VILLANOVA, Pa. - You could say it was a game 16 years in the making. 16 years, one month, and six days, to be exact. The streak is over, as the University of Pennsylvania (9-5, 2-1 Big 5) women's basketball fought wire to wire for a 79-77 road win over Villanova (14-4, 3-1 Big 5), a team currently receiving votes in both the AP and USA Today Coaches Poll with an RPI of 13 entering the contest. End game heroics went to senior guard
Anna Ross, who drove the lane and converted a contested layup with a second remaining on the clock to seal the victory for the Quakers, their first over the Wildcats since 2001 and third all-time.
PENN NEWS AND NOTES
*Penn relied heavily on the play of Ivy League Player and Rookie of the Week
Eleah Parker, who put together a monster second half with 18 points in 18 minutes of action, totaling 25 points on the night, a new career-high for the freshman. Parker also tallied nine rebounds, and shot 10-for-16 from the field, improving upon her already stellar field goal percentage.
*Ross finished with 11 points and a game-high eight assists, with just one turnover, in 38 minutes of play. Ross moved into second place all-time at Penn, now owning 423 dimes for her career.
*
Lauren Whitlatch was key both early and late, as the senior guard paced the Quaker offense in the first half with 11 points on three 3-pointers and two free throws, before adding in another five points in the second half including a key jumper in the final minute to give Penn the lead. Whitlatch finished the game with 16 points, four rebounds, and a career-high five assists.
*Not to be forgotten,
Michelle Nwokedi joined the double-figure scoring party with 17 points, including a season-best two 3-pointers, while corralling eight boards. Nwokedi was one of three Quakers who notched three offensive rebounds in the contest, along with Parker and
Ashley Russell.
*Looking for a key stat? Look no further than points in the paint. Penn dominated inside behind the strength of both Parker and Nwokedi, totaling 40 points in the paint to only 18 for Villanova. Why was the game so close? The Wildcats hit 12 3-pointers, going 9-for-15 from distance in the second half alone.
*The Quakers committed a season-low six turnovers, including zero in the second half.
*Penn was able to build a lead in the first half with active play from its defense, forcing Nova into nine turnovers, which equaled the previous per game average for the Wildcats. The Quakers were able to convert those nine miscues into 13 points at the break, before the 'Cats shored up the mistakes and had just four turnovers in the second half. Defensively, Parker notched a new career-high with three steals.
*Penn held Villanova to zero fast break points, the third time this season the Quakers have bottled up their opponent for a goose egg in that category.
*Solid free throw shooting proved key for the Red and Blue down the stretch, as Penn shot 11-for-12 from the charity stripe, including an 8-for-8 mark in the second half.
*Despite the game being tied nine times, with the Wildcats evening the score six times in the second half including on a 3-pointer with five seconds left, the Quakers never relinquished the lead after taking a 9-7 advantage with 4:07 remaining in the first quarter.
*The win is Penn's first since 2001, a 69-62 overtime victory over the Wildcats.
*The 79 points scored vs. the Wildcats are the most ever in the history of the series for Penn.
*Those familiar to Penn basketball know this was a game unlike any other. The victory marked the first for Penn while giving up 77+ points in the
Mike McLaughlin-era and the first overall since March 11, 2008, an 85-78 win over Princeton. It is the first road win while allowing 77+ points since a victory a 91-83 overtime victory over Marist on January 3, 2003.
*Like Penn, Villanova featured four players in double-figures, led by 19 each from Alex Louin and Mary Gedaka.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The beginning of the game featured aggressive play on both offense and defense from Penn, as the Quakers spread the wealth among their starting lineup early, using Parker, Ross and Whitlatch outside to tie things at 7-7 midway through the opening quarter. The Red and Blue continued a 7-0 run to take an 11-7 advantage before a Louin 3-pointer, but the Quakers held a 15-12 edge after the first 10 minutes of play.
Penn came out strong in the second quarter, going on a 9-2 run after the game was tied up at 16-16 to give the Quakers a 27-18 lead, their largest of the night. Whitlatch buried back-to-back 3-pointers to end the run for the Red and Blue, forcing a Villanova timeout. It was a back-and-forth affair to end the half, with Penn keeping the Wildcats at bay with forced turnovers and composed play on offense from Nwokedi and Whitlatch. The Quakers held a 35-29 advantage going into the locker room after a last second layup from Gedaka to end the period.
The Wildcats would fire away beginning in the third quarter, as Penn's offense continued to churn, with the Red and Blue consistently going to Parker inside and consistently finding results from the rookie. While the Quakers were converting their shots, the 'Cats were hitting 3-pointers, slowly clawing their way closer and closer. A Gedaka free throw brought the game even at 46-46 before none other than Ross went straight down the lane to convert a layup plus the foul, again giving the Quakers the edge. Another Nova 3-pointer would again tie the game, but the quarter ended with the Red and Blue on top following an and-one from Nwokedi.
For fans seeking high drama, the fourth quarter was the perfect vision of such an affair. The game continued to be a see-saw affair to open the period, with Penn leaping ahead by two or three, before Villanova would find contact on the inside to draw even time and time again. The Wildcats worked the majority of the fourth quarter from the free throw line, converting 11 points from the charity stripe in the final two minutes. Alternatively, Parker proved reliable down the stretch for Penn, coming through each play with either a make, or drawing a foul, where the Charlotte, N.C. native was a perfect 4-for-4 in the quarter. An 8-2 spurt from the Quakers midway through the period gave the Red and Blue some breathing room at 68-60 behind inside play from Parker and Nwokedi, before Villanova would storm back with an 8-0 run of its own to tie the game at 68-all on a 3-pointer from Jannah Tucker, breaking a 6:41 field goal drought for the home team. The Quakers did not panic, responding with a mini 5-0 streak behind a tough putback from Russell and a clutch 3-pointer from Whitlach to make it 73-68. It was all 3's the rest of the way for Nova, who hit one from Adrianna Hahn to cut the lead to two with 1:16 left. Penn looked inside for Nwokedi, who converted to make it 75-71 before another long bomb from the Wildcats, this time from Tucker, making it 75-74 with under 30 seconds remaining. Penn broke the press, found Whitlatch in the corner, who sank the long-range two for a 77-74 lead, but Nova struck again, with a 3-pointer at the top of the key from Louin, knotting the game at 77-77 with five seconds left.
Coach McLaughlin called a timeout to advance the ball to halfcourt, before Nova called a timeout of their own to set its defense. Russell inbounded the ball to Ross at the key, who drove right, hooked a shot over her shoulder and off the glass and in, sealing the victory on the road for the Quakers.
QUOTING COACH
"That was really, really cool. The way we played at the beginning, the way we came out. The way we finished. Awesome atmosphere ... Rewarding for the four seniors to see them win a game against Villanova, against a great time, and get contributions from everyone. We showed tremendous poise ... Team win, great win, so proud of our group, so proud of Penn, a really good night for us."
WHAT'S NEXT?
With one game remaining on the Big 5 docket, the Quakers have a shot at a title when they face the Temple Owls on the road next Wednesday, Jan. 24 at 7 p.m.
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