Dec. 10, 2004

Villanova vs. St. Joseph's Game Notes
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VILLANOVA, Pa.--Women's Basketball Game Notes for Saturday afternoon's contest between Villanova (5-2 Overall, 2-0 Big 5) and St. Joseph's (2-7 Overall, 0-1 Big 5). Game time is 2 p.m. from Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse. A live streaming broadcast of the game can be heard at www.villanova.com. Complete game notes can be accessed by clicking on the PDF link at the top of this release.

Villanova (5-2 Overall, 2-0 Big 5)

St. Joseph's (2-7 Overall, 0-1 Big 5)

BIG FIVE HISTORY: Since beginning Philadelphia Big Five play in 1979, Villanova has compiled a 76-25 all-time record in City Series play for a .752 winning percentage. Under head coach Harry Perretta, the Wildcats have won 10 Big Five titles (six outright/four shared). The Wildcats played their 100th all-time Big Five game last Sunday against Penn at The Palestra.

PHILLY FLAVOR: Villanova is in the midst of playing four-straight games against Philadelphia Big Five competition. The Wildcats started the City Series stretch with a 69-44 win at Penn on Sunday, Dec. 5 before returning home to record a 70-54 win over LaSalle. Following Saturday's game at Saint Joseph's, Villanova will have a 10-day break for final exams. The `Cats will conclude the Big Five portion of the schedule on Tuesday, Dec. 21 with a home contest versus Temple.

STREAKING ALONG: Entering play at Saint Joseph's on Saturday, Dec. 11, Villanova has won 10 consecutive Philadelphia Big Five games. Villanova's last Big Five setback came against Penn on Dec. 11, 2001, when the Quakers tallied a 69-62 overtime win.

DEFENDING CHAMPIONS: Villanova is off to a 2-0 Big Five start this season after wins at Penn (69-44) and at home versus LaSalle (70-54). The Wildcats are currently the two-time defending Big Five champions. Last season, Villanova went 4-0 in City Series play for the second consecutive year. The team's four Big Five wins last year came against Penn (57-40), La Salle (51-48), Saint Joseph's (72-68) and Temple (66-57).

SUPER SUB: Junior forward Kate Dessart Mager was simply sensational in Villanova's 70-54 win over LaSalle on Wednesday, Dec. 8. With her team trailing 27-13 with 7:04 to play in the first half, Dessart Mager came off the bench to score nine-straight points in Villanova's 18-6 run to cut the Explorer lead to two at halftime. Dessart Mager also scored four of Villanova's 10 points in a 10-0 run to open the second half. For the game, she finished with a career-high 23 points on 11-of-17 shooting to go with a career-best 11 rebounds. All 11 rebounds were on the defensive end of the floor. In seven games this year, Dessart Mager is third on the team in scoring at 10.6 points per game and she leads the team in both rebounding (5.9 rpg.) and field goal percentage (32-of-54 for 59.3%).

BOARD GAMES: Kate Dessart Mager has been dominant on the backboards the last two games. In back-to-back wins over Penn and LaSalle, Dessart Mager has grabbed a combined 21 rebounds (10 vs. Penn/ 11 vs. LaSalle). The 11 rebounds she tallied versus LaSalle represents a career-high. She currently leads the team in rebounding at 5.9 rebounds per contest.

20-POINT PERFORMANCE: Junior forward Liad Suez registered her second 20-point scoring performance of the year and seventh of her career on Wednesday versus LaSalle by netting 21 points. In the win, she made 7-of-14 from the field, 3-of-7 from three-point range and 4-of-4 from the charity stripe. This was her second 20-point game of the year, as she scored 20 versus Penn State in the season opener. For the year, Suez is leading the team in scoring at 14.1 points per game.

SEEING 20/20: For the second time this season, Villanova had two 20-point scorers in the same game when junior Kate Dessart Mager scored a career-high 23 points and junior forward Liad Suez tallied 21 points in Wednesday's win over LaSalle. Against Penn State in the season opener, sophomore Jackie Adamshick registered 21 points and Suez netted 20.

PROVIDING FOR OTHERS: In Wednesday's win over LaSalle, junior point guard Betsy McManus established a career-high with eight assists to go with no turnovers in 35 minutes of action. This was the second consecutive game that Mcmanus has registered a career-high. In last Sunday's win at Penn, she had a career-high 15 points and a career-best four steals. For the year, McManus is averaging 5.6 points per game, 3.4 assists per contest, 2.3 rebounds per game and 1.2 steals per contest in 27.0 minutes per game.

SCORING 70: Last season, Villanova scored 70 or more points in a game seven times. After seven contests this year, the Wildcats have reached the 70-point mark three times. In its five wins this season, Villanova is averaging 68.6 points per game. By comparison, the Wildcats are averaging just 54.0 points per contest in the two losses.

