PROVIDENCE, R.I. – In women's basketball action on Sunday afternoon, the No. 25 Villanova Wildcats traveled to Providence, R.I., where they tallied a 79-54 win over the Providence College Friars. With the victory, the Wildcats improve to 7-2 overall and 1-1 in BIG EAST Conference play, while the Friars fall to 6-4 overall and 0-2 in league action.
Villanova connected on three consecutive three-point field goals to start the game to take an early 9-4 lead. Junior Maddie Burke had two of the threes and Maddy Siegrist had the other.
Villanova would make 10-of-16 from the field and 6-of-10 from three in the first quarter and lead 26-14 after one.
The Wildcats led 37-21 with 4:31 remaining in the opening half, when Villanova used an 11-6 spurt to take a 48-27 advantage into intermission.
Siegrist was dominant in the game's first 20 minutes with 20 first half points. Villanova shot 20-of-36 from the field in the first half for 55.5 percent, while Providence was 9-of-27 for 33.3 percent.
Villanova scored the first four points of the third quarter on lay-ups by freshman Megan Olbrys and Siegrist to open-up a 52-27 lead. After Providence ran off six straight points to cut the Wildcat lead to 54-39 with 2:13 to play in the third quarter, Villanova five of the last seven points of the quarter to lead 59-41 after three. The five points included a three by sophomore guard Lucy Olsen and a 15-foot jumper by Siegrist.
The Wildcats put the game away over the first 2:55 of the fourth quarter with a 7-2 run that extended the lead to 66-43. Villanova would lead by as many as 27 and Providence would not get within 20 the rest of way as the Wildcats cruised to the win.
Siegrist led the Wildcats in the victory with 29 points and nine rebounds. She was 12-of-18 from the field and 4-of-6 from three. Olsen had 14 points and six assists, while junior Bella Runyan added 10 points and five assists. Burke made three triples for nine points.
Providence was paced by Janai Crooms with 16 points and 10 rebounds. She was the lone Friar to reach double figures.
For the game, Villanova was 33-of-63 from the field (52.4%), 12 -of-28 from three (42.9%) and 1-of-3 from the foul line (33.3%), while Providence shot 39.2 percent from the floor (20-of-51), 30.0 percent from behind the arc (3-of-10) and 61.1 percent from the charity stripe (61.1%). Villanova committed just six turnovers.
Villanova returns to action on Tuesday, Dec. 6, when American visits the Finneran Pavilion. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
NOTES: Villanova improves to 5-0 on the road this season…Villanova leads the all-time series with Providence by a 54-28 margin…The Wildcats have won 16 of the last 19 over the Friars…Today was the 60th career 20-point game for Maddy Siegrist…Villanova has made at least one three in 590 straight games…The Villanova bench registered 25 points.
