The Guru WBIT Report: Villanova Tops Saint Joseph’s in Revenge Win; Penn State Also Advances to Face Each Other in WBIT Final Four

By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsguru

VILLANOVA — Back in December when Saint Joseph’s ended a seven-year drought beating Villanova at home in Hagan Arena to become the difference maker for a 4-0 sweep to the Big Five title the triumph became another highlight in a season of history that set program records for best start and most wins (28-6).

Little did neither team, both targeting the NCAA tournament at the time, realize that an encore to one of the City Series’ top rivalries lay ahead in their future.

Thanks to a combination of a new 32-team second tournament, the Women’s Basketball Invitational (WBIT), launched by the NCAA, and stumbles down the stretch in the Big East by ‘Nova and in the Atlantic 10 by the Hawks, the two collided Thursday night in the third round here before an energetic crowd of 2,415 here in the Wildcats’ Finneran Pavilion where the home team avenged the earlier loss with a 67-59 win.

The victory sends ‘Nova (21-12) on to the national semifinals Monday afternoon (2:30 p.m., ESPNU) in Butler’s Hinkley Fieldhouse in Indianapolis against a third local in the field, Penn State, which came alive in the fourth quarter at home in the Bryce Jordan Center to defeat Southeastern Conference representative Mississippi State 92-87.

On the other side of the bracket a potential all-Big Ten final exists (Wed. 7 p.m., ESPN2) if Penn State (22-12) prevails along with Illinois, which won on the road at Tulsa 69-61.

But first the Illini (17-15) must beat Washington State (21-14) of the soon-to-be diminished Pac-12, which edged Mid-American Conference representative Toledo 63-61 at home on Bella Murekatete’s jumper with three seconds left in regulation.

Toledo (28-6) lost a chance to get into overtime when Quinesha Lockett missed a layup as time expired.

The game here evolved much differently than one would have predicted.

For one, Lucy Olsen, third in the nation in scoring behind Iowa’s Caitlin Clark and Southern Cal’s star freshman JuJu Watkins, got two quick fouls and was scoreless in the first half.

But senior Bella Runyon, the daughter of former Eagle John Runyon, known more for defense, put on a dazzling offensive display, tying a career high with 16 points, setting a personal high with a perfect 4-4 from deep.

Olsen came back with 16 in the second half, while Christena Dalce double doubled with 10 points and 10 rebounds, and Zanai Jones also scored 10 points.

 

Being her last home game and the rivalry had Runyon energized for this one.

“Right when we found out that we were playing them, we were like let's go, revenge game,” she said. “This game is usually in November, December, when you're a completely different team and that's what you saw tonight, and that's what we felt going into this game.

“We've learned so much, grown so much since that game, let's get it back.”

Of Runyon, Wildcats coach Denise Dillon said, “I joked with the team after the game, I said '4-for-4 from three, why didn't you get her more looks?’”

Villanova also handled the Hawks’ three-headed front-court attack.

Talya Brugler had 20 points but no rebounds, Laura Ziegler had one if her worst nights, shooting 1-14 with five points, though she dealt five assists and had nine rebounds. Mackenzie Smith had 13 points and seven rebounds, Davidson transfer Chloe Welch ended her productive season with eight points and freshman Gabby Casey scored 11.

Villanova blocked eight shots, though the Hawks seemed they might come back as the previous game between the two, whose campuses are only a few miles apart, when they moved within three points with 6:39 left in regulation.

But then Olsen scored seven straight to regain control.

“Same thing as last time,” Runyon said. “We were up, they inched back, but this time you see the growth and how much we've matured that we were able to sustain that lead.”

Hawks coach Cindy Griffin, completing her 23^rd season at her alma mater, noted of the rivalry played this time of year, familiarity had it positives and negatives.

“Villanova wins their first two games by 15 because they’re unfamiliar opponents and they're better,” she said. “We are more familiar, and we knew what to expect, we just didn't get the production from all of us and we needed that tonight.”

Saint Joseph’s a year ago got upset in the conference quarterfinals and then lost at Seton Hall in a WNIT opener.

The Hawks then worked hard in the offseason, producing one of the finer program efforts, and most everyone returns next season.

Griffin said of Casey, “She's a competitor, she's a gamer,” Griffin said. “Just the growth for her over the course of the year, she gave us so much energy, and she changes the game when she comes in. We're expecting big things from her next year.”

Added Brugler, “I'd say we're ready to start tomorrow. We're excited to get right back at it. We know what this is like and we want more, we have a lot of people returning on our team so that will definitely fuel our fire.”

In the Penn State game, the Lady Lions got 24 points from transfer Ashley Owusu while Makenna Marisa scored 22 points and Leilani Kapinus had a career-high five blocks.

The 22 wins are the best since gaining 24 in 2013-14 a decade ago.

PSU shot 58 percent from the field.

“Really proud of our team,” Penn State coach Carolyn Kieger said. “Excited we got to send our seniors out with their last game in the BJC being a W. Our practices have been elite. Just extremely proud of our leadership, our camaraderie, or chemistry and where this program is headed.”

The tournament was constructed that the first four teams not making March Madness would be the top four seeds in the WBIT and allowed home games the first three rounds leading to the finals.

Three others in each quad were seeded – the Hawks were third but on Sunday won at Cal-Berkeley after beating Seton Hall in the opener.

The only one seed not advancing was James Madison, which replaced Miami, which declined for lack of healthy players.

Ironically, Washington State was here a year ago when the Wildcats hosted the first two rounds in the NCAA tourney as one of the top 16 seeds, but the two teams did not meet.

The Cougars and Oregon State will play the next two seasons in the West Coast Conference, but the school football teams will remain as the only two still under the Pac-12 brand.

