(PHOTOS BY LENNIE MALMGREN FOR PSD)
BY JOHN KNEBELS
PHILADELPHIA – Fresh off of Sunday afternoon’s riveting victory over St. Joseph’s, Villanova’s women’s basketball team next takes on an opponent that few outsiders know much about.
But when the Wildcats face the University of Portland in the quarterfinals of the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament (WBIT) 7 PM Thursday, they’ll have already pored through hours of tape to best figure out a way to stop a squad that brings a gaudy 31-4 record into Finneran Pavilion.
Meanwhile, after upsetting Stanford in overtime and then Seton Hall in round two, Portland will have done the same as they prepare a game plan to prevent the Wildcats from booking a flight to Indianapolis for the WBIT Final Four.
If Portland is concerned, it makes sense. All they would have to do is look at how many people contributed to the Wildcats’ stirring 62-60 win at an energized Hawk Hill, when graduate student Maddie Burke drilled a three-point dagger with 4.7 seconds left in regulation to overcome a two-point deficit as the Wildcats further strengthened a thick mettle that stares down every opponent regardless of the situation.
“What a game,” said Villanova coach Denise Dillon. “Extremely proud of our group for sticking it out until the very end against a great St. Joe’s team.”
Outplayed on paper – losing stat comparisons in rebounds, assists, blocks, and shooting percentage – Villanova shocked the SJU crowd by pulling victory from defeat in the closing seconds.
As the final seconds approached the end, junior Denae Carter stripped a SJU dribbler and sophomore Maddie Webber snared the basketball near the Hawks’ basket. Racing up the floor, Webber, who with 38 seconds had drilled a huge three-pointer to cut Nova’s deficit to 60-58, stopped and passed to leading scorer Jasmine Bascoe on the wing.
Unselfishly, the standout frosh smartly found Burke alone in the corner, and with absolutely no hesitation before her delivery, Burke came through with arguably the most clutch shot in her basketball career when considering the circumstances.
“They were focused on Jasmine and Maddie Webber,” said Burke. “They’re our main scorers. It was all transition, and I just let it fly . . . Pure happiness and joy, especially with this group. We have a really special group this year.”
In an unbelievable finish, Maddy Burke's 3-point shot with 4.7 seconds left turns the tide and gives Villanova a dramatic 62-60 win vs. SJU - PSD Video by John Knebels & Lennie Malmgren
Hero of the game, Villanova GS Maddy Burke (L), shares the podium with coach Denise Dillon - PSD Video by John Knebels
Burke’s heroics ignited a loudly supportive Villanova bench, which rose and jumped in unison as Burke kept the season alive and gave Villanova its 20th win against 14 defeats.
“Just an immense amount of excitement, and ‘did that really just happen?’” said junior Ryanne Allen, a 2022 Archbishop Wood grad. “But the second it left her hand, I knew it was going in. The amount of work that Burke puts in behind the scenes . . . it was never a doubt that it was going in.
“It was for sure one of the best games I’ve ever been a part of, and I can’t say enough about this team and group of people.”
After an SJU turnover and a subsequent indirect technical foul, senior Kaitlyn Orihel made one of two free throws, but still needed to inbound the final possession to avoid a crazy finish. Calm in the face of a storm, the 2021 Archbishop Wood alum flicked a laser to an open Webber, and the Villanova faithful erupted.
That last play involved previous preparation.
Villanova vs. SJU - WBIT Second Round Highlights by John Knebels
Villanova vs. SJU - WBIT highlights by Lennie Malmgren for PSD
“Every day in practice, the second half of practice is usually us playing live,” said Orihel. “We have such a great group of practice players that put us in difficult situations like that.
“Usually towards the end of the drills, we will do a couple situations – up two with six seconds . . . down two with six seconds – and we do them from the sideline as well as full court. We have practiced so many different situations the last couple weeks that we were pretty much prepared for any kind of time and score situation we could be in.”
Led by Bascoe’s 15 and Burke’s 11, nine different Wildcats scored points, and eight grabbed rebounds. Outscoring the Hawks by 33-3 from three-point land, Villanova’s bench blanked St. Joseph’s by a pivotal 23-0 and caused 17 turnovers aided by two steals apiece by Carter, Burke, and Webber.
In 22 minutes and 46 seconds off the bench, senior Jaliyah Green collected seven points, one assist, and a plus-nine points margin. Graduate students Bronagh Power-Cassidy (two three-pointers; three boards; plus-seven) and Lara Edmanson chipped in with six points apiece.
(Contact John Knebels at jknebels@gmail.com or on ‘X’ @johnknebels.)
