Adamshick Layup with 11 Seconds Left Leads Wildcats Past La Salle 58-57 :: Villanova remains undefeated in Big Five play at 3-0

Dec. 20, 2005

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Junior forward Jackie Adamshick (Allentown, Pa.) cut to the basket and made a wide open layup with 11 seconds remaining to lift Villanova (7-2, 3-0 Big Five) to a 58-57 victory over La Salle (3-5, 0-1 Big Five) on Tuesday evening at the Tom Gola Arena. There were 15 lead changes in the back-and-forth game, but last-minute heroics by Adamshick and senior center Kate Dessart Mager (Media, Pa.) helped the Wildcats remain undefeated this season in Big Five play.

The game's exciting conclusion was made possible after the Explorers used a late 7-0 run that eliminated a six-point Villanova lead. The run culminated with a Crista Ricketts jump shot that provided La Salle a 55-54 lead with 2:59 remaining. Adamshick, however, responded with a 15-foot jumper of her own with 1:04 left to put the Wildcats ahead 56-55.

Davineia Payne made a layup and was fouled with 24 seconds left to give the Explorers a 57-56 advantage. She missed the ensuing foul shot and Dessart Mager rebounded for Villanova, but the Wildcats turned the ball over to La Salle. Ricketts was fouled with 21 seconds left but missed the front end of a 1-and-1 situation, and Dessart Mager once again pulled down a rebound.

Villanova chose to attack the basket rather than call a timeout, and Dessart Mager was ready to shoot a baseline jumper to try and take the lead. However, that was when Adamshick cut towards the hoop, putting herself in position to take Dessart Mager's pass and make the game-winning basket.

On the final possession of the game, the Explorers called a timeout with 4.3 seconds left and designed a play for Payne. She drove into the lane but missed a jumper as time expired, giving the Wildcats their second last-minute win of the season.

Adamshick led Villanova with 19 points and 10 rebounds to record her second double-double of the season. She hit on 8-of-17 from the field and pulled down seven of her caroms in the decisive second half. Senior forward Liad Suez-Karni (Even-Yehuda, Israel) scored all 13 of her points after halftime to continue her streak of scoring in double figures in every game this season. Dessart Mager finished the game with six points and eight rebounds in 18 minutes. Her pass to Adamshick in the closing seconds was her lone assist of the contest.

Ricketts led La Salle with a double-double of her own, going for 18 points and 12 rebounds on the evening. Payne also scored 18 points and pulled down seven boards for the Explorers, who outrebounded the Wildcats 40-36.

Sophomore forward Stacie Witman (Plymouth Meeting, Pa.) scored all nine of her points in the first half, including six during an 18-0 Villanova run that appeared to give the Wildcats control of the game. After La Salle forged an early 9-2 lead, the Wildcats ran off 18 unanswered points in just 3:25 to go ahead 20-9 with 11:22 remaining in the period. Adamshick netted all nine of her first-half points during that run, which finished with senior guard Courtney Roantree (Philadelphia, Pa.) hitting one three-pointer, which was followed by an Adamshick trey just 32 seconds later. The Explorers called a timeout, but then turned the ball over and Witman made a layup to cap the run.

The momentum did not last long for Villanova, as La Salle held their visitors to just nine more points in the final 11 minutes of the stanza. The Explorers went on a 21-9 run during that span and led 32-29 at the intermission.

The Wildcats close out their Big Five schedule on Thursday at 5:30 when they visit Temple. The Owls are ranked No. 25 in the most recent Associated Press Top 25 poll and are coming off a 69-66 victory over No. 15 Georgia.

NOTES: Thirteen of the game's lead changes came in the second half ... The lead changed hands on six straight baskets at one point early in the period, and again on the final four baskets of the game ... Villanova's other last-minute victory this season was a 62-59 triumph over Penn State on November 20 ... Dessart Mager hit a jumper with 14 seconds left in that contest to give the Wildcats the lead for good ... Suez has now reached double figures in 10 straight games dating back to the final game of last season, and in 18 of her past 20 games overall ... The Wildcats senior class is now 14-1 in Big Five play during their careers, and could clinch their third City Series title with a win over Temple on Thursday ... The Owls dealt the only loss in the past four years, a 64-57 setback last season at The Pavilion ... Villanova is 80-26 all-time in Big Five games, and has won six outright and four shared titles.