PROVIDENCE, R.I. – In women's basketball action on Sunday afternoon, the Villanova Wildcats traveled to Providence where they tallied a convincing 85-55 road win over the Providence College Friars. With the victory, the Wildcats improve to 14-3 overall and 7-1 in BIG EAST play, while the Friars fall to 9-9 on the year and 2-5 in league action.

Villanova started fast racing to a 9-0 lead and forcing an early Providence timeout. The Wildcats connected on 9-of-16 from the field and 4-of-8 from three-point range in the opening quarter en route to a 24-14 lead after one quarter of play.

Turnovers hurt Providence in the opening quarter, as the Friars committed seven miscues that Villanova converted into 11 points.

The Wildcats started the second quarter on a 13-4 run to open-up a 37-18 advantage. Four different Villanova players scored in the spurt with junior forward Brynn McCurry and freshman guard MD Ntambue scoring four points each.

A three-ball by sophomore guard Jasmine Bascoe gave Villanova its biggest lead of the half at 45-23. Providence closed out the first half scoring when Sophi Hall connected on a turn around jumper just before the halftime buzzer. The Hall bucket sent the teams to intermission with Villanova leading 45-25.

Bascoe led the Wildcats in the first half with 13 points, while McCurry had 11 points.

Villanova scored nine of the first 13 points of the third quarter to take a 54-29 lead. Sophomore guard Dani Ceseretti started the run with a three-point field goal, before Kelsey Joens, Bascoe and McCurry all had a basket each.

The Wildcats used the early second half surge to lead 63-37 after three quarters of play.

Villanova would lead by as many as 33 in the fourth quarter to cruise to the victory.

In the win, McCurry led four Wildcats in double figures with a game-high 20 points. She was 9-of-11 from the field. Bascoe finished with 19 points and seven assists, while Ryanne Allen had 14 points. Joens chipped in with 11 points.

Providence was paced Payton Dunbar who had 13 points.

For the game, Villanova was 33-of-69 from the field (47.8%), 11-of-30 from three-point range (36.7%) and 8-of-11 from the foul line (72.7%), while Providence shot 36.4 percent from the floor (20-of-55), 40.0 percent form long distance (6-of-15) and 64.3 percent from the foul line (9-of-14). Villanova committed just eight turnovers.

Villanova returns to action on Thursday, Jan. 15, when the Wildcats travel to No. 1 Connecticut. Game time is set for 7 p.m.