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E-Mail: dean.kenefick@villanova.edu
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TEMPLE REPORT: The Owls enter play with a 5-3 overall record and a 1-0 Philadelphia Big Five mark. Temple is coming off an impressive 71-60 win over Rutgers. In the victory, the Owls were paced by senior guard Cynthia Jordan who tallied a game-high 28 points on 5-of-7 shooting, including a 4-of-5 effort from three-point range and a 14-of-17 effort from the foul line. Junior center Candice Dupree had a strong game for the Owls with 16 points, while sophomore forward Kamesha Hairston netted 13 points. Temple made a living at the foul line by connecting on 31-of-41 from the charity stripe. For the game, the Owls shot 52.9 percent from the field (18-of-34) and 50.0 percent from behind the arc (4-of-8). For the year, Temple is averaging 61.9 points per game and allowing 55.6 points per contest. Led by Dupree at 13.8 points per game, the Owls have four players averaging double figures in points. Joining Dupree are Jordan at 13.1 points per game, senior forward Ari Moore at 10.5 points per contest and Hairston at 10.5 points per game.
OWLS HEAD COACH DAWN STALEY: Temple's head coach since the 2000-01 season, Staley has led the Owls to a pair of NCAA Tournaments in her four years atthe helm. In 2002, Temple captured the school's first Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament title and in 2004 she led the Owls to the top of the A-10 East standings with a 14-2 record and Temple's second A-10 Tournament title for her second trip to the Big Dance as a coach. The 2004 Atlantic 10 Conference Coach of the Year and 2002 Philadelphia Big 5 Coach of the Year, Staley currently boasts a 79-50 (.612) recordas the Temple head coach. A three-time WNBA All-Star, Staley helped lead the Sting to the 2001 WNBA Finals despite Charlotte beginning the season with a 1-10 record. In 2003, Staley won the skills competition at the WNBA's All-Star Weekend, edging out Seattle's Sue Bird. Staley is one of just three women in American history to earn three consecutive Olympic basketball gold medals.
CHAMPIONSHIP ASPIRATIONS: A victory against Temple on Tuesday, Dec. 21 will give Villanova its third consecutive Philadelphia Big Five outright championship. The Wildcats enter play on Tuesday with a 3-0 City Series record. In the program's history, Villanova has claimed 10 Big Five championships (six outright/four shared). Villanova won the 2002-03 and 2003-04 titles with perfect 4-0 marks.
BIG FIVE HISTORY: Since beginning Philadelphia Big Five play in 1979, Villanova has compiled a 77-25 all-time record in City Series play for a .754 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 against Penn at The Palestra on Dec. 5.
PHILLY FLAVOR: Villanova will play the last of four-straight games against Philadelphia Big Five competition when the Wildcats play host to Temple on Tuesday, Dec. 21. 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. Villanova also earned a 52-30 road win at Saint Joseph's on Dec. 11.
STREAKING ALONG: Entering play versus Temple on Tuesday, Dec. 21, Villanova has won 11 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 3-0 Big Five start this season after wins at Penn (69-44), at Saint Joseph's (52-30) 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.
PHILLY'S FINEST: Entering play versus Temple on Tuesday, Dec. 21, Villanova head coach Harry Perretta has 494 career wins to his credit. The 494 victories are the most wins in the history of Philadelphia Big Five basketball for both men and women. Current Temple men's coach John Chaney is second with 486 wins. Former Villanova men's mentor Al Severance is third on the list with 417 victories, followed by former Temple men's coach Harry Litwack with 373 and former Villanova men's coach Rollie Massimino with 357.
NOTE: The win totals only represent victories at a Big Five school.
HOME SWEET HOME: Villanova is riding a 14-game home winning streak entering Tuesday's home game versus Temple. The Wildcats were a perfect 12-0 at home last season and are currently 2-0 at The Pavilion this season. Dating back to the 2002-03 campaign, Villanova is 26-2 at home.
