June 3, 2004

PALESTRINA, ITALY - The Villanova women's basketball team wrapped up its 2004 Summer Italy Tour on Thursday, June 3rd, by defeating GS Palestrina, 84-69, at the Palestra in Palestrina, Italy. The win gave the Wildcats a perfect 5-0 record on the tour.

Villanova jumped on top early on in the game taking a 12-point lead after one quarter of play. The Wildcats were 11-of-21 from the field in the first quarter and seven-of-10 from three point range. Of the `Cats' 28 first quarter points, 21 came from beyond the three-point line.

The Wildcats took a nine-point lead into the half and a seven-point advantage into the game's final quarter. Villanova put the contest away in the fourth quarter, outscoring Palestrina 18-12, to claim the 84-69 victory.

Courtney Roantree led the `Cats in scoring on Thursday, netting 21 points to go along with five assists. Roantree finished the game shooting six-of-11 from the field and six-of-10 from three-point range. Jackie Adamshick and Liad Suez also scored in double figures in the game. Adamshick posted 17 points (on six-of-nine shooting) to go along with eight rebounds, and Suez tallied 15 points on six-of-13 shooting from the floor and three-of-seven from long distance.

In addition, Betsy McManus scored six points and added five assists and three rebounds, Staci Whitman had three points and five rebounds, Jana Rediger posted four points and a team-high 10 rebounds, Jennifer Hilgenberg had seven points and four boards, Kate Dessart Mager recorded six points and seven rebounds, and Jenna Viani had five points and two steals.

Villanova shot 30-of-79 from the field, 16-of-40 from three-point range and eight-of-15 from the foul line for the game. The Wildcats also registered 14 steals in the contest.

The `Cats had a number of outstanding performers in the tour's five games. Adamshick led the Wildcats in scoring at 14.4 ppg. (72 points in 5 games), followed by Suez (13.8 ppg., 69 points in 5 games), Roantree (11.4 ppg., 57 points in 5 games) and Dessart Mager (9.8 ppg., 49 points in 5 games). Adamshick was Villanova's top rebounder averaging 8.0 boards per contest, followed by Rediger who averaged 6.6 rebounds per game. The team's top three-point shooters were Roantree (15-of-29) and Suez (15-of-33) who each netted 15 three's.

This is the Wildcats' second straight 5-0 European tour. Villanova was 5-0 in 1999, when the program toured Scotland and England.

The `Cats will now tour Rome on Friday and Saturday, before returning home on Sunday.

Team, 1st-2nd-3rd-4th: Total
VU, 28-16-22-18: 84
GSP, 16-19-24-12: 69