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NCAA.com Team of the Week, the Villanova Wildcats entered the Associated Press top-25 rankings for the first time since 2018 at No. 24 after consecutive road wins in week one at Marist (60-38) and then-No. 24 Princeton (69-59).
The Wildcats were led in both games by senior forward Maddy Siegrist, the preseason Big East Conference preseason player of the year, who averaged 26.5 points per game. Siegrist also pulled down 24 rebounds over the two wins and shot 55.5 percent from the field (20-of-36) and 42.8 percent from three-point range (3-of-7). Her best effort of the week came in the win at Princeton, when she had 32 points and 13 rebounds. The 32 points came on 12-of-17 shooting and the double-double was the 39th of her distinguished career at Villanova.
RANKINGS: View the latest women's basketball AP poll
In the key win over Princeton on Friday, Villanova led by as many as 13 points early in the third quarter but saw its lead evaporate in the fourth after a 9-0 scoring run by Princeton which put the Tigers ahead by one. The sides exchanged baskets before Villanova closed the game with a 12-0 run over the final 3:38 to win, as Siegrist had 15 of her points in the second half. Leading by three points, 62-59, Siegrist was fouled on a tough inside turnaround jumper that turned into a three-point play at the line to make it a 65-59 advantage that Princeton was unable to overcome.
In the season-opening win at Marist on Nov. 7, Siegrist returned to her hometown of Poughkeepsie, N.Y. and poured in 21 points while grabbing 11 rebounds. Sophomore forward Christina Dalce added 13 points in the 22-point win.
TOP RETURNERS: Top 10 returning women's basketball players
Villanova, 2-0, will play the first seven games of the season on the road and won't play a game at home in Finneran Pavilion until hosting Big East foe Creighton on Dec. 2. The stretch includes upcoming road contests at Penn (Nov. 17) and Temple (Nov. 20) and three games over Thanksgiving in the Gulf Coast Showcase.
The Wildcats were led in both games by senior forward Maddy Siegrist, the preseason Big East Conference preseason player of the year, who averaged 26.5 points per game. Siegrist also pulled down 24 rebounds over the two wins and shot 55.5 percent from the field (20-of-36) and 42.8 percent from three-point range (3-of-7). Her best effort of the week came in the win at Princeton, when she had 32 points and 13 rebounds. The 32 points came on 12-of-17 shooting and the double-double was the 39th of her distinguished career at Villanova.
RANKINGS: View the latest women's basketball AP poll
In the key win over Princeton on Friday, Villanova led by as many as 13 points early in the third quarter but saw its lead evaporate in the fourth after a 9-0 scoring run by Princeton which put the Tigers ahead by one. The sides exchanged baskets before Villanova closed the game with a 12-0 run over the final 3:38 to win, as Siegrist had 15 of her points in the second half. Leading by three points, 62-59, Siegrist was fouled on a tough inside turnaround jumper that turned into a three-point play at the line to make it a 65-59 advantage that Princeton was unable to overcome.
In the season-opening win at Marist on Nov. 7, Siegrist returned to her hometown of Poughkeepsie, N.Y. and poured in 21 points while grabbing 11 rebounds. Sophomore forward Christina Dalce added 13 points in the 22-point win.
TOP RETURNERS: Top 10 returning women's basketball players
Villanova, 2-0, will play the first seven games of the season on the road and won't play a game at home in Finneran Pavilion until hosting Big East foe Creighton on Dec. 2. The stretch includes upcoming road contests at Penn (Nov. 17) and Temple (Nov. 20) and three games over Thanksgiving in the Gulf Coast Showcase.
RANKINGS 📊: Who sits atop the latest AP poll?
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