Dec. 8, 2004

Villanova vs. La Salle Game Notes
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Villanova Wildcats (4-2 Overall, 1-0 Big 5)

La Salle (3-2 Overall, 0-1 Big 5)

SERIES HISTORY

All-Time Series: Villanova Leads 27-7
First Meeting: 1970 (Villanova 50-16)
Last Villanova Win: 12/6/03 (51-48)
Last La Salle Win: 12/1/99 (75-65)

LA SALLE REPORT: The Explorers enter play with a 3-2 overall record and an 0-1 Philadelphia Big Five mark. LaSalle has defeated Wagner (72-52), Drexel (67-50) and Boston University (89-87 2ot) and have lost to Seton Hall (60-54) and Penn (51-49). In their last outing, the Explorers registered an 89-87 double overtime win against Boston University. LaSalle was led in the win by Davineia Payne who scored 25 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, while Crista Ricketts had 19 points and 10 rebounds. Shaune McLaughlin netted 15 points for the Explorers and Jill Marano added 14 points. For the year, the Explorers are led by Ricketts who is averaging 14.4 points per game and Payne who is scoring 13.8 points per contest. Marano is third on the team in scoring at 10.0 points per contest. Ricketts and Payne are tied for the team lead in rebounding at 6.2 rebounds per game. LaSalle is averaging 66.8 points per game and giving up 60.0 points per contest. In the preseason Atlantic 10 Coaches poll, LaSalle was picked to finish fourth in the West Division. Ricketts was a pre-season second team choice, while Marano was named to the all-conference pre-season third team.

EXPLORER HEAD COACH TOM LOCHNER: Tom Lochner begins his first year as the head coach at La Salle, after serving as an assistant coach at the school for 17 years. Involved in all aspects of the Explorers program, Lochner served as the recruiting coordinator and oversaw the skill development of the post players. Lochner was extensively involved in game coaching, scouting, daily practice and pre-game preparations throughout his 17 years. He also worked with the academic support staff regarding student-athlete progress. During his 17 years at La Salle University, Lochner has been part of 296 La Salle victories (296-196 overall). He has been a part of two NCAA Tournaments, one WNIT Tournament, four conference titles and five Big 5 titles.

BIG FIVE HISTORY: Since beginning Philadelphia Big Five play in 1979, Villanova has compiled a 75-25 all-time record in City Series play for a .750 winning percentage. Under head coach Harry Perretta, the Wildcats have won 10 Big Five titles (six outright/four shared). The Wildcats played their 100th all-time Big Five game last Sunday against Penn at The Palestra.

PHILLY FLAVOR: Villanova is in the midst of playing four-straight games against Philadelphia Big Five competition. The Wildcats started the City Series stretch with a 69-44 win at Penn last Sunday. Following Wednesday's game with LaSalle, Villanova will play at Saint Joseph's on Saturday, Dec. 11 before a 10-day break for final exams. The `Cats will conclude the Big Five portion of the schedule on Tuesday, Dec. 21 with a home contest versus Temple.

STREAKING ALONG: Entering play against LaSalle on Wednesday, Dec. 8, Villanova has won nine consecutive Philadelphia Big Five games. Villanova's last Big Five setback came against Penn on Dec. 11, 2001, when the Quakers tallied a 69-62 overtime win.

DEFENDING CHAMPIONS: Villanova is off to a 1-0 Big Five start after its 69-44 win over Penn at The Palestra on Sunday, Dec. 5. The Wildcats are currently the two-time defending Big Five champions. Last season, Villanova went 4-0 in City Series play for the second consecutive year. The team's four Big Five wins last year came against Penn (57-40), La Salle (51-48), Saint Joseph's (72-68) and Temple (66-57).

HOME SWEET HOME: After playing its last five games away from home, Villanova will return to The Pavilion for the fist time since the season opener on Nov. 21 when the Wildcats play host to LaSalle on Wednesday. Dec. 8. Villanova is currently riding a 13-game home winning streak and are 25-2 at The Pavilion over the last three seasons.

