Maddy Siegrist, who posted stories on the official NCAA Women’s Basketball Instagram account today, put up 24 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists, shooting 5-12 from 3-point range as Villanova defeated Butler 98-74. 

For the ‘Cats, the game was in control from practically the tip-off. With 8:58 remaining in the 1st quarter, they took a 4-3 lead on a Sarah Mortenson jumper, and did not relinquish that lead for the remainder of the game. Mortenson, the senior from Copenhagen, Denmark, put up 10 points in the first 4:33 of the game, and Siegrist had 14 of her 24 in the 1st quarter. After Butler jumped out to their only lead (3-0), Villanova went on a 24-4 run to go up 24-7 with 4:16 remaining in the 1st. At the end of the quarter, it was 32-19 Wildcats after they shot 7-13 from 3-point range, and Butler was hanging on by a thread, but the lead was only extended into the 2nd. 

In the 2nd quarter, Villanova outscored Butler 35-7, showcasing an equally strong offensive and defensive attack, going up 67-26 at the half.  The leading scorers in the quarter for ‘Nova were Siegrist with another 6 points, sophomore Brooke Mullin (6 points), and freshman Lior Garzon (8 points). The 3-pointers were still dropping, and the team actually shot 16-26 from three-point range over the first 20 minutes of the game. 

Butler outscored Villanova 48-31 in the 2nd half, but the game had already been won at that point. The fact that even after the 2nd half run from the Bulldogs did not deter the Wildcats. The star player, Siegrist, led the way with 24, but Mortenson and senior Forward Brianna Herlihy had 16 points each, and Garzon put up 17 off the bench. As a team, the ‘Cats shot 17-36 from 3-point range. This was the second meeting between the two teams. The first game was played on Jan. 31 and resulted in a 90-53 win for Villanova. Butler fell to 1-15 on the season. Villanova is now 12-3, and looking at a potential NCAA tournament berth if they continue to play well the rest of the season. Next up is an important contest against Marquette who is ranked 3rd in the Big East on Feb. 19.