In front of a loud packed home crowd, Marquette women’s basketball defeated a challenging Villanova Wildcats team 57-52 Sunday afternoon on ‘We Back Pat’ Alzheimer’s Awareness Game.
Despite only making two 3-pointers the entire game, it was the Golden Eagles who showed strong defensive post presence and performance in the paint. Here’s a quick breakdown of the Golden Eagles’ third straight win:
Game MVP
Redshirt junior forward Lauren Van Kleunen had the type of game the Golden Eagles needed to remain in the top half of BIG EAST standings. Van Kleunen tied a season-high 19 points on 7-for-16 shooting.
In 33 minutes of play, the Mason, Ohio native also put up 11 rebounds, two assists and one steals. The Villanova game is the first time this season that Van Kleunen finished with a double-double.
“(Head coach Megan) Duffy talks about being relentless on the boards and I think that was a big key today,” Van Kleunen said. “I was just trying to be as active as I could out there.”
Notes
- Marquette remains undefeated at home in conference play. Going 2-0 on the weekend at home is as important as a road win in the eyes of Duffy.
- The Golden Eagles outscored the Wildcats 40-22 in the paint.
- Despite Villanova holding junior guard Selena Lott scoreless until the 0:35 mark of the fourth quarter, the New York native had a career-high 10 assists on the afternoon.
- In the final quarter, MU’s defense held Villanova to 23% shooting from the floor.
- Marquette is now in a two-way tie with Butler for second-place. The Golden Eagles were projected to finish ninth in the Preseason BIG EAST Rankings.
Quote of the Day
“I like where they are all at, I have no complaints about my young pups,” Duffy said about her first-year player’s performances.
Next Up
Marquette (15-5, 6-3 BIG EAST) will remain home to finish a four-game homestand as they host the Providence Friars Friday night at 7 p.m.