LONG LAYOFF: When the Wildcats tip-off against Temple on Tuesday, Dec. 21, it will be Villanova's first game action since the team played at Saint Joseph's on Saturday, Dec. 11. Villanova has been off the last 10 days due to final exams.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE: Sophomore forward Jackie Adamshick tallied Villanova's first double-double of the season in the team's 52-30 win at Saint Joseph's on Dec. 11. In the win, Adamshick recorded 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting (3-of-5 from three-point range) to go with a career-high 11 rebounds. For the year, she is averaging 13.3 points per game and a team-high 6.1 rebounds per contest. In addition, Adamshick is shooting 46.2 percent from the floor (42-of-91) and 45.4 percent from three-point range (15-of-33).
DIFFERENT SCORER, DIFFERENT DAY: On any given day, a number of Wildcats can lead the team in scoring. In Villanova's first eight games, the team has had five different leading scorers. Sophomore forward Jackie Adamshick has been Villanova's leading scorer three times followed by Liad Suez who has led the `Cats on two occasions. Juniors Kate Dessart Mager, Jenna Viani and Betsy McManus have all led the team once in the scoring department.
LEADING THE WAY: Villanova is being led in the scoring department by junior forward Liad Suez who is currently averaging a team-best 14.0 points per game. In her last two games versus LaSalle and Saint Joseph's, she has connected on 12-of-25 (48.0%) from the field, 4-of-10 from the foul line (40.0%) and 6-of-6 from the charity stripe for 34 total points. In her last home game versus LaSalle on Dec. 8, Suez registered her second 20-point scoring performance of the year and seventh of her career with a 21 point effort.
TOUGH BREAK: In Villanova's last outing at Saint Joseph's on Dec. 11, senior forward Jennifer Hilgenberg was on pace for a career game before suffering a sprained ankle that sidelined her for the remainder of the game. In 10 minutes of action before suffering the injury, Hilgenberg tallied nine points on 3-of-3 shooting, including a perfect 1-of-1 effort from three-point range and 2-of-2 effort from the foul line. Hilgenberg is currently averaging 7.6 points per game, 2.8 rebounds per contest and 2.6 assists per game. Hilgenberg's ankle is 100 percent and she will be at full-speed for the Temple contest on Dec. 21.
SCORING 70: Last season, Villanova scored 70 or more points in a game seven times. After eight contests this year, the Wildcats have reached the 70-point mark three times. In its six wins this season, Villanova is averaging 65.8 points per game. By comparison, the Wildcats are averaging just 54.0 points per contest in the two losses. The `Cats are currently 4-0 when scoring 60 or more points this season and 3-0 when tallying 70 or more points.
DOMINANT D: In Villanova's last outing, the Wildcats held Saint Joseph's to just 30 points in the Wildcats 52-30 win. This is the lowest point total for a Villanova opponent since Jan. 19, 1987 when the `Cats defeated Rider by a score of 65-29. Villanova currently ranks second in the latest NCAA stats in scoring defense.
BENCH SUPPORT: Villanova has received a big contribution from its bench all season long. Entering play versus Temple on Tuesday, Dec. 21, the Wildcats have four reserves who are averaging double figures in minutes, including Betsy McManus (24.0 mpg.), Kate Dessart Mager (19.1 mpg.), Stacie Witman (14.4 mpg.) and Courtney Roantree (10.8 mpg.). The team's top two reserves have been Dessart Mager and McManus. Dessart Mager currently leads the team field goal percentage (57.9%) and is second in rebounding (5.5 rpg.) and third in scoring (9.6 ppg.), while McManus leads the squad in steals (9) and is second in assists (24).
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 home game versus LaSalle, junior Kate Dessart Mager scored 23 points, while Suez had 21 points.
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 218 of its last 219 games. So far this season, Villanova is 53-of-148 (35.8%) 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.
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 eight games this season, Suez is averaging 14.0 points per game and is shooting 42.2 percent from the field (38-of-90).
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.
