Women's Basketball: FTs Key Villanova
February 17, 2004 09:36 PM | General
February 17, 2004
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VILLANOVA, Pa. – Kelly Nash and Courtney Mix scored 14 points each to lead Villanova to a 74-67 Big East victory over West Virginia Tuesday night at the Pavilion.
Villanova (18-5, 8-4) used exceptional shooting to jump out to a 13-point first half lead and led by nine at the break. The Wildcats were 14 of 25 from the floor including 8 of 13 from three-point distance in the first half.
The Wildcats cooled off at the start of the second half and West Virginia was able to get back into the game, scoring seven straight points to trail by two, 40-38.
West Virginia (18-7, 9-4) tied the score at 44 on a Kate Bulger layup, and took its first lead at 11:27 on a short hook shot by Meg Bulger.
The two teams traded leads five different times before the Wildcats took control of the game with 6:59 to go when Mix was able to convert a three-point play in the paint to give Villanova a five-point, 58-53 advantage.
Back-to-back baskets by Kate Bulger and Michelle Carter cut West Virginia’s deficit to one, 58-57, but a basket by Jackie Adamshick and a three by Nash kept Villanova up by four.
Free throws by Nash and Kate Dessart Mager built Villanova’s lead to six and the Wildcats got it to eight on a short jumper by Dessart Mager.
A pair of baskets by Meg Bulger and Yolanda Paige cut the Villanova lead to four with 20 seconds remaining, but three more Wildcat free throws iced the game.
The difference came at the foul line where Villanova went 21 of 23; West Virginia took 13 free throws making 9.
Kate Bulger led West Virginia with a game-high 17 points. Paige scored 14 points and handed out 7 assists while Meg Bulger came off the bench to contribute 10.
Jennifer Hilgenberg scored 13 for Villanova.
Villanova finished the game making 21 of 50 field goal attempts for 42 percent. West Virginia wasted a good shooting night, hitting 27 of 48 field goal attempts for 56.3 percent.
Villanova has now won 12 of 16 contests against West Virginia including all eight at the Pavilion.
West Virginia, which has dropped two straight to BC and Villanova after posting a nine-game winning streak, has a week off before playing its final regular season home game of the year on Tuesday, Feb. 24, against Rutgers.
After that the Mountaineers finish out the season on the road at Miami on Feb. 28, and at Connecticut on March 2.
The Big East tournament will also be played at Connecticut at the Hartford Civic Center, March 6-9.
