2/11/2023
Siegrist Becomes The All-Time Leading Scorer In BIG EAST Conference History
VILLANOVA, PA. – Villanova star forward Maddy Siegrist put on a show for the ages in the Wildcats 99-65 win over the visiting Seton Hall Pirates on Saturday afternoon. Siegrist scored a program record 50 points on 20-of-26 shooting, including a 4-of-6 effort from three-point range and a 6-of-8 performance from the foul line. She also added 10 rebounds, two assists and two steals.
With the victory, the No. 15 Wildcats improve to 22-4 overall and 13-2 in BIG EAST play, while Seton Hall falls to 15-10 on the year and 8-7 in league action.
The previous Villanova single game scoring mark was held by Shelly Pennefather who had 44 points versus Cheyney on Dec. 27, 1985.
Siegrist also set three other records with today’s performance, including becoming the all-time leading scorer in BIG EAST Conference history for regular season conference games with 1,550 points. The former record was 1,546 by Sarah Behn who played at Boston College from 1989-93.
Her 50-point effort establishes a new BIG EAST mark for points in a game. The former record of 43 points was held by Angel McCoughtry of Louisville and Jaylyn Agnew from Creighton.
The 20 made field goals sets a BIG EAST record and ties the school mark. Kathy Finn of Providence made 19 field goals versus Syracuse on Feb. 11, 1984. Pennefather also had 20 made field goals in a game when she accomplished the feat in the aforementioned Cheyney contest.
Villanova led 35-27 with 53.1 seconds remaining in the second quarter, when all the momentum went to the Wildcats. After Maddie Burke was fouled shooting a corner jumper just inside the three-point line with 53.1 seconds on the clock, Seton Hall was called for back-to-back technical fouls. Pirate guard Lauren Park-Lane and head coach Tony Bozzella were assessed the technicals. Burke converted both of her free throws, before Siegrist made three of the four technical foul shots. Villanova then regained possession and scored on a 15-foot jumper by Burke. The seven-point play gave the Wildcats 42-27 lead. Villanova would use the momentum to go halftime with a 44-28 advantage.
Villanova scored the first 10 points of the second half to open-up a 54-28 lead. The eight points included a lay-up and back-to-back three-point field goals by Siegrist and a floating jump shot by sophomore guard Lucy Olsen.
The Wildcats held a 65-38 advantage with 2:32 to play in the third quarter, when Seton Hall finished the period on a 9-0 run to slice the lead to 65-47 after three. Sidney Cooks had four points for the Pirates in the spurt and Jala Jordan added three.
Villanova put the game away early in the fourth quarter with a 16-5 run that increased the Wildcat lead to 86-58 at the 4:32 mark. Siegrist was dominant in the run scoring 10 of the 16 points.
Burke finished with 12 points, while sophomore center Christina Dalce tallied eight points and nine rebounds.
Seton Hall was paced by Cooks with 21 points and Park-Lane who had 20 points.
For the game, Villanova was 38-of-59 from the field (64.4%), 8-of-19 from three-point range (42.1%) and 15-of-17 from the foul line (88.2%), while Seton Hall shot 40.0 percent from the floor (22-of-55), 35.3 percent from three-point range (6-of-17) and 68.2 percent from the charity stripe (15-of-22). Villanova owned a 36-23 advantage on the backboards.
Villanova returns to action on Wednesday, Feb. 15, with a game at St. John’s. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
NOTES: Villanova has won 11 of the last 14 versus Seton Hall…The Wildcats are 20-1 in their last 21 home games…Today was Villanova’s 13th win in the last 14 games…Maddy Siegrist became just the second player in program history to record 1,000 career rebounds in today’s win…After going 6-of-6 from the foul line today, Maddie Burke is 17-of-17 from the charity stripe this season…Villanova scored 54 points in the paint today.
COURTESY VILLANOVA ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
