Providence, R.I.- The Villanova Wildcats travel to Providence on Friday nigh to open BIG EAST play and fell to the host Friars by a score of 66-47. With the setback, Villanova falls to 3-4 overall and 0-1 in BIG EAST play, while Providence improves to 4-4 overall and 1-0 in league action.
Villanova created distance early with a 5-0 scoring run all from
Brianna Herlihy. Her three to open the run was the only long-distance connection the Wildcats saw in 11 attempts in an opening period.Â
Lucy Olsen connected on the final jumper of the opening 10 minutes, which Villanova went 6-of-16 from the field and holding a 13-8 lead.
Providence took its first lead of the game nearly three minutes into the second quarter, 17-16, on a Meghan Huerter three-pointer. Villanova was held without a basket for five minutes until Herlihy took a trip to the line at the 4:04 mark to put the lead back in favor of the Wildcats, 18-17. Villanova held Providence scoreless over the final 2:20 of the first half to trail 24-22 at the break.
Herlihy led all players in scoring through the first 20 minutes with 11 points, going 4-of-12 from the field with three boards. As a team, Villanova went 9-of-30 from the field in the opening half, 2-of-15 from beyond the arc and grabbed six steals. On the other end of the court, Providence was 9-of-21 with a 3-of-6 showing from three.
To open the third quarter Herlihy tied the game at 24, but an 8-1 Providence scoring run midway through the quarter gave them a 34-29 lead with just under 5 minutes to play.
Lior Garzon picked up a basket and drained the and-one opportunity to put Villanova within three late in the period. The Friars would score six more to close out the quarter to lead 41-32.
Villanova found some momentum early in the fourth with an 8-0 run.
Brooke Mullin and
Lucy Olsen sparked the run on back-to-back three-pointers with Olsen capping it on a jumper, cutting the Friars lead to 43-40.
Bella Runyan stopped a 7-0 Providence scoring run with a pair of free throws with under three minutes to play. Providence rattled off a 13-3 run to close out the contest and make the final 66-47.
Next the Wildcats will travel to Omaha, Nebraska to take on the Creighton Bluejays on Sunday, December 5
th. Tipoff is scheduled for 2:00 P.M. ET and can be seen on BEDN on FloSports.
Notes:
Brianna Herlihy had a season-high with 20 points…This was the 80
th all-time meeting between the Wildcats and Friars…Of all the opponents Villanova has faced Providence more than any other team
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