The WNIT still exists with a reduced 48-team field, but no locals were involved. 

Here is the complete summary of all the rounds in the WBIT, with Thursday’s games repeated at the bottom.

WBIT RESULTS/SKED

(Thurs-Thurs results – updating Round 3 Results, Finals Schedule)

Way down below the third round Thursday schedule repeated for easy tracking

VILLANOVA QUAD

FIRST ROUND (Thurs: 3-21-24 ESPN+)

7 p.m.

VCU (26-6F) at No.1 Villanova (19-12) W:75-60

7 p.m.

High Point (20-112F) at No. 4 Virginia (16-15) W:81-59

 

SECOND ROUND (Sun: 3-24-24 ESPN+)

2 p.m.

No. 4 Virginia (16-16F) at No. 1 Villanova (20-12) W:73-55

 

FIRST ROUND (Thurs: 3-21-24 ESPN+)

7 p.m.

Seton Hall (17-15F) at No. 3 Saint Joseph’s (27-5) W:54-47

10 p.m.

Hawaii (20-11F) at No. 2 California (19-14) W:65-60

 

SECOND ROUND (Sun: 3-24-24 ESPN+)

4 p.m.

No. 3 Saint Joseph’s (28-5) W:63-61 at No. 2 California (19-15F) 

 

THIRD ROUND (THURS: 3-28-28 ESPN+)

7 p.m.

No. 3 Saint Joseph’s (28-6) at No. 1 Villanova (21-12) W:67-59

 

 

PENN STATE QUAD

 

FIRST ROUND (Thurs: 3-21-24 ESPN+)

6 p.m.

George Mason (23-8) at No. 1 Penn State (20-12) W:84-80 ovt.

4 p.m.

Belmont (26-8) W: 77-59 at No. 4 Ball State (28-6F)

 

SECOND ROUND (Mon: 3-25-24 ESPN+)

6 p.m.

Belmont (26-9F) at No. 1Penn State (21-12) W:74-66

 

FIRST ROUND (Thurs: 3-21-24 ESPN+)

7:30 p.m.

North Texas (23-9F) at No. 3 TCU (21-11) W:67-58

7:30 p.m.

Georgia Tech (17-16) at No. 2 Mississippi State (22-11) W:84-47

 

SECOND ROUND (Sun: 3-24-24 ESPN+)

3 p.m.

No. 3 TCU (21-12F) at No. 2 Mississippi State (23-11) W: 68-61

 

THIRD ROUND (Thurs: 3-28-24 ESPN+)

6 p.m.

No. 2 Mississippi State (23-12F) at No. 1 Penn State (22-12) W:92-87

 

JAMES MADISON QUAD

 

FIRST ROUND (Thurs: 3-21-24 ESPN+)

7 p.m.

Stony Brook (28-4) W:81-70 at No. 1 James Madison (23-12F)

7 p.m.

Missouri State (23-10F) at No. 4 Illinois (15-15) W:74-69

 

SECOND ROUND (Sun: 3-24-24 ESPN+)

3 p.m.

Stony Brook (28-5F) at No. 4 Illinois (16-15) W:79-62

 

FIRST ROUND (Thurs: 3-21-24 ESPN+)

7:30 p.m.

Arkansas (18-15F) at No. 3 Tulsa (24-9) W:80-62

10 p.m.

Georgetown (23-11) W:64-56 at No. 2 Washington (16-15F)

 

SECOND ROUND (Sun: 3-24-24 ESPN+)

3 p.m.

Georgetown (23-12F) at No. 3 Tulsa (25-9) W:73-61

 

THIRD ROUND (Thurs: 3-28-24 ESPN+)

7:30 p.m.

No. 4 Illinois (17-15) W:69-61 at No. 3 Tulsa (25-10F)

 

WASHINGTON STATE QUAD

9 p.m.

FIRST ROUND (Thurs: 3-21-24 ESPN+)

9 p.m.

Lamar (24-7F) at No. 1 Washington State (19-14) W:66-46

9 p.m.

BYU (16-17) at No. 4 Santa Clara (25-8) W:60-59

 

SECOND ROUND (Sun: 3-24-24 ESPN+)

4 p.m.

No. 4 Santa Clara (25-9F) at No. 1 Washington State (20-14) W:73-47

 

FIRST ROUND (Thurs: 3-21-24 ESPN+)

7 p.m.

St. John’s (18-14) W:79-60 at No. 3 Florida (16-16F)

7 p.m.

Cleveland State (29-6F) at No. 2 Toledo (27-5) W:76-68

 

SECOND ROUND (Sun: 3-24-24 ESPN+)

2 p.m.

St. John’s (18-15F) at No. 2 Toledo (28-5) W:72-71

 

THIRD ROUND (Thurs: 3-28-24 ESPN+)

9 p.m.

No.2 Toledo (28-6F) at No. 1 Washington State (21-14) W:63-61

 

Repeating Thursday Third Round Schedule and Tip Times

 

THIRD ROUND (THURS: 3-28-28 ESPN+)

7 p.m.

No. 3 Saint Joseph’s (28-6F) at No. 1 Villanova (21-12) W:67-59

6 p.m.

No. 2 Mississippi State (23-12F) at No. 1 Penn State (22-12) W:92-87

7:30 p.m.

No. 4 Illinois (17-15) W:69-61 at No. 3 Tulsa (25-10F)

9 p.m.

No.2 Toledo (28-6F) at No. 1 Washington State (21-14) W:63-61

 

NATIONAL SEMIFINALS

Monday, April 1

Hinkle Fieldhouse

Indianapolis, Indiana

2:30 p.m. ESPNU

No. 1 Villanova (21-12) vs. No. 1 Penn State (