Women's Basketball | December 20, 2021

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The La Salle women's basketball team will host Big 5 rival Villanova on Tuesday, Dec. 21 at Tom Gola Arena. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m.
 
SCOUTING THE EXPLORERS:

• La Salle (7-4) hosts Big 5 rival Villanova (5-5) at home in Tom Gola Arena on Tuesday, Dec. 21 at 1 p.m. La Salle is currently 1-0 in Big 5 play having defeated Penn at the Palestra back in Nov. This will be the first Big 5 contest at home for the Explorers this season.
• The Explorers return to the court following a 72-44 victory against Sacred Heart over the weekend. The 28-point difference marked the largest margin of victory for La Salle this season. The team's 31-point lead in the fourth frame also marks its largest lead over an opponent this season.
• La Salle has out-rebounded four of its 11 opponents this season and recorded a new season-high margin of +13 in the contest against Sacred Heart. The Explorers are currently averaging 16.2 turnovers per game while forcing an average of 19.7 per game from their opponents for a +3.5 margin, ranking first in the conference.
• Gabby Crawford saw action for the first time in a La Salle uniform over the weekend. The junior transfer paced the Explorers in the contest with a season-high 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting (5-of-6 FT).
• Kayla Spruill had just her second single-digit scoring game of the season. Spruill and Jordon Lewis combined for a team-high seven rebounds apiece, a new season-high for Lewis.
• Crawford, Spruill and Claire Jacobs are all averaging double-digit points for the Explorers.
• As a group La Salle is shooting 36.3% from the field, 30.8% from the long range and 79.6% from the line. 

SCOUTING THE WILDCATS:

• Villanova returns to the court following a nine-day hiatus. The Wildcats last game took place at home on Dec. 11. The team tallied a 56-52 upset over No. 23 Oregon State.
• Junior forward Maddy Siegrist returned to the court with a bang this season after missing six games due to injury. Siegrist earned a double-double (36 points and 17 rebounds) in her first game out against James Madison and followed it up with a 28-point performance against Oregon State.
• Sophomore forward Lior Garzon has been a consistent double-digit scorer for Villanova this season. Garzon is currently the Wildcats second leading scorer averaging 14.4 points per game. She is leading Villanova in three-point field goals made with 23 this season. The sophomore has recorded double-digits in eight of Villanova's 10 games this season including three contests of 20 points or more.
• Brooke Mullin leads the way for Villanova in assists with 27 followed by Lucy Olsen with 26 and Brianna Herlihy with 24. Villanova has recorded an assist on 145 of its 214 made field goals this season.
• Herlihy, the Wildcats most experience player, currently ranks third on the team in scoring with 10.8 points per game. The graduate student is second in rebounding with 7.6 per contest.

SERIES HISTORY:

• La Salle faces Big 5 foe Villanova for the 51st time in program history. La Salle trails in the all-time series against the Wildcats 9-41.
• The Explorers have not won a game at home against Villanova since Dec. 1, 1999. Five of La Salle's nine victories against the Wildcats have come at home. The Blue & Gold are currently on a 14-game losing streak in the all-time series with its last victory coming in 2008.
• La Salle traveled to Finnernan Pavilion last Dec. dropping its first Big 5 contest of the 2021-21 season 78-52.
• Claire Jacobs paced the Explorers with 16 points and seven rebounds while Molly Masciantonio accounted for 10 points.