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Wildcats Prep for Hurricanes
January 22, 1999
LAST TIME OUT:VILLANOVA: Last Sunday, Jan. 17, Villanova traveled to Rhode Island where they lost in overtime to Providence by a count of 81-73. Villanova started the game strong, racing to a 24-12 lead with 8:46 left in the first half. The Friars then responded by going on a 14-3 run to cut the Villanova advantage to 27-26 at the 5:20 mark.
Following the Providence run, the 'Cats responded with an 8-1 run to lead 35-27 with 2:27 remaining until halftime. The Friars would score the last seven points of the half and trail the Wildcats, 35-34, at intermission. In the second half, the two teams went back and forth with neither squad able to open more than a five point lead. With Villanova leading 66-62 with 1:53 left to play in regulation, the Friars converted four straight free throws to even the contest at 66-66 with 1:15 on the clock.
The Friars would take a 68-66 lead with 31 seconds left in the second half when Jen Gombotz scored on a lay-up. With time winding down in regulation, Villanova senior point guard Shanette Lee converted a driving lay-up with just seven seconds on the clock to tie the game at 68-68. Providence failed to get a shot on the rim and the two teams went to overtime.
In the extra period, the Friars struck first when Gombotz scored on a lay-up. Villanova's Brandi Barnes answered when she made two free throws. With the score tied at 70-70, the Friars tallied six straight points including four free throws to open up a 76-70 advantage with just 1:52 to play. After Villanova's Jenea Skeeters scored on a five-foot jumper at the 1:32 mark, the Friars made 5-of-6 from the charity stripe down the stretch to gain the win. Villanova was paced by Skeeters who scored a team-high 19 points on 8-of-15 shooting, while Lee scored a career-high 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting. Barnes registered her first career double-double with 12 points and a career-best 11 rebounds. Center Monika Roberts led the Friar charge with 27 points, while Gombotz added 16 points. MIAMI: On Wednesday, Jan. 20, Miami lost at No. 2 Connecticut by a score of 89-55. The Huskies led 47-25 at halftime and outscored the Hurricanes, 42-30, in the second half. Connecticut was led by Svetlana Abrosimova and Tamika Williams who each had 19 points and Shea Ralph who netted 14 points. Abrosimova also grabbed a game-high nine rebounds. Kym Hope led Miami with 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting, while freshman Sheila James added 13 points including a 3-of-5 effort from three-point range. For the game, Connecticut shot 51.6 percent from the field, while Miami shot 38 percent from the floor. Connecticut dominated the backboards by a 47-26 margin.
Villanova Wildcats (7-9 Overall, 3-5 Big East)
SERIES INFORMATION VU UM 16 Games played 17 954 Points scored 1,188 59.6 avg. points per game 69.8 40.1 fg pct. 42.2 32.8 3-point fg. Pct. 29.4 62.7 free throw Pct. 73.7 944 points allowed 1,106 59.0 Opp. points per game 65.1 531 total rebounds 655 33.2 avg. reb. per game 38.6 268 assists 229 216 turnovers 332 13.5 avg. to. per game 19.5
LEE SCORES CAREER HIGH: In last Sunday's loss at Providence, senior point guard Shanette Lee scored a career-high 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting. In addition, Lee also tallied five rebounds, four assists and two steals. This was just the second time this season that Lee has reached double figures in points. The other time came in the season opener at Pennsylvania when she scored 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE TIME: Sophomore center Brandi Barnes registered her first career double-double at Providence last Sunday when she scored 11 points (4-of-12 shooting) and grabbed a career-best 12 rebounds. This was the first double-double recorded by a Villanova player this season. TEAM BASKETBALL: Under head coach Harry Perretta, Villanova has always played team basketball. In last Thursday's game versus St. John's, Villanova had 24 field goals and 20 assists. In Villanova's loss at Syracuse on Jan. 10, the Wildcats were credited with an assist on all 23 of their made field goals. For the season, Villanova has 372 made field goals and 268 assists.
SHOOTING WOES: Villanova has struggled shooting the ball the past four games where they are a combined 88-of-235 for a 37.4 percent success rate. Against Rutgers at home on Dec. 7, the 'Cats were 17-of-59 (28.8%) from the field, while they were 23-of-58 (39.7 %) at Syracuse on Jan. 10 and 20-of-49 (40.8%) on Jan. 14 against St. John's. Last Sunday at Providence, Villanova was 28-of-69 (40.6%) from the floor.
MIRROR IMAGE: After 16 games this season, Villanova is scoring 59.6 points per game and giving up a similar 59.0 points per game. The Wildcats are shooting 40.1 percent from the field, while their opponents are shooting 40.7 percent from the floor.
OPPORTUNITIES EXIST: Even though Villanova is scoring just 59.6 points per game, the Wildcats have had their opportunities to score. After 16 games, Villanova has attempted 927 field goals compared to their opponents who have attempted 856 shots. Villanova has converted 372-of-927 for a 40.1 percent rate, while Wildcat opponents have made 348-of-856 for 40.7 percent.
