Jan. 6, 2002

Box Score

VILLANOVA, PA. - On Sunday, Jan 6., in Big East Conference women's basketball action at Alumni Hall in Jamaica, N.Y., the Villanova Wildcats used a 17-1 run to begin the half to pull away for a 61-45 victory over St. John's. The `Cats have now won four out of their last five games and stand at 8-4 overall on the season and 2-0 in Big East play. The Red Storm falls to 3-11 overall and 0-3 in conference action with the loss.

St. Johns came out of the gate racing to a 13-4 lead seven minutes into the first half. The nine-point advantage was the Red Storm's biggest of the contest. Villanova battled back to tie the game at 18-18 with 5:51 remaining in the first half, but St. John's would outscore the Wildcats 9-6 through the remainder of the first half to take a 27-24 lead at intermission.

Villanova began the second half scorching, going on a 17-1 run to break open the game and take a 41-28 lead at the 13:21 mark. In the run, junior forward Nicole Druckenmiller scored seven points for the Wildcats. Villanova would lead by as many as 19 points in the second half, as it cruised to a 61-45 win.

For the second straight game, sophomore forward Courtney Mix led the `Cats in scoring. Mix posted 15 points to go along with nine rebounds, four assists, one block and one steal. Also scoring in double figures for Villanova were senior guard Mimi Riley and Druckenmiller. Riley registered 13 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals, while Druckenmiller had 10 points (on four-of-eight shooting), eight rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Winding down the scoring for the Wildcats was junior guard Katie Davis with eight points, senior center Stephanie Baker with four points and seven rebounds, guards Kelly Nash and Brandi Harris with three points, centers Jeanine Johnson and Jana Rediger with two points apiece, and guard Sarita Hatcher with one point.

Villanova shot 21-of-54 from the field for the game for 38.9 percent, and eight-of-27 from three-point range for 29.6 percent. The Wildcats out-rebounded the Red Storm 34-32.

In the loss, Rasheedah Brown scored 13 points to lead St. John's. The Red Storm shot 17-of-44 (38.6 percent) from the field for the game, but were held to six-of-21 shooting in the second half.

Villanova will get back into action on Wednesday, Jan. 9, traveling to Providence, R.I., to take on the Providence College Friars at 7:00 p.m.