VILLANOVA, PA.  -– On Wednesday night at the Finneran Pavilion, the visiting Princeton Tigers tallied a 73-68 win over the Villanova Wildcats. With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 2-2 on the year, while Princeton improves to 2-0.

Princeton led 13-12 with 4:21 to play in the opening quarter, when the Wildcats scored the last seven points of the period to lead 19-13 after one. The seven Villanova points included a three by freshman Brooke Bender and lay-ups by Dani Ceseretti and Kylee Watson.

After a Watson lay-up gave Villanova its largest lead of the half at 31-20, Princeton ran off seven straight points to cut the Wildcat advantage to 31-27 with 2:06 remaining in the opening half.
Villanova regained momentum and scored six of the last eight points of the half to take a 37-29 lead into intermission. The six points came on a 10-foot jumper by Kelsey Joens and lay-ups from Brynn McCurry and Denae Carter.

Shooting was the difference in the first half, with Villanova shooting 51.7 percent from the field (15-of-29) and Princeton at 38.5 percent (10-of-26).

Villanova started the second half on a 10-4 spurt to take a 47-33 lead. Of the 10 points, eight came on baskets in the paint, including two-lay-ups by Carter. Princeton answered Villanova with a 7-2 run of its own to slice the lead to 49-40. Fadima Tall was the catalyst for the Tigers, scoring five of the seven points.

Trailing 57-46 late in the third quarter, the Tigers scored the final four points of the period to make it a 57-50 game after three.

Princeton used an 8-1 run over a three-minute span to tie the game at 63-63 with 5:08 to play. Following two free throws by Carter that gave Villanova a 65-63 lead, the Tigers answered on their next possession when

Fadima Tall connected on an offensive rebound putback. Princeton then got a defensive stop and took the lead at 67-65 when Skye Belker made a pull-up jump shot in the lane.

On Villanova's next possession, the Wildcats evened the game at 67-67 at the 2:48 mark on two free throws by Jasmine Bascoe. Bascoe would go one-of-two from the line with 1:16 to play and the Wildcats led 68-67.
Princeton took the lead for good on its next possession, when Belker drained a deep three to put the Tigers up 70-68 with 57 seconds to play.

Villanova had two shots over the next 30 seconds to tie the game, but both were off target. The Tigers put the game away by going three-of-four from the foul line.

Bascoe led the Wildcats in the loss with 16 points, while freshman Kennedy Henry had 13 points and Carter finished with 12 points.

Princeton was paced by Tall who had a game-high 21 points to go with nine rebounds. Madison St. Rose finished with 17 points and Belker had 13 points.

For the game, Villanova was 24-of-55 from the field (43.6%), 5-of-21 from three-point range (23.8%) and 15-of-19 from the foul line (78.9%), while the Tigers shot 41.4 percent from the floor (24-of-58), 26.3 percent from

long distance (5-of-19) and 83.3 percent from the charity stripe (83.3%). 

The Wildcats hit the road on Sunday and will travel to Harrisonburg, Va,, to take on the James Madison Dukes. Game time is set for 2 p.m.