CHARLOTTE, N.C. – In the first round of the WNIT on Friday evening at the Bojangles Colisuem, the Villanova Wildcats shot a sizzling 54.2 percent from three-point range en route to a convincing 78-51 win over the UMass Minutewomen. The Wildcats improve to 16-6 overall, while UMass falls to 15-7.
 
With the win, Villanova advances to the second round on Saturday night where they will take on the Florida Gators. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m.
 
Villanova came out clicking on all cylinders from the start, as the Wildcats shot 56.3 percent from the field (9-of-16) and 71.4 percent from three-point range (5-of-7) in the game's opening 10 minutes. With the score tied at 8-8, Villanova scored 14 straight points to take a 22-8 lead. The Wildcats hit three straight threes in the run with Maddy Siegrist, Kenzie Gardler and Lior Garzon each connecting on a triple. Villanova would use the hot shooting to propel them to a 25-12 lead after one.
 
Leading 31-16 midway through the second quarter, Villanova scored six of the game's next seven points to open-up a 20-point advantage at 37-17. Siegrist tallied four of the six points on two lay-ups, while freshman Bella Runyan added two free throws.  
 
Siegrist was sensational in the first half scoring 20 points to help the Wildcats to a 39-21 halftime advantage. Villanova was 13-of-27 from the field in the opening half and 7-of-12 from long distance.
 
The Wildcats went on a decisive 9-0 run in the third quarter to take a commanding 53-27 lead at the 4:41 mark. Senior Sarah Mortensen drained a three in the spurt, while Siegrist had four points on a driving lay-up and turn around jumper in the lane.
 
After taking a 61-32 lead at the end of three quarters of play, Villanova would lead by as many as 32 and UMass would not get within 24 in the fourth quarter.
 
In the victory, Siegrist led the Wildcats with 32 points on 13-of-18 shooting, including a 5-of-6 effort from three-point range. Garzon was the second Wildcat in double figures with 13 points. Sophomore Brooke Mullin chipped in with a career-high tying nine points and a career-best five assists, while freshman Taliyah Medina added eight points off the bench.
 
Sam Breen led the Minutewomen with 14 points and Destiney Philoxy added 10 points.
 
For the game, Villanova shot 50.9 percent from the field (28-of-55), 54.2 percent from three-point range (13-of-24) and 75.0 percent from the foul line (9-of-12), while UMass was 18-of-67 from the floor (26.9%), 0-for-11 from long distance and 15-of-23 from the charity stripe (65.2%). The Wildcats owned a 43-37 advantage on the backboards.
 
NOTES: Villanova improves to 17-11 all-time in the WNIT…The Wildcats are now 34-27 all-time in postseason play…Tonight was the sixth 30-point game of the season and seventh of her career for Maddy Siegrist…Villanova now leads the all-time series over UMass by a 4-2 count…Maddy Siegrist moved up five spots and into 20^th place on Villanova's all-time scoring list with 1,090 career points.