OUT OF NOWHERE: Before last Sunday's game at Penn, junior guard/forward Courtney Roantree had scored five points all season and she owned a career-high of seven points. In the win over the Quakers, Roantree scored a career-best 14 points on 3-of-5 shooting from three-point range and a 5-of-6 effort from the foul line. She netted 13 of her 14 points in the first half. In addition, she grabbed a career-high four rebounds.

CAREER DAY: Junior point guard Betsy McManus had the best game of her Villanova career in last Sunday's win over Penn. In the victory, McManus scored a career-high 15 points and tallied a career-best four steals to go with three assists and two rebounds. McManus shot 5-of-6 from the field, 3-of-4 from three-point range and 2-of-2 from the foul line. For the year, she is averaging 6.5 ppg., 2.6 apg., 2.7 rpg., and she leads the team in steals with seven.

WELCOME BACK: The one member of the LaSalle coaching staff who will be the most familiar with Villanova on Wednesday night is Explorer assistant coach Mimi Riley. During her playing days, Riley played for head coach Harry Perretta and the Wildcats from 1997-2002. Riley currently ranks seventh on the Villanova all-time assist list with 416. She also has the ninth-best single game scoring effort in Wildcat history with 34 points versus Virginia Tech in her last career home game on Feb. 23, 2002. Riley is currently in her second season as a LaSalle assistant.

CLEANING THE GLASS: Junior forward Kate Dessart Mager controlled the backboard in Sunday's 69-44 win at Penn. In the victory, Dessart Mager registered a career-high 10 rebounds (4 offensive/6 defensive) to go with seven points, one assist and one block. For the year, she is averaging 8.5 points per game (third on team) and 5.0 rebounds per contest (second on team). Dessart Mager also leads the team in field goal percentage at 56.8 percent (21-of-37).

CALL ON THE RESERVES: A big reason for Villanova's win over Penn on Sunday was due in large part to the play of the Wildcat bench. Villanova's reserves accounted for 37 of the team's 69 points. Two of the three Wildcats who scored double figures on Sunday came off the bench as Betsy McManus tallied a career-high 15 points and Courtney Roantree added a career-best 14 points. Kate Dessart Mager came off the bench to record seven points and a career-high 10 rebounds.

POINT PRODUCTION: In Villanova' four wins this year, the Wildcats have averaged 68.2 points per game (273 points in four games). However, in the two losses, Villanova has averaged just 54.0 points per contest (108 points in two games).

SOPHOMORE SCORER: In the early going in 2004-05, Villanova is being led in scoring by sophomore forward Jackie Adamshick who is averaging 14.0 points per game. Adamshick has tallied double figures in points in four of the six games including 21 versus Penn State in the season opener and 25 against Texas Arlington on Nov. 28. She is currently shooting 45.9 percent from the field (34-of-74) and 48.0 percent from three-point range (12-of-25).

THE 20-POINT PLATEAU: Villanova has already had three 20-point scoring performances this year. In the season opener versus Penn State, sophomore Jackie Adamshick netted 21 points, while junior Liad Suez added 20 points. Against Texas Arlington on Nov. 28, Adamshick had her second 20-point scoring game of the year with a game-high 25 points.

SHOOTING STRUGGLES: Villanova has been struggling in the shooting department of late. In the last four games, the `Cats are shooting just 37.7 percent from the field (85-of-225) and 31.7 percent from three-point range (27-of-85). For the year, Villanova has connected on 136-of-322 from the floor (42.2%) and 432-of-117 (36.8%) from three-point range.

BEHIND THE LINE: Over the last five years, Villanova has gained a reputation as being one of the top three-point shooting teams in the country. In fact, the Wildcats led the nation in three-point field goals made in two of the last three seasons. Last season, Villanova was 226-of-628 (.360) from long distance which ranked fifth in the country. Villanova has made at least one three-point field goal in 216 of its last 217 games. The team had its best three-point shooting game of the season last Sunday at Penn when they went 11-of-25 from three-point range (44.0%). So far this season, Villanova is 43-of-117 (.36,8) from behind the arc.

