University of Massachusets Athletics
Friday, March 19
Charlotte, N.C. (Bojangles Coliseum)
8 p.m.
University of Massachusetts
14-8,7-5Atlantic 10
51
vs
78
Villanova
16-6,9-5Big East
1
2
3
4
F
Massachusetts
12
9
11
19
51
Villanova
25
14
22
17
78
Photo by: Jay Crain
Villanova Tops UMass Women’s Basketball in WNIT First Round
March 19, 2021 | Women's Basketball
CHARLOTTE – Making its first national postseason appearance since 1998, the Massachusetts women's basketball team ran into a Villanova team that shot 54% from three-point range and used a 17-0 first quarter run to jump out to an early lead and top the Minutewomen, 78-51, on Friday night in the WNIT First Round at Bojangles Coliseum.
UMass, continuing its postseason run with just seven active players, will now move to the consolation brackett and will meet Charlotte at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Sam Breen led the Minutewomen with 14 points on the night along with five rebounds and three steals, while Destiney Philoxy added 10 points and five assists and Angelique Ngalakulondi contributed nine points and a team-high eight boards for a UMass team that shot 27% from the floor.
Madison Siegrist was the story for the Wildcats, finishing with 32 points (20 in the first half) on 13-of-18 shooting and six rebounds to help Villanova bolt out to an early advantage. Lior Garzon joined Siegrist in double-figures with 13 points to lead a Wildcat team that shot 51% from the floor and 13-of-24 from three.
After a back and forth opening to the contest, including back-to-back buckets from Makennah White (seven points, six rebounds) that gave UMass an early lead. The Wildcats got hot from there, though, going 6-of-7 from the floor over the next four minutes en route to a 17-0 run and double-digit advantage after 10 minutes of play.
Massachusetts found its footing in the second quarter, limiting Villanova to just 14 points on 36% shooting, but the persistence of the Wildcats on the glass kept the Minutewomen at bay on the offensive end of the floor.
The Wildcats continued to score in spurts into the second half to maintain its lead despite Breen and the Minutewomen fighting to climb back in, with Breen reaching double figures for the 20th time this season and ninth consecutive game.
Friday marked the fourth ever appearance in a national postseason tournament, and second appearance in the WNIT (1995).
UMass, continuing its postseason run with just seven active players, will now move to the consolation brackett and will meet Charlotte at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Sam Breen led the Minutewomen with 14 points on the night along with five rebounds and three steals, while Destiney Philoxy added 10 points and five assists and Angelique Ngalakulondi contributed nine points and a team-high eight boards for a UMass team that shot 27% from the floor.
Madison Siegrist was the story for the Wildcats, finishing with 32 points (20 in the first half) on 13-of-18 shooting and six rebounds to help Villanova bolt out to an early advantage. Lior Garzon joined Siegrist in double-figures with 13 points to lead a Wildcat team that shot 51% from the floor and 13-of-24 from three.
After a back and forth opening to the contest, including back-to-back buckets from Makennah White (seven points, six rebounds) that gave UMass an early lead. The Wildcats got hot from there, though, going 6-of-7 from the floor over the next four minutes en route to a 17-0 run and double-digit advantage after 10 minutes of play.
Massachusetts found its footing in the second quarter, limiting Villanova to just 14 points on 36% shooting, but the persistence of the Wildcats on the glass kept the Minutewomen at bay on the offensive end of the floor.
The Wildcats continued to score in spurts into the second half to maintain its lead despite Breen and the Minutewomen fighting to climb back in, with Breen reaching double figures for the 20th time this season and ninth consecutive game.
Friday marked the fourth ever appearance in a national postseason tournament, and second appearance in the WNIT (1995).
Team Stats
UMass
VU
FG%
.269
.509
3FG%
.000
.542
FT%
.652
.750
RB
37
43
TO
12
18
STL
12
8
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
10
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
6
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
7
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballF
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