Graduate guard Maddie Burke kept Villanova’s season alive on Sunday night, hitting the game-winning three to secure a 62-60 victory over Saint Joseph’s University.
With the win, the Wildcats advance to the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT) quarterfinal. On Thursday, March 27, the No. 4 seeded Villanova will host the University of Portland (7 p.m., ESPN+).
It was Villanova’s second win over the Philadelphia rival this season. On Dec. 1, Villanova dominated Saint Joe’s, 81-65, in the Big Five Classic semifinal.
“I think the rivalry itself is so great, and then when you have a chance to face them late and know how much they improved and you improved, it’s interesting to see where you were from December till now,” Villanova head coach Denise Dillon said. “So, a much different game. Super excited it’s the same result.”
Freshman guard Jasmine Bascoe led the way for Villanova with 15 points, five rebounds and five assists. Burke tacked on 11 points and notched two steals on the defensive end. Senior guard Jaliyah Green also came off the bench to grab a season-high seven rebounds.
For the Hawks, junior forward Laura Ziegler dropped a game-high 19 points, with senior forward Talya Brugler scoring another 18.
Saint Joseph’s led just 17-15 at the end of a close first quarter in which Villanova shot just 6-for-16 from the field.
Villanova’s shooting improved in a seesaw second quarter. A jumper from graduate guard Lara Edmanson gave the Wildcats a five-point lead heading into the half.
Ziegler quickly closed down Villanova’s lead to open the second half with back-to-back shots. Bascoe broke an 8-0 Saint Joe’s run with a pair of free throws.
The teams battled closely until the final buzzer. Saint Joe’s earned its largest lead of the game, 58-52, with a layup from Ziegler with two minutes and 16 seconds on the clock.
Three consecutive three-pointers from Bascoe, sophomore guard Maddie Webber and Burke proved to be the difference makers for the Wildcats.
Villanova’s productivity from outside the arc was a major advantage in the narrow win. The Wildcats went 11-for-26 from three across the game, while the Hawks were just 1-for-10.
Webber’s three-pointer put Villanova just behind, 60-58, entering an intense final 38 seconds.
When junior guard Denae Carter knocked the ball away from Saint Joe’s, Webber swept in for the steal and sprinted down court. She passed the ball to Bascoe, who threw it to Burke for the game-winning corner three with 4.7 seconds left.
Senior guard Kaitlyn Orihel added a shot from the foul line to seal the win.
With the win, the Wildcats will host their second game of the WBIT. In the first round, Villanova defeated Boston College on March 21.
“It’s always fun when we’re playing in the postseason, and we’re lucky enough to host so our family and friends can come,” Orihel said. “The postseason is a different level, so we’re trying to play as long as we can.”
Villanova aims to continue another deep run in the WBIT after making it to the championship game last year. The Wildcats fell to the University of Illinois, 71-57, on April 3, 2024 in the championship game.
