Box Score vs. Villanova (PDF)

PHILADELPHIA – In a mid-week matchup against their local Big 5 rival, the University of Pennsylvania (9-5, 0-3 Big 5) fell to Villanova (9-9, 3-1 Big 5) 60-48 on Wednesday night at The Palestra.

The contest marked the 44th all-time meeting between the two sides as Penn returned to their Philadelphia roots following the start of Ivy League action.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Penn was led by the double-digit efforts of Anna Ross (12pts, 4rbs) and Sydney Stipanovich (11pts, 7rbs) for the evening while the Wildcats saw 23 points from Adrianna Hahn and 18 from Megan Quinn. Villanova shot 40.5% from the field (17-42) for the contest, slightly ahead of Penn's 38.2% (21-55). The Wildcats also won the boards, claiming 28 rebounds to Penn's 36.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams had luck from beyond the arc at the start and traded a quadruplet of treys by the media timeout. The Quakers took their first lead of the game with just over 30 seconds to play, pulling ahead 15-14 lead off the heels of a Chambers trey in transition just before the quarter close in the close knit contest.

Neither team led by more than a possession in the opening six minutes of the second frame. Gritty defense by the Red and Blue forced the Wildcats to struggle offensively, and Penn forced a nearly seven minute scoring drought (0-for-10) on their opponents. An and-1 by Brzozowski gave the Quakers a four-point cushion at 21-17 with 3:11 on the clock, but the Wildcats battled back to tie the score at 23-all by intermission.

Penn came out firing in the third, going 4-for-4 in the first three minutes of action via post play from Michelle Nwokedi and Stipanovich to move ahead 31-27 on the visitors, but the Wildcats tied the score for the third time of the contest at 32-all and pulled ahead 36-32 with 3:09 on the clock. By the end of the stanza, Villanova was up by four at 41-37.

The Wildcats pulled away in the final 10 minutes of action, and the Quakers had trouble finding the basket after a 2:07 scoring drought to start the frame. By the media time, the visitors surged ahead 51-38, led by Adrianna Hahn's 23 second half points and a 13-1 scoring run. The Wildcats solidified the victory in the fourth, claiming the win 60-48.

UP NEXT
The Quakers will have a week to rest before returning to action next Wednesday, Jan. 25 when they take on another Big 5 opponent in Temple, once again within the friendly confines of The Palestra. Game time is slated for 7 p.m.

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