CHICAGO – The Villanova Wildcats returned from the holiday break in fine fashion on Monday night with a convincing 81-48 road win over the DePaul Blue Demons. With the victory, Villanova improves to 11-2 overall and 4-0 in BIG EAST play, while DePaul falls to 3-12 on the year and 0-4 in league play.
Villanova started fast racing to a 13-0 lead with sophomore guard
Jasmine Bascoe leading the way with six of the 13 points. DePaul missed its first six shots and didn't score until Gina Davorija made two free throws with 5:55 on the clock.
The Wildcats would connect on 8-of-16 from the field in the opening quarter, while DePaul was just 1-of-16 and Villanova would lead 20-7 after the game's first 10 minutes.
After DePaul's Kate Novik scored on a 10-foot jump shot that sliced the Villanova lead to 28-13, the Wildcats scored eight straight points to open-up a 36-13 advantage. The eight points included two baskets by freshman
Kennedy Henry, a long jumper by
Ryanne Allen and a lay-up by
Kylee Watson.
The Wildcats used the spurt to lead 42-19 at halftime. Shooting was the difference in the opening half, as Villanova was 16-of-28 from the floor, while the Blue Demons connected on just 6-of-30 from the field.
Villanova started the third quarter on a 16-4 spurt to take a commanding 58-23 advantage. The Wildcats connected on three triples in the run with Henry, Allen and
Kelsey Joens making one each.
Following the third quarter run, DePaul would not get within 29 the rest of the way.
Junior forward
Brynn McCurry led Villanova in the win with a game-high 18 points and seven rebounds. She was 6-of-9 from the field and 6-of-6 from the foul line. Joens finished with 14 points, while Henry had 11 points and six rebounds. Allen was the fourth Wildcat in double figures with 10 points.
DePaul was paced by Novik with 14 points, while Davorija who had 10 points.
For the game, Villanova was 30-of-60 from the field (50.0%), 7-of-23 from three-point range (30.4%) and 14-of-18 from the foul line (77.8%), while DePaul shot 16-of-60 from the floor (26.7%), 0-for-16 from long distance and 16-of-21 from the charity stripe (76.2%).
Villanova returns to action on Thursday, January 1, when the Creighton Bluejays visit the Finneran Pavilion. Game time is set for noon.
