VILLANOVA, PA. – The Villanova women's basketball team tallied a thrilling 56-52 home win over the No. 23 ranked Oregon State Beavers on Sunday afternoon at the Finneran Pavilion. With the victory, Villanova improves to 5-5 overall, while Oregon State is now 5-3.
A conventional three-point play by junior Maddy Siegrist gave Villanova a 53-47 lead with 5:26 remaining in regulation. The Siegrist bucket would be Villanova's last field goal of the game and the Wildcats would go scoreless for the next 5:04, as Oregon State tallied the game's next five points to make it a 53-52 game with 1:29 remaining. The five Beaver points included a lay-up by Jelena Mitrovic and a three-ball by Ellie Mack.
After each team failed to score on its next possession, Villanova had the ball clinging to the one- point lead with 49 seconds left on the clock. The Wildcats ran a deliberate possession and got the ball to forward Brianna Herlihy on a drive to the basket where she was fouled in the act of shooting. Herlihy calmly sank both free throws and Villanova held a 55-52 advantage with 22 seconds to play.
Oregon State had one final chance to tie the game, but Mack's three was off target with 4.9 seconds to go. The Wildcats sealed the win when Siegrist made one of two from the line to give the Wildcats a two-possession lead.
In the victory, Siegrst scored a game-high 28 points to go with nine rebounds, two assists and a steal. Sophomore Lior Garzon had 11 points, while Herlihy registered a double-double with 10 points and a career-high 14 rebounds.
Oregon State was paced by Mitrovic with 14 points and 13 rebounds and Mack who netted 11 points. Taya Corosdale was the third Beaver in double figures with 10 points and 11 caroms.
For the game, Villanova was 18-of-62 from the field (29.0%), 8-of-32 from three-point range (25.0%) and 12-of-13 from the foul line (92.3%), while Oregon State shot 33.3 percent from the floor (20-of-60), 25.0 percent from long distance (5-of-20) and 87.5 percent from the charity stripe (7-of-8). The Beavers owned a 50-32 advantage on the backboards. Villanova committed just three turnovers in the win.
Villanova will be off until Tuesday, Dec. 21, when the Wildcats travel to La Salle for a 1 p.m., game.
NOTES: Today was the first-ever meeting between the two teams…Brianna Herlihy now has five career double-doubles to her credit…The Wildcats are now 2-2 at home this year…Maddy Siegrist went over the 1,200 career point mark and now has 1,214 points…Villanova outscored Oregon State, 17-0, in points off turnovers…There were 11 lead changes and five ties in the game…Villanova's last win over a ranked opponent before today was a 76-58 win over No. 12 DePaul on Feb. 23, 2020.
FIRST QUARTER:
** Villanova was 4-17 from the field and 2-of-9 from three
** Oregon State made 4-of-16 from the floor and 2-of-8 from long distance
** The Beavers owned a 15-8 advantage on the backboards with Taya Corosdale grabbing five of the 15 caroms
SECOND QUARTER:
** Maddy Siegrist had 10 second quarter points
** The Wildcats did not commit a first half turnover
** Allie Mack led Oregon State with eight points
** The Beavers shot 50.0 percent from the floor (6-of-12), while Villanova shot 28.5 percent (4-of-14)
THIRD QUARTER:
** Villanova had the largest lead of the game at 48-37 with 2:11 to play in the quarter
** The Wildcats out scored Oregon State, 21-14, in the quarter
** Maddy Siegrist had 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting
** Brianna Herlihy tallied five points and six rebounds.
