PHILADELPHIA – The Saint Joseph's women's basketball team (1-3, 0-1 Big 5) stumbled on Saturday against Villanova (1-2. 1-0 Big 5), 55-39.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• It was a defensive first 5:11 of the opening period with the Hawks on top 5-4. SJU took the next four points and held an 11-8 lead after one. Four different Hawks recorded a point in the frame and the SJU defense forced eight turnovers.
• The Wildcats tallied nine of the first 12 points over the first 5:00 of the second period before the teams split the next 20 at 10 apiece for a 27-24 Nova lead at the half.
• Villanova held the upper hand for most of the third stanza, including a 17-4 run in a 6:59 span before the Hawks called timeout. St. Joe's tallied the final points of the frame for a 46-34 Wildcats' lead.
• The visitors held a 9-5 scoring differential in the final period for a 55-39 win.

BEHIND THE BOX SCORE:

• St. Joe's went 13-of-52 (25.0%) from the floor, 3-of-11 (27.3%) from deep, and 10-of-12 (83.3%) from the line compared to Villanova's 19-of-47 (40.4%) overall, 2-of-11 (18.2%) from long range, and 15-of-21 (71.4%) from the free throw line.
• Villanova won the rebounding (35-32) and turnover (16-17) battles.
• Rookie Mackenzie Smith led the Hawks in scoring with eight points.
• Freshman Talya Brugler corralled a career high eight rebounds.
• Rookie Julia Nyström made the first start of her career. 

UP NEXT:
St. Joe's heads to Katy, Texas for the Van Chancellor Classic.