PLENTY OF OPTIONS: After six games this season, Villanova has nine players averaging double figures in minutes played. Sophomore Jackie Adamshick leads the team at 29.7 minutes per contest followed by Jenna Viani at 27.5 mpg., Jennifer Hilgenberg at 27.3 mpg.) and Liad Suez at 27.2 mpg. Other Wildcats averaging double figures in minutes played include Betsy McManus (25.7 mpg.), Jana Rediger (19.2 mpg.), Kate Dessart Mager (17.5 mpg.), Stacie Witman (15.0 mpg.) and Courtney Roantree (10.2 mpg.)

EXPERIENCED RETURNERS: Villanova returns three starters and eight letterwinners from last year's team that went 23-7 overall, 12-4 in Big East play and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The team's three returning starters include fifth-year senior center Jana Rediger, senior forward Jennifer Hilgenberg and junior forward Liad Suez. As a sophomore last year, Suez was named third team All-Big East after averaging 13.3 ppg., 3.9 rpg. 2.9 apg., and shooting 45.2 percent from the floor and 37.9 percent from behind the arc which included a team-high 58 triples. Hilgenberg averaged 7.1 ppg., and 2.9 rpg., while Rediger averaged 3.7 ppg., and 3.2 rpg., to go with a team-best 47 blocked shots. The five other letterwinners include juniors Betsy McManus, Kate Dessart Mager, Courtney Roantree and Jenna Viani and sophomore Jackie Adamshick.

CLASS DOMINANCE: Of the nine players who regularly see action in the Wildcat rotation, five are members of the junior class. The five include Liad Suez, Kate Dessart Mager, Jenna Viani, Betsy McManus and Courtney Roantree.

HIGH EXPECTATIONS: Junior forward Liad Suez was named to the preseason All-Big East first team. The team was selected by a vote of the league head coaches. As a sophomore last year, Suez earned third team All-League distinction after averaging 13.3 ppg., 3.9 rpg., and 2.2 apg. Suez was joined on the preseason first team by Jacqueline Batteast (Notre Dame), Jessalyn Deveny (Boston College), Yolanda Paige (WVU), Cappie Pondexter (Rutgers), Ann Strother (Connecticut) and Barbara Turner (Connecticut). After five games this season, Suez is averaging 13.2 points per game and is shooting 42.9 percent from the field (24-of-56).

VILLANOVA PICKED FIFTH: In the 2004-05 Big East Conference preseason coaches poll, the Villanova Wildcats were chosen to finish fifth in the 12-team member Big East Conference. The following is the coaches order of finish.

1. Connecticut (10)
2. Notre Dame (2)
3. Boston College
4. Rutgers
5. VILLANOVA
6. West Virginia
7. Seton Hall
8. St. John's
9. Syracuse
10. Georgetown
11. Pittsburgh
12. Providence

BIG SHOES TO FILL: Villanova will be hard-pressed to duplicate the success that last year's senior class had during their Main Line careers. The Class of 2004 that included Jeanine Johnson, Courtney Mix and Kelly Nash finished their four-year careers with a 93-28 record, four-straight 20-win seasons, four consecutive NCAA Tournament berths, a Big East championship and a trip to the Elite Eight. As a senior last year, Mix led the team in minutes played (33.6 mpg.), rebounds (7.0 rpg.), assists (4.3 apg.), steals (47), ranked second in blocks (42) and third in scoring (7.7). In addition, she led the country in assist to turnover ratio at 5:1. Nash was the team's top three-point shooter a year ago connecting on 55-of-126 from behind the arc for 43.7 percent. Nash also led the Big East in three-point field goal percentage for just conference games at 44.4 percent. Johnson missed all of last season due to injury.