LEADING THE WAY: Villanova is led offensively by sophomore center Brandi Barnes who leads the team in scoring (11.8 ppg.), rebounds (6.4 rpg.), field goal percentage (83-for-171 for 48.5%) and blocked shots (13). For the season, Barnes has scored in double figures in 12 of Villanova's 16 games. Barnes sat out last season after transferring from the University of Maryland.
THREE-POINT SHOOTER: Sophomore guard Lauren Pellicane has emerged as one of the top three-point shooters in the Big East Conference. Entering play versus Miami, Pellicane is 37-of-100 (37 %) from three-point range. The 37 triples ranks her third in the Big East Conference in three-point field goals. All total, Pellicane has made 45 field goals with 37 coming from behind the arc. For the season, she is averaging 8.5 ppg., 2.1 rpg. and 2.6 apg in 33.3 minutes of action.
SKEETERS ON A STREAK: Junior forward Jenea Skeeters has been on a scoring streak for the Wildcats. In her last nine games, Skeeters has tallied double figures eight times and is averaging 12.7 ppg. in that span. In those nine games, Skeeters has had a game-high in points two times and a team-high four times. For the season, the Mishawaka, Ind. native is averaging 10.2 ppg., (second on team) and 4.6 rpg. (second on team). From the field, she is shooting 43.1 percent (69-of-160).
DEFENSE: Strong defense has always been a trademark of Harry Perretta coached teams. Dating back to the 1994-95 campaign, Villanova has never given up more than 60 points per game in a season. After 17 games this year, Villanova is yielding just 59.0 ppg. and have held four opponents under 50 points and nine opponents under 60 points. The Wildcats are currently second in the Big East in scoring defense. Last season, the Wildcats held their opponents to just 56.4 ppg, which led the Big East Conference and ranked sixth nationally. In 17 of the team's 19 wins in 1997-98, Villanova held its opponents under 60 points and they held seven teams under 50 points.
MAGIC 60: In the last three seasons, Villanova is 34-5 when holding opponents under 60 points. Thus far this year, Villanova is 6-3 when keeping the opponent under 60 points. Last season, the 'Cats were 17-2 when holding the opposition under 60 points, while in 1996-97, Villanova was a perfect 11-0 when keeping the opponent under 60 points. Also last season, the Wildcats were 14-4 when recording 60 or more points.
CLOSING IN: Senior point guard Shanette Lee is on pace to become the all-time assist leader in Villanova women's basketball history. Entering play versus Miami, Lee has tallied 474 career assists which ranks her fourth on Villanova's all-time assist list. For the season, the Philadelphia, Pa., native has 76 assists which ranks her fourth in the Big East. She is just 47 assists short of Lynn Tighe's all-time career best of 521 assists. Tighe is currently Villanova's Senior Women's Administrator.
QUALITY MINUTES: Junior guard Mary Beth Snell has been one of Villanova's most consistent players the past five games. In the lastfive contests, Snell has come off the bench to make good on 10-of-19 from the field (52.6 %) including an 8-of-16 effort (50%) from behind the three-point line. Snell played so well in Villanova's win at West Virginia on Jan. 5, that she started the second half for the Wildcats. This was the first time in her Wildcat career that she has started a half.
WEARING RED: Three members of the 1998-99 Villanova team will redshirt this season. Megan Stewart, a junior from Maroochydore, Australia, will travel to Germany during the second semester to study and master a second language. She will have two years of eligibility remaining when she returns to action next season. Both freshmen on the roster, Nicole Druckenmiller and Daniela Schroeder, are redshirting the 1998-99 season. Druckenmiller is the younger sister of San Francisco 49er quarterback Jim Druckenmiller.
BACK TO ACTION: Last season, three Villanova Wildcats redshirted the 1997-98 season. All three, including Lauren Pellicane, Stephanie Baker and Therese Pennefather are currently on the 1998-99 active roster. Pellicane, a redshirt sophomore, is currently the team's starting two-guard and is averaging 8.5 ppg., 2.1 rpg and 2.6 apg. She also has made a team-best 37 three-point field goals. Baker, a redshirt freshman, came to Villanova with some lofty credentials after being named to the 1997 Parade Magazine All-American third team. She is currently averaging 3.9 ppg., and 3.5 rpg. in 13.4 mpg. Pennefather, also a redshirt freshman, will help add depth in the Villanova backcourt. VILLANOVA BY THE NUMBERS:
RECORDS...
Overall 7-9
Home 5-3
Away 2-5
Neutral 0-1
Big East 3-5
Big 5 3-1
BIG EAST STANDINGS (as of 1/22/99)
Big East Overall
Team W L Pct. W L Pct.
Connecticut 9 0 1.000 16 2 .889
Rutgers 8 0 1.000 16 3 .842
Notre Dame 6 2 .750 14 2 .875
Boston Col. 6 3 .667 14 3 .824
Miami 5 4 .556 10 7 .588
St. John's 4 5 .444 9 11 .450
Syracuse 4 5 .444 8 9 .471
VILLANOVA 3 5 .375 7 9 .438
Georgetown 3 6 .333 9 8 .529
Pittsburgh 3 5 .333 8 8 .500
Seton Hall 2 7 .222 5 12 .294
Providence 2 7 .222 3 13 .188
West Virg 2 8 .200 6 11 .353
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