BENCH SUPPORT: Villanova has received a big contribution from its bench all season long. Entering play at Saint Joseph's on Saturday, Dec. 11, the Wildcats have four reserves who are averaging double figures in minutes, including Betsy McManus (27.0 mpg.), Kate Dessart Mager (18.9 mpg.), Stacie Witman (13.3 mpg.) and Courtney Roantree (10.1 mpg.). The team's top two reserves have been Dessart Mager and McManus. Dessart Mager currently leads the team in rebounding (5.9 rpg.) and field goal percentage (59.3%), while McManus leads the squad in assists (24) and steals (9). Dessart Mager also ranks third in scoring with a 10.6 points per game average.

THE 20-POINT PLATEAU: Villanova has already had five 20-point scoring performances this year. In the season opener versus Penn State, sophomore Jackie Adamshick netted 21 points, while junior Liad Suez added 20 points. Against Texas Arlington on Nov. 28, Adamshick had her second 20-point scoring game of the year with a game-high 25 points. In the team's last outing versus LaSalle, junior Kate Dessart Mager scored 23 points, while Suez had 21 points.

THREE-POINT PROBLEMS: Villanova has been struggling from three-point range the last five contests. In the last five games, the `Cats are shooting just 30.4 percent from behind the arc (32-of-105). In the first two games of the season, Villanova was 16-of-32 from long distance.

DIAL LONG DISTANCE: Over the last five years, Villanova has gained a reputation as being one of the top three-point shooting teams in the country. In fact, the Wildcats led the nation in three-point field goals made in two of the last three seasons. Last season, Villanova was 226-of-628 (.360) from long distance which ranked fifth in the country. Villanova has made at least one three-point field goal in 217 of its last 218 games. So far this season, Villanova is 48-of-137 (35.0%) from behind the arc.

EXPERIENCED RETURNERS: Villanova returns three starters and eight letterwinners from last year's team that went 23-7 overall, 12-4 in Big East play and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The team's three returning starters include fifth-year senior center Jana Rediger, senior forward Jennifer Hilgenberg and junior forward Liad Suez. As a sophomore last year, Suez was named third team All-Big East after averaging 13.3 ppg., 3.9 rpg. 2.9 apg., and shooting 45.2 percent from the floor and 37.9 percent from behind the arc which included a team-high 58 triples. Hilgenberg averaged 7.1 ppg., and 2.9 rpg., while Rediger averaged 3.7 ppg., and 3.2 rpg., to go with a team-best 47 blocked shots. The five other letterwinners include juniors Betsy McManus, Kate Dessart Mager, Courtney Roantree and Jenna Viani and sophomore Jackie Adamshick.

CLASS DOMINANCE: Of the nine players who regularly see action in the Wildcat rotation, five are members of the junior class. The five include Liad Suez, Kate Dessart Mager, Jenna Viani, Betsy McManus and Courtney Roantree.

HIGH EXPECTATIONS: Junior forward Liad Suez was named to the preseason All-Big East first team. The team was selected by a vote of the league head coaches. As a sophomore last year, Suez earned third team All-League distinction after averaging 13.3 ppg., 3.9 rpg., and 2.2 apg. Suez was joined on the preseason first team by Jacqueline Batteast (Notre Dame), Jessalyn Deveny (Boston College), Yolanda Paige (WVU), Cappie Pondexter (Rutgers), Ann Strother (Connecticut) and Barbara Turner (Connecticut). After seven games this season, Suez is averaging 14.1 points per game and is shooting 41.8 percent from the field (33-of-79).

VILLANOVA PICKED FIFTH: In the 2004-05 Big East Conference preseason coaches poll, the Villanova Wildcats were chosen to finish fifth in the 12-team member Big East Conference. The following is the coaches order of finish.

1. Connecticut (10)
2. Notre Dame (2)
3. Boston College
4. Rutgers
5. VILLANOVA
6. West Virginia
7. Seton Hall
8. St. John's
9. Syracuse
10. Georgetown
11. Pittsburgh
12. Providence

BIG SHOES TO FILL: Villanova will be hard-pressed to duplicate the success that last year's senior class had during their Main Line careers. The Class of 2004 that included Jeanine Johnson, Courtney Mix and Kelly Nash finished their four-year careers with a 93-28 record, four-straight 20-win seasons, four consecutive NCAA Tournament berths, a Big East championship and a trip to the Elite Eight. As a senior last year, Mix led the team in minutes played (33.6 mpg.), rebounds (7.0 rpg.), assists (4.3 apg.), steals (47), ranked second in blocks (42) and third in scoring (7.7). In addition, she led the country in assist to turnover ratio at 5:1. Nash was the team's top three-point shooter a year ago connecting on 55-of-126 from behind the arc for 43.7 percent. Nash also led the Big East in three-point field goal percentage for just conference games at 44.4 percent. Johnson missed all of last season due to injury.