33, in the second stanza. Leading the way for Villanova was sophomore Trish Juhline who scored a game-high 21 points on 8-of-15 shooting including a 4-of-9 effort from three-point range. Juhline also recorded four assists, four steals and threee rebounds. Senior center Brandi Barnes scored 15 points on 7-of-11 shooing, while freshman Courtney Mix had a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Georgetown was paced by Katie Smrxka-Duffy who netted 16 points, while Zsuzsanna Horvath had 15 points and eight rebounds off the bench.
WILDCATS FALL FROM POLL: For the first time in three weeks, the Wildcats have fallen out of the Top 25. On Monday, Jan. 22, Villanova earned its first national ranking since the 1986-87 season by being ranked No. 24 in the Associated Press poll. In the AP poll released a week later, the `Cats were again at No. 24. In the AP poll released on Monday, Feb. 5, Villanova was second in others receiving votes with 63 points. Clemson is No. 25 this week with 90 points, while Maryland is the top team receiving votes with 80 points.
COLD SHOOTING: Villanova had one of its poorest offensive performances of the season last Sunday in a 75-39 loss at then No. 2 Connecticut. In the loss, the Wildcats shot just 15-of-57 from the field for 26.3 percent and 5-of-31 from three-point range for 16.1 percent. This was just the second time this season that Villanova shot below 30 percent for the game. The other time came at Notre Dame on Dec. 6 when the `Cats were 13-of-64 from the field for 20.3 percent.
NOTHING FREE: Connecticut did a good job of keeping the Wildcats off the foul line in the Huskies 75-39 win last Sunday. For the game, the Wildcats made a season-low four free throws in a season-low five attempts. In fact, all five Villanova free throws were attempted by freshman forward Courtney Mix. For the season, the Wildcats are averaging 16.6 free throw attempts and 12.4 made free throws per contest.
COURTNEY CONTRIBUTES: Freshman forward Courtney Mix continued to play well for the Wildcats in the team's 75-39 loss at Connecticut. In the losing effort, Mix was the only Wildcat to score double figures with 13 points on 4-of-8 shooting (1-of-1 from three-point range/4-of-5 from foul line). In addition, Mix tallied a team-high seven rebounds and two assists in 35 minutes of action. Her 13 point effort marks the sixth time this season that she has reached double figures in points. For the year, Mix is averaging 7.2 ppg., a team-best 6.3 rpg., a team-high 1.6 spg., and 2.2 apg., in 25.6 minutes per contest.
POINTS IN THE PAINT: Villanova is being led in scoring by senior center Brandi Barnes who has scored a team-best 288 points this season for an average of 13.7 ppg. Besides leading the team in scoring, Barnes also leads the Wildcats in field goal percentage (118-of-234 for 50.4 percent) and in blocked shots with 26. S\he is also averaging 6.0 rebounds per contest which is second on the team. For the year, Barnes has tallied five games of 20 or more points. In the latest Big East statistics, she is sixth in field goal percentage, 12th in scoring and 18th in rebounding.
WILDCATS CLINCH WINNING SEASON: With the 63-52 win over St. John's on Wednesday, Jan. 31, Villanova guranteeed itself of a winning season in 2000-2001. This marks the 15th winning season in head coach Harry Perretta's 23-year Villanova career. Of those 15 winning seasons, nine have resulted in 20 wins or more. During his Wildcat career, Perretta has tallied 15 winning seasons, three years of .500 ball and just five losing seasons. His 23-year record currently stands at 410-242 (.629).
TEAM BASKETBALL: As is the case with all Harry Perretta coached teams, this year's Wildcat squad does a good job of playing team basketball. In the team's last outing versus Connecticut, the Wildcats had an assist on 12 of their 15 field goals. For the season, Villanova has had an assist on 374 of its 478 field goals for 78.2 percent.
DIAL LONG DISTANCE : Villanova continues to use the three-point shot to its advantage. After 21 games, the Wildcats are 155-of-461 (33.6 percent) from three-point land, while their opponents are just 49-of-203 for 24.1 percent. When you look at it in points, Villanova has outscored its opposition by 318 points at 465-147 from behind the arc. The Wildcats are currently averaging 21.9 three-point field goal attempts, while they are making an average of 7.3 triples per contest which ranks sixth in the latest NCAA statistics. There have been seven games this year where Villanova has made 10 or more three-point field goals in a game
105 STRAIGHT: Entering the Georgetown game on Wednesday, Feb. 7, Villanova has made at least one three-point field goal in 105-straight games. The last time the `Cats failed to connect on a triple in a game came at Boston College on Jan 25, 1997. Twice during this 105 game span, Villanova has tied the NCAA record for three-point field goals made in a game with 18 (vs. Penn 12/20/97 and earlier this year versus WVU on 1/3/00).
LINE-UP STABILITY: Villanova has used the same starting line-up in 18 of its 21 games this season. The starting five of Mimi Riley (point guard), Trish Juhline (shooting guard), Brandi Barnes (center), Katie Davis (small forward) and Nicole Druckenmiller (power forward) has been used in every contest except Penn State, Fairfield and Notre Dame. Junior Stephanie Baker started for Barnes versus Penn State and she started for Druckenmiller at Notre Dame. Against Fairfield, head coach Harry Perretta started Kelly Nash who is a Fairfield, Conn. native in place of Katie Davis.
BLOODLINES: Sophomore forward Nicole Druckenmiller and freshman forward Courtney Mix both have members of their immediate families with professional athlete status. Druckenmiller's brother, Jim, was a star quarterback at Virginia Tech and played in the NFL with both the San Francisco 49ers and Miami Dolphins. He is currently a member of the Memphis Maniax of the XFL. Mix's father, Steve, played in the NBA for the Pistons (1969-72), 76ers (1973-82), Bucks (1982), and Lakers (1982-83). He is currently a television broadcaster for the 76ers.
BIG WINS: By defeating No. 10 Rutgers on Saturday, Jan. 20, Villanova has now tallied three wins over ranked opponents in the last two seasons. Last season, Villanova won at No. 9 Rutgers, 66-65, in overtime and they defeated No. 19 Boston College, 60-59, in a game played at Villanova.
2000-2001 DOUBLE-DOUBLES: Brandi Barnes vs. Pennsylvania (12/12) 20 points 11 rebounds Brandi Barnes vs. Bucknell (12/29) 20 points 11 rebounds Courtney Mix vs. Georgetown(1/10) 11 points 11 rebounds Brandi Barnes vs. Virginia Tech (1/23) 16 points 10 rebounds
