On Thursday, March 20, Villanova women’s basketball returned to the Finneran Pavilion for one final time this season and defeated Boston College, 76-70, in the first round of the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament.
“It was exhilarating tonight,” freshman guard Jasmine Bascoe said. “We want to keep going as far as we can. I don’t want the season to be over yet. We just have to keep playing, keep pushing. It’s been a long season but now that we’re here, we may as well go all the way.”
Bascoe led the way for the Wildcats with 24 points in her seventh 20-point game of the season. Junior guard Ryanne Allen tied her season-high in scoring with 17 points.
“Emotions are high playing postseason and hosting the game here,” Villanova head coach Denise Dillon said. “Being new to this [current] team in particular, some of them didn’t have this opportunity in the past. I wasn’t happy with how we came out so I used that time out early, made some substitutions, and they came in and that was a great spark.”
Despite Boston College only competing with seven players, things started slow for Villanova. The Wildcats quickly were behind, 15-4, within the first five minutes of the game.
“We knew we were a little bit faster and could take them off the dribble,” Boston College head coach Joanna Lynn Bernabei-McNamee said. “One of our strengths is taking it to the basket. I thought [Villanova] was very physical on our drives and some things were missed when we were going in there and trying to finish.”
Bascoe kept the Wildcats alive with her ball handling skills for most of the first quarter. The spark for the Wildcats came from Allen who ended Villanova’s scoring drought with back-to-back threes.
“When I get in the game, I just want to do whatever I can to help my team win,” Allen said. “Whether that’s hit the shots when I need to, make the extra pass, get a rebound. I want to do whatever I can to help out the team and come out with the win.”
On the other end of the floor, Villanova was able to effectively stop shots in the paint as graduate guard Bronagh Power-Cassidy and graduate forward Lara Edmanson stepped up on the boards, out rebounding the Eagles 19-10 in the first half.
These efforts gave the Wildcats the lead for most of the half, however, Boston College was able to claw its way back, and tied the game at 38 going into half time.
At the end of the first half, Villanova shot 45.5% on field goals compared to Boston College’s 42.4%. From beyond the arc, the Wildcats went 4-12 while the Eagles shot 1-2.
The start of the second half was identical to the first. Villanova committed seven turnovers. Bascoe got the Wildcats out of the hole on offense with a three-pointer with three minutes left in the third quarter.
Bascoe’s three ignited a 22-8 Villanova run over the third and fourth quarters to close out the game.
Both teams finished with similar stats in field goal percentage, with Villanova shooting 43.3% and Boston College at 40.0%. They also matched in turnovers with 15 each and were close in rebounds, with Villanova grabbing 41 and the Eagles securing 39. However, the Wildcats had the advantage in three-point shooting, making 7-27 attempts compared to the Eagles’ 4-10.
Villanova will travel up the road to the Hagan Arena on Sunday, March 23, to face St. Joseph’s in the second round of the WBIT (2 p.m., ESPN+). It is the second time this season the teams will face off.
“It certainly makes for great, competitive basketball,” Dillon said. “I know both teams are going to be prepared. We know each other’s personnel, and you just have to come out and give everything you have on both ends of the floor.”
