Despite leading by as many as 11 points in the third quarter, Villanova’s victory over Georgetown on Wednesday night was the result of a late-game defensive stand.
Kelsey Ransom sank a jumper at the 4-minute mark to give Georgetown a one-point lead. But the Wildcats forced three turnovers and registered two blocks to rally for a 70-65 win on their home court.
“I’m proud of the way we came out, but Georgetown did a heck of a job in the second half,” Villanova coach Denise Dillon said. “I’m proud of this group for the way we got together, reconnected, and took the game in the end.”
The Wildcats extended their win streak to three. Villanova (16-11, 10-5 Big East) sits in a three-way tie for third place with Marquette and Seton Hall in the Big East standings.
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Georgetown (11-15, 4-11) is tied with St. John’s for eighth in the conference. Villanova previously beat Georgetown, 77-62, on Jan. 8.
Freshman guard Jasmine Bascoe is one reason for Villanova’s upward trajectory late in the season. Bascoe scored 26 points on Wednesday, which tied her career high set on Dec. 1 against St. Joseph’s.
“It comes from trust in my teammates,” Bascoe said. “They were giving me the ball in the spots that I was open, so I was going to shoot.”
While Villanova’s offense relied heavily on Bascoe early, sophomore guard Maddie Webber scored 15 points, 10 of which came in the second half. Junior forward Denae Carter led the team in rebounds (six) and steals (three) to go with her 11 points.
“We rely so much on [Bascoe] and [Webber] to take the most shots for us and get the most looks, but they’re fueling confidence in others,” Dillon said.
Ransom recorded 25 points and 10 rebounds to lead Georgetown. Ariel Jenkins (16 points, 11 rebounds) also had a double-double for the Hoyas.
Bascoe’s big first half
Bascoe, the Wildcats’ leading scorer, posted 12 points in the opening quarter, shooting 4-for-5 from the field and connecting on both three-pointers. She pulled a spin move around Georgetown’s Khadee Hession to give Villanova a 35-25 lead at halftime.
Bascoe finished with 19 points, two rebounds, and two steals in the first half.
Villanova survives late scare
The Wildcats slowed down in the second half. Ransom and Jenkins helped Georgetown surge. Villanova lost the rebound battle, 33-29.
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Ransom helped limit Bascoe to seven points in the second half.
“The matchup early on for Jasmine [Bascoe] opened things up, and she took advantage, but they made the adjustment of putting Kelsey [Ransom] on her in the second half,” Dillon said. “She’s a very disruptive defender.”
A three-pointer from Victoria Rivera gave the Hoyas their first lead of the game with 6 minutes, 55 seconds left.
Carter and Webber made crucial stops on defense, and Villanova went on a 9-3 run over the final 3:33.
Final season stretch
The Wildcats have three games left of the regular season, starting with a road trip to Providence (11-18, 4-12) on Sunday (noon, FS1).
Villanova then will host Butler (15-14, 5-11) on Feb. 26 in its last game at Finneran Pavilion, before finishing with Creighton (22-4, 14-1) on March 2.
“Every game is huge, and the players recognize that,” Dillon said. “There is a lot on the line, so you put excitement behind it as opposed to pressure. … We talk about continuing to climb, put ourselves in the best position, and the results will take care of themselves.”
A strong finish to conference play will be imperative for the Wildcats’ March Madness chances. Villanova is 68th in the NCAA’s NET rankings.