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Villanova women score an upset over BYU, winning 61-57

The Wildcats won a close one and will now keep on dancing.

Villanova forward Maddy Siegrist (20) celebrates her 3-point basket with guard Brooke Mullin (15) during the second half of a college basketball game in the first round of the NCAA tournament against BYU, Saturday, March 19, 2022, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Villanova forward Maddy Siegrist (20) celebrates her 3-point basket with guard Brooke Mullin (15) during the second half of a college basketball game in the first round of the NCAA tournament against BYU, Saturday, March 19, 2022, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)Read moreCarlos Osorio / AP
    by Kent Schwartz, For The Inquirer
    Published 

In Villanova’s first-round matchup against BYU in the women’s NCAA Tournament, youth clashed with experience. The 11th-seeded Wildcats started three underclassmen, while the No. 6 Cougars started three fifth-year players.

But after five minutes into the game, the difference in experience disappeared.

BYU (26-4) jumped out to a 13-2 lead, but after a timeout Villanova (24-8) clawed its way back and rallied for a 61-57 upset win in Ann Arbor, Mich.

“We thought it would take us a little bit to recognize how they were guarding us, to get a feel for the game on the offensive end for what we could execute,” Villanova head coach Denise Dillon said. “Defense will ground us. If we commit to that then the offense will come.”

After a streaky first quarter, both teams struggled. The Wildcats, a 31.2% three-point shooting team on the season, ended the half shooting 20% from three-point range. Overall, Villanova shot just 33% from the field in the first half.

Junior forward Maddy Siegrist led the Wildcats with 25 points and contributed seven rebounds. She shot 4-for-9 in the third quarter while scoring nine points on fadeaway jumpers and beating BYU forwards in the paint.

“Just knowing it’s a long game, shooting shots you normally take and eventually they’ll start to fall,” Siegrist said.

Villanova’s defense, which struggled in the opening minutes, kept the Wildcats in the game. Villanova collected nine steals, led by freshman Lucy Olsen, who had a career-high six steals.

The Cougars entered the game shooting 53.8% from the field, but sputtered against the Wildcats, shooting just 38.9%.

Olsen, a Big East All-Freshman guard, controlled the game on the floor, including outlet passes to fellow freshman guard Kaitlyn Orihel, who finished with 10 points.

In the fourth quarter, Siegrist scored six straight points, including her first three-pointer.

“The ball is certainly going to fall in Maddy’s hands,” Dillon said. “Knowing that down the stretch, looking for her to make plays.”

The Cougars poured on the pressure in the fourth quarter. With Villanova up by one, Siegrist sank two late free throws to extend the lead. On the other end, Siegrist stuffed a potential game-tying shot.

The Wildcats will face the winner of third-seeded Michigan and No. 14 seed American on Monday.