It will be a match-up of two Top 25 teams when the No. 25 Villanova Wildcats play host to the No. 13 Creighton Bluejays in Villanova's home opener on Friday, Dec. 2. Tip-off at the Finneran Pavilion is set for 7 p.m. Villanova enters play with a 6-1 overall record, while Creighton is 6-0 on the season.
 
This will be the fifth Top 25 women's basketball matchup in Finneran Pavilion history and the first since March 1, 2003. Villanova is 2-2 in the previous four nationally ranked match-ups.
 
After playing the first seven games away from home, Villanova will finally open the home portion of its schedule on Friday night. The Wildcats finished the seven-game stretch with a 4-0 road record and a 2-1 mark in neutral site games. Dating back to last year, Villanova was won 11 straight games at the Finneran Pavilion.
 
Friday's game against Creighton will be the 19th all-time meeting between the Wildcats and Bluejays. Creighton holds a 10-8 advantage in the series. The series has been very even over the last four years with Villanova holding a slim 5-4 advantage during that time period. The teams split the season series last year with each team winning on its home court.
 
For the first time since Jan. 1, 2018, the Villanova Wildcats are ranked in the Associated Press poll. This is the third straight week that the Wildcats are in the Top 25. After checking in at No. 24 on Nov. 14, Villanova was tied for No. 23 in the Nov. 21 poll and are 25^th this week. Villanova is the second team receiving votes in the Coaches Poll. 
 
Star forward Maddy Siegrist became just the third player in program history to score 2,000 career points when she accomplished the feat in Sunday's win over South Florida. The 2,000th point came on a short jump shot at the 3:46 mark of the third quarter. As a sophomore in 2020-21, she became just the third player in Villanova women's basketball history to score 1,000 points in two seasons, becoming the fastest to reach the milestone (50 games) in program history. Shelly Pennefather (1983-87) scored 1,000 points in 52 career games, while Laura Kurz (2007- 09) did it in 60 career contests.
 
Sophomore guard Lucy Olsen turned in a strong effort in the three games last weekend in the Gulf Coast Showcase. In the three contests she tallied 51 points (17.0 ppg.) and shot .526 from the field (20-of-38) and .555 from three-point range (5-of-9). She also added 11 rebounds and 10 assists. For the year, she ranks second on the team in scoring at 13.1 points per game and she leads the team in assists with 28.
 
The Wildcats will return to action on Sunday, Dec. 4 with a road game at Providence. Game time at Alumni Hall is set for 1 p.m.

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