Villanova beats Penn in Big Five women’s basketball game

Villanova entered the Finneran Pavilion on Wednesday evening with the intention of proving itself as the top team in the Big 5 this season.

The Wildcats accomplished that with an 80-64 win over Penn. Junior forward Denae Carter and freshman point guard Jasmine Bascoe each scored 16 points to lead Villanova. In addition to the historic rivalry in Philadelphia, Big Five matchups mean something extra for Villanova (3-1) this season. On December 6, the Wildcats will host the first women’s Big 5 Classic on their home court.

“We know (the Big 5 Classic) is going to be a great day, and we just want to put ourselves in that position to play for the championship that Friday night,” Villanova head coach Denise Dillon said.

Wildcats start quickly and never let up

Villanova took a 7-0 lead and led by 20 points or more at the end of the second, third and fourth quarters. Villanova shot 42.9% from the field and 34.6% from beyond the arc.

Three of the four Villanova players who finished the game with double figures in points – graduate guard Maddie Burke, sophomore guard Maddie Webber and Carter – were members of last year’s squad. Burke provided steady leadership early, finishing the first half with 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting. Twelve of her points in the first half came from three-point range.

The game quickly got away from the Quakers (3-2) as they struggled to produce offensively. In the first half, Penn shot just 7-for-31 from the field (0-for-12 from three) with no assists.

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Bascoe and Carter develop a complementary dynamic

According to Dillon, one of Villanova’s main focuses this season is recovery. The Wildcats defeated the Quakers 44-35.

Bascoe had six rebounds and led the team in scoring. She also had five assists and two steals.

“Our returning players and some of the veterans we brought in are really taking Bascoe under their wing and growing her every day, and I think they enjoy playing with her on the floor,” Dillon said. “It’s a great combination.”

Carter led the Wildcats with nine rebounds. Growing up in Philadelphia, Carter felt especially connected to the Big 5 matchup. A native of Canada, Bascoe is one of several international players on this season’s Villanova roster who are just beginning to experience the city’s basketball tradition.

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“I’m trying to tell the team how deep the Big 5 rivalry goes and that it’s very important here,” Carter said. “Today they more or less understood that. We knew it would be a very physical game that we would be playing for something much bigger. They just really embraced it and it was super fun.”

Classic matchups

Villanova’s next Big 5 Classic pod matchup is Dec. 1 against St. Joseph’s (3-0). The Wildcats lost to St. Joe’s 73-67 last December before defeating the Hawks 67-59 in the WBIT quarterfinals in March.

“The Villanova-St. Joe’s rivalry has always been very strong, so today we put ourselves in position to make the next game a big one,” Dillon said. “That’s what we talked about at the beginning of the season, the opportunity for us to play championship basketball.”

Villanova will spend this weekend in the Bahamas to participate in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament.

On the way to the first Big 5 Classic

With the loss to Villanova and the loss to St. Joe’s on Nov. 15, the Quakers are sent to the fifth-place game of the Big 5 Classic.

» READ MORE: Tyler Perkins’ big first half leads Villanova men to defeat against Big Five foe Penn, 93-49

“I’ve been a part of (the Big 5) for 15 years with Penn, and I think what they’re doing here with the Big 5 is really cool,” Penn head coach Mike McLaughlin said. “To get all six teams back together in one location, I’m looking forward to being a part of something for the first time. More importantly, I’m glad the players can experience it.”