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The following are the official Villanova women's basketball game notes for the 2001-2002 season opener versus No. 19 Penn State on Friday, Nov. 16, at 7:00 p.m., in State College, Pa.

GAME ONE

Villanova University (0-0 Overall, 0-0 Big East)

at

No. 19 Penn State University (0-0 Overall, 0-0 Big Ten)

Friday, Nov. 16, 2001

State College, Pa.

Bryce Jordan Center (15,300)

SERIES HISTORY

Overall Series Record: Penn State Leads the Series 10-1

Last VU Win: February, 1984 (85-80)

Last Penn State Win: November 17, 2000 (81-70)

Streak: Penn State has won three-straight

MEDIA INFORMATION

Interview Requests- All Interview requests should be directed toward Dean Kenefick, Director of Media Relations at (610) 519-4120.

Internet Site- Villanova's recently re-designed web-page can be found at www.villanova.com.

Hotline- Get up-to-date scores on all your favorite Wildcat sports on the official hotline: (888) 400-NOVA

GAME NOTES

THE VILLANOVA-PENN STATE SERIES: Tonight's visit to the Bryce Jordan center will be the third consecutive year Villanova has met Penn State in the season opening game. The Wildcats have dropped the last two contests against the Nittany Lions in 1999 and 2000. On Nov. 20, 1999, Penn State defeated Villanova, 76-54, in a game played at the Bryce Jordan Center. Last season, the Nittany Lions traveled to The Pavilion where they knocked off the 'Cats for the second straight year, 81-70. In the 24 years that Harry Perretta has been at the helm for Villanova, the Wildcats have registered a 14-9 mark in season openers. During Perretta's tenure, Villanova is 6-2 at home, 5-6 on the road and 3-1 on neutral courts in season openers.

EXHIBITION PLAY: Villanova tallied a perfect 2-0 record in exhibition play with wins against the New York Gazelles and the Houston Cougars AAU team. On Nov. 4, the Wildcats defeated the Gazelles by a score of 93-52. The Wildcats outscored the Gazelles 59-31 going into intermission, before recording the 93-52 victory. In the win, Villanova was led by juniors Katie Davis and Trish Juhline. Davis led the Wildcats with a game-high 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting including a 5-of-7 effort from three point range. Juhline scored all of her 15 points in the first stanza on a perfect 5-of-5 shooting including 4-of-4 from beyond the arc. Also tallying double figure numbers for the 'Cats was freshman center Jana Rediger who netted 10 points and sophomore forward Courtney Mix who pulled down a game-high 14 boards. On Nov. 11, Villanova defeated the Houston Cougars AAU team by a score of 73-54. Juhline once again led the Wildcat offense, scoring a game-high 16 points off of seven-for-12 shooting. Senior guard Mimi Riley and sophomore forward Kelly Nash added 12 and 10 points, respectively, for the Wildcats in their final exhibition contest.

VILLANOVA PICKED FIFTH: In the 2001 Big East Conference preseason coaches poll, Villanova was chosen to finish fifth in the 14-member Big East Conference. The following is the coaches order of finish.

1. Connecticut (11) 167

2. Notre Dame 155

3. Boston College 143

4. Rutgers 125

5. VILLANOVA (1) 112

6. Virginia Tech 111

7. Georgetown 102

8. Miami 86

9. Seton Hall 75

10. Syracuse 59

11. Providence 56

12. Pittsburgh 41

13. St. John's 23

14. West Virginia 19

PRESEASON HONOR: Junior guard Trish Juhline (Havertown, Pa./Cardinal O'Hara) was honored by the Big East Conference after being named a Preseason All-Big East First Team selection in 2001-02. Juhline finished second on the team last season with an 11.1 scoring average at the shooting guard position. In addition, she made 73-of-191 from long distance to lead the Big East in three-point field goals made. She also averaged 2.8 apg., 2.5 rpg., and 1.0 spg.

FROM DOWNTOWN: If the 2001-02 Villanova attack is anything like last year, the Wildcats will use the three-point shot to their advantage whenever they get a chance. Last year, Villanova connected on 228-of-660 from behind the arc for 34.5 percent. In 31 games a year ago, Villanova averaged 22.7 three-point field goal attempts a game and they made 7.3 triples per contest.

BIG LOSS: Even though Villanova returns four starters, seven letterwinners and 72 percent of its scoring from last year's 22-9 team, the Wildcats do have a huge void to fill at the center position as last year's starter Brandi Barnes has been lost to graduation. In 31 games last season, Barnes led the Wildcats in both scoring (13.5 ppg.) and field goal percentage (52.7 % on 175-of-332), in addition to averaging 5.9 rpg., and 1.5 bpg. For her efforts last year, Barnes was named third team All-Big East. The Wildcats will use a center by committee approach to replacing Barnes led by fifth-year senior Stephanie Baker who averaged 3.7 ppg., and 3.3 rpg., last season. Also expected to see time in the middle are redshirt freshman Jana Rediger, sophomore Jeanine Johnson and junior Nicole Druckenmiller.

RUNNING THE SHOW: Leading the way for Villanova will be fifth-year senior point guard Mimi Riley. A three-year starter, Riley finished last season ranked third in the Big East Conference in assist to turnover ratio (2.8 to 1). As a junior last year, Riley averaged 8.1 ppg., 5.1 apg., and 3.8 rpg. From the field, she made 45.5 (85-of-187) percent of her shots, while averaging 33.0 minutes per contest.

HOMECOMING: Former Villanova standout Mary Beth Snell begins her first year as an assistant coach for the Wildcats in the 2001-02 season. Snell is no stranger to the Villanova program as she played for Harry Perretta and the Wildcats from 1996-2000. After graduating in May of 2000 with a degree in marketing, she spent one year working for Strategic Management Group (SMG) in Philadelphia. Snell replaces Denise Dillon who left to become the top assistant coach at Drexel University.

HIGH SCHOOL REUNION: Villanova redshirt-sophomore Kelly Nash and Penn State sophomore Courtney Upshaw will reunite on the court this Friday night when they square off against each other for the second straight season. The two played together for three years at Fairfield High School in Fairfield, Conn. Nash graduated in 1999 from Fairfield High, while Upshaw is a 2000 graduate of Fairfield High School.

FACES IN THE CROWD: Villanova has added four newcomers to this year's 2001-02 roster. Joining this year's team are rookies Rebecca Earl, Sarita Hatcher, Jennifer Hilgenberg and Courtney Roantree. Hilgenberg, the 2000 New Jersey Courier Player of the Year, is a tremendous athlete who will fight for playing time at the small forward position. Roantree will medically red-shirt the 2001-02 season after suffering a torn left knee ligament in August. Rounding out the freshmen class will be walk-ons Earl and Hatcher who will add depth to the Wildcat backcourt.

NAME ASSOCIATION: Villanova freshman Rebecca Earl is no stranger to the Bryce Jordan Center as she watched her older brother Danny Earl play for the Nittany Lions as a member of the men's basketball team from 1993-99. Rebecca Earl is the third member of the family to play Division I collegiate basketball. Brian Earl was a four-year standout at Princeton University from 1995-1999.