Villanova (6-6) wrapped up its non-conference schedule with a hard-fought matchup against James Madison (8-3).
The 71-67 loss sends the Wildcats into a competitive slate of Big East play, starting next weekend.
Sophomore guard Maddie Webber and graduate guard Maddie Burke led Villanova’s offense. Webber scored 16 points on 6-of-15 shooting, while Burke contributed 15 points.
The Wildcats were missing starting junior guard Denae Carter. Head coach Denise Dillon said Carter’s status is “day-to-day” following an injury in last Wednesday’s Delaware game.
Villanova and JMU were evenly matched in the first quarter, as both teams shot 7 for 17 from the field.
The next ten minutes were just as close, as the first half ended with both teams shooting 16 for 33 from the field. Neither team could spark a sizable scoring run, as the lead never stretched to more than four points throughout the first twenty minutes.
Burke brought in Villanova’s opening eight points, sinking a pair of three-pointers along with a turnaround jumper assisted by freshman point guard Jasmine Bascoe.
Villanova’s three-point shooting made the difference to end the first half ahead, 40-36. The Wildcats landed five of 14 shots from outside the arc, while the Dukes only managed to go three for 10.
Bascoe put the momentum in Villanova’s favor as she was fouled during a layup with 0.3 seconds left and added another point from the free-throw line. This would send the Wildcats into the locker room up 40-36 at the half.
Junior guard and Vanderbilt transfer Ryanne Allen filled in Carter’s usual role as the leading rebounder. It was only Allen’s third appearance for the Wildcats after missing the first eight games due to a knee injury. She finished the game with eight rebounds and four points, scoring her first points for Villanova during the second quarter.
“We had to get [Allen] some practices,” Dillon said. “It certainly paid off, not with the result of the game, but with getting her more time. She was our leading rebounder, which was great. Just the will and the want for the basketball is key with this group and it was great to have her out there.”
Leading by a narrow margin throughout the third quarter, Villanova was ahead 58-51 going into the final ten minutes.
A 7-0 JMU scoring run over three minutes and 13 seconds, combined with eight Villanova turnovers in the fourth quarter alone, allowed the Dukes to threaten late in the game.
With three minutes and 21 seconds left, JMU tied the score at 63. Sophomore guard Zakiya Stephenson added on a basket for the Dukes to take a narrow lead, spurring Dillon to use a timeout.
Three personal fouls on Villanova in the last two minutes allowed JMU to tack on four more points from the foul line.
JMU senior guard Jamia Hazell put in a layup for the Dukes to lead 69-67 with 3.6 seconds left. The Wildcats failed to respond, committing a costly out-of-bounds turnover and foul in the final seconds.
The loss marked Villanova’s final non-conference game before starting Big East play.
Villanova will have one week to regroup before hosting St. John’s (9-1) on Saturday, Dec. 21 (2 p.m., FloSports).
“These practices will be ideal in getting them ready for Big East play,” Dillon said. “We have a lot to work on. From start to finish, this group shows up every day, it’s just finding that consistency and confidence in what they’re doing on both ends of the floor, and working it out together.”
