Women's Hoops Blanked 'Nova For Nine Minutes And Nearly Overcame 14-Point Second-Half Deficit

With 11:22 remaining in Sunday's game, Villanova star forward Jackie Adamshick received a pass from teammate Tia Grant and promptly drained a jumper. The Palestra scoreboard tacked on two more points, showing a 48-34 score - the Wildcats' largest lead over the Quakers of the afternoon.

Who would have guessed that Penn would not allow a field goal through the east hoop the rest of the game? Villanova did not sink one more basket for another 10 minutes and 36 seconds.

This was not the same Quakers defense that Delaware trounced for 73 points Wednesday night. Nor was it the same Quakers defense that played Villanova loose on the perimeter, getting lit up for six three-pointers in the first half.

Compensating for a hapless offense that made a habit out of missing layups, the Penn defense stepped up big in the second half.

"I think that the first half was not about Villanova making a lot of threes- it was about number 11 making a lot of threes," Penn coach Pat Knapp said of the Wildcats' Lisa Karcic. "We did not guard her."

Karcic led all scorers in the first half with 15 points, shooting 5-for-8 from the field and 3-for-5 from outside the arc, but tallied only four points the rest of the way.

"Not that we didn't know who [Karcic was] to start with, but I think that guys were much more aware of her popping to the perimeter and not cutting or posting up [in the second half]," Knapp said. "I saw a couple of plays where our guards switched out to play her late in the second. But every time [Villanova] isolated, they didn't score. We zoned them up, and did a great job with that."

Even more impressive than containing Karcic was Penn's defense against Adamshick. Senior Monica Naltner's stifling play held Villanova's star senior in the frontcourt to just 10 points - six below her season average.

Maybe the most significant number, however, is the ratio between Penn's defensive and Villanova's offensive rebounds.

After losing Jennifer Fleischer, the fourth-best rebounder in school history, to graduation last year, rebounding was a leading concern for Knapp. Fleischer's absence has been felt so far, as Penn's defense has failed to dominate the boards. In its last game, the Quakers defense was actually outrebounded by the Delaware offense, 18-21.

Sunday afternoon, however, Penn brought down 26 rebounds to Villanova's three - an 8.67 ratio, more than double their previous best of 4.25 against La Salle.

Now, the Quakers will look to remember what they did right when they roll into Lafayette Thursday night.