VILLANOVA, PA. – In women's basketball action on Saturday afternoon, the Villanova Wildcats lost to the visiting Temple Owls by a score of 68-62. With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 2-3 overall and 2-1 in Philadelphia Big 5 play, while Temple improves to 3-3 overall and 1-0 in City Series action.
Villanova scored the first six points of the fourth quarter to break a 48-48 and take a 54-48 lead. Sophomore Bella Runyan led the surge with back-to-back driving left-handed lay-ups. After neither team was able to score for the next 1:41, Temple scored its first points of the final stanza when Jasha Clinton drained a three from the left wing to make it a 54-51 game.
Two free throws by Wildcat sophomore Lior Garzon increased the Villanova advantage to 58-55 with 4:26 remaining. On Temple's next trip down then court, Aniya Gourdine was fouled on a drive to the basket. Gourdine made the first and missed the second. On the miss, Temple's Alexa Williamson grabbed the offensive rebound and was fouled. Williamson then converted both foul shots and to even the game at 58-58 with 4:12 to play.
Following a short jumper by Gourdine that gave Temple a 60-58 lead, the Wildcats tied the game at 60-60 at the 1:39 mark on a jumper by Anahi-Lee Cauley. On the game's next possession, the Owls took the lead for good when Gourdine connected on a 10-foot jumper to put her team up 62-60 with 1:24 on the clock.
Villanova had two turnovers and a missed shot over the next 1:03 and Temple would go six-for-six from the line over the final 21 seconds to seal the win.
In the loss, Garzon led the Wildcats with a game-high 22 points, while Brianna Herlihy had 14 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals. Runyan was the third Villanova player in double figures with 13 points.
Temple was paced by Gourdine who had 17 points and Williamson who registered 16 points.
For the game, Villanova was 25-of-58 from the field (43.1%), 5-of-20 from three-point range (25.0%) and 7-of-7 from the foul line, while the Owls shot 43.9 percent from the floor (25-of-57), 35.3 percent from long distance (6-of-17) and 85.7 percent from the charity stripe (12-of-14). Villanova out-rebounded Temple by a 35-30 margin.
The Wildcats return to action on Wednesday, Dec. 1, when the Lehigh Mountain Hawks visit the Finneran Pavilion. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
NOTES: Villanova falls to 124-41 all-time versus Big 5 competition…Today was the third straight 20-point game for Lior Garzon…The Wildcats are 0-2 at home this year…Villanova had an assist on 21 of its 25 field goals…Villanova now leads the all-time series with Temple by a 32-16 count.
