ORLANDO, FLA. – In the first round of the UCF Thanksgiving Classic on Saturday afternoon, the Villanova Wildcats lost a hard fought 61-59 decision to the Virginia Tech Hokies. With the loss, Villanova falls to 3-1 on the year, while the Hokies improve to 6-0 on the season.
 
Villanova led 59-58 with 28 seconds to play, when Wildcat senior guard Adrianna Hahn misfired on a three and the Hokies had possession. Virginia Tech guard Taylor Emery drove to the basket and missed a runner in the lane, but Hokie forward Trinity Baptiste grabbed the offensive rebound and scored on the put back and was fouled. Baptiste's free throw gave Virginia Tech a 61-59 advantage with 2.8 seconds to play.
 
After Villanova advanced the ball to the front court, the Hokies took two fouls and drained the clock to 1.8 seconds to go. The Wildcats then in bounded the ball to Mary Gedaka whose desperation shot was off target.
 
Villanova went to halftime with a 30-23 lead and started the third quarter on a 6-0 run to open up a 36-23 lead. The six Wildcat points included two lay-ups by junior guard Kelly Jekot and a lay-up by Gedaka.
 
The Wildcats held the same 13 point advantage with 2:57 to play in the third quarter, when the Hokies scored six of the last eight points of the quarter to cut the Villanova lead to 46-37 at the end of three.
 
Emery connected on three to tie the game at 54-54 with 3:32 to play, before Hahn answered on Villanova's next possession to give the Wildcats a 57-54 advantage at the 2:59 mark. After Emery made two foul shots to make it a 57-56 game, Gedaka scored on a lay-up to make it a 59-56 with 2:07 to play.
 
Virginia Tech made it a one point game again with 1:39 remaining when Rachel Camp made two foul shots. The Wildcats had two chances to increase the lead, but Jekot missed a lay-up with 1:11 to go and Hahn missed the three with 28 seconds remaining.
 
Jekot led the Wildcats in the loss with 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting, including a 3-of-5 effort from three-point range. Gedaka had 11 points and nine rebounds, while Tucker added 10 points and five assists.
 
Virginia Tech was paced by Emery who had 22 points, while Regan Magarity had a double-double with 18 points and 16 rebounds.
 
For the game, Villanova shot 46.0 percent from the field (23-of-50), 39.1 percent from three-point range (9-of-23) and 80.0 percent from the foul line (4-of-5), while the Hokies were 19-of-58 from the floor (32.8%), 6-of-16 from behind the arc (37.5%) and 17-of-22 from the charity stripe (77.3%). Virginia Tech dominated the glass by a 43-23 margin. Villanova was charged with just eight turnovers.
 
Villanova returns to action on Sunday, Nov. 25, when the Wildcats take on the host UCF Knights. Game time is set for 1:30 p.m.
 
 
NOTES: Kelly Jekot has scored in double figures in all four games, including two games of 20 points or more…Villanova is 90-43 all-time when playing in in-season tournaments…The Wildcats have committed 17 turnovers in the last two games combined…Mary Gedaka is 25-of-35 from the field on the year for .714…Virginia Tech leads the all-time series with Villanova by a 5-3 count.