CINCINNATI – Villanova used a second-half surge to take down Xavier 57-42 on Sunday afternoon at the Cintas Center.

Jasmine Bascoe and Lara Edmanson led Villanova (14-11, 8-5 BIG EAST) with 15 points each in the victory. Edmanson's showing was a season-high as the graduate moved over the 1000 career points threshold with a layup late in the third. She would go on to finish the day with 1,007 career points. Maddie Webber joined the pair in double-digit scoring, adding 13 points.

The 'Cats had a slim three-point lead through the first half but outscored Xavier (6-19, 1-13 BIG EAST) 37-25 in the second half to notch the win.

Both sides fell into a lengthy scoring drought halfway through the opening stanza with Xavier ending its scoreless stretch on a Tae'lor Purvis fastbreak jumper. Villanova's four-minute stretch without a bucket ended with a Maddie Webber jumper with just over three minutes to play in the frame. Jaliyah Green followed that with a layup in the paint to give the 'Cats their first lead of the day, but Xavier closed the stanza with Purvis free throws to make it an 8-7 Musketeer lead after the first.

Villanova regained momentum in the second thanks to a pair of runs. Webber had a driving layup that was followed by a Bascoe jumper for an 11-10 advantage with 8:42 to play in the quarter. After Daniela Lopez connected on a three-pointer, Villanova answered with a Bascoe steal that led to a Webber fastbreak layup. Over a minute later, Edmanson hit a three-pointer to give the 'Cats a 5-0 run for a 16-13 lead with 5:48 to go in the half. Xavier got back within one on a Purvis fastbreak layup, but Carter netted the final bucket of the half on an inside jumper, putting Nova up 20-17 at the break.

Webber led all scorer with eight points in the opening half on 4-of-8 shooting. Carter was strong on the board with six rebounds in that span, also a game-high for both sides at that point. Xavier had the shooting advantage by the break, shooting 35% from the field compared to a 29% showing from the 'Cats.

Bascoe and Edmanson came up being in the third for the Wildcats, netting 15 of the team's 18 points scored in the quarter. Six of the first eight points in the frame came from Bascoe, helping the team start the half on an 8-4 run. Edmanson's crossed into 1000-point territory at the 2:29 mark of the third. Bascoe dished her a look inside that she sent in off the glass, picking up the foul along the way that she would also convert at the line after. Xavier's Meri Kanerva hit back-to-back threes down the stretch to get the Musketeers within five, but Bascoe hit a jumper near the line to put the 'Cats ahead 38-31 heading into the fourth.

Villanova created more distance in the fourth with a 9-0 run through the first five minutes of the frame, 11-0 spanning the third and fourth quarters. It took Xavier until the 5:15 mark of the frame to score with Karerva hitting a layup. Edmanson had a five-point run of her own that was split up by long-distance connections from Purvis and Kanerva. Bascoe and Dani Ceseretti put the game away for good with a three and a pair of free throws that Xavier answered with three free throws in the final minute.

Purvis and Kanerva paced Xavier with 15 points each.

Villanova is back at home on Wednesday hosting Georgetown. Tip-off inside the Finneran Pavilion is set for 7 p.m.