On Monday, Dec. 29, Villanova women’s basketball tallied another win to its undefeated Big East Conference record with a statement 81-48 victory over DePaul on the road in Chicago.
Villanova’s (11-2, 4-0 Big East) 33-point margin of victory over DePaul (3-12, 0-4 Big East) is the largest margin of victory in any game this season for the Wildcats, and it extends their win streak to nine games. It is Villanova’s longest win streak since the 2022-23 season.
Sophomore guard Jasmine Bascoe, Villanova’s leading scorer, rallied a Villanova lead with six early points, but went to the bench and did not return after sustaining a leg injury late in the first quarter.
The Wildcats outrebounded DePaul, 40-36, and went 30-for-60 (50%) from the field goal range and 7-for-23 (30%) from beyond the arc. DePaul went 16-for-60 (27%) from field goal range and went 0-for-16 on three-pointers.
Four Wildcats, junior forward Brynn McCurry, junior guard Kelsey Joens, freshman guard Kennedy Henry and senior guard Ryanne Allen, all reached double-digit points. McCurry led the Wildcats with 18 points, seven assists and seven rebounds. Joens trailed just behind in scoring, with 14 points.
With three of their best shooters off the court, DePaul struggled offensively throughout the game. Junior guard Kate Novik stepped up for the Blue Demons, tallying a team-high 14 points and six rebounds.
The Wildcats kicked off the first half in a dominant fashion, going on their largest scoring spree of the game, a 13-0 run in the game’s opening four minutes.
Entering the second quarter, the Wildcats still overpowered DePaul offensively and defensively, despite Bascoe’s absence.
After missing consecutive looks towards the rim, DePaul found its first five points of the game all off of free throws. The Wildcats shot 8-for-12 (66.7%) from the field in the second quarter.
Villanova finished the first half with a 42-19 lead over DePaul.
Villanova maintained its large lead through the back half of the game, holding DePaul to just 29 second-half points. The Wildcats took their largest lead of the game in the third quarter, going up 36 points over DePaul, 62-26.
McCurry closed out the game in the fourth quarter, scoring eight of her 18 points while shooting a perfect 3-for-3 on field goals.
The Wildcats currently sit second in the Big East standings, behind the University of Connecticut (13-0, 4-0).
Villanova will now return to the Finneran Pavilion to take on Creighton (6-7, 2-2) on New Year’s Day (noon, ESPN+). Creighton leads the all-time series, 10-15, and has won the last four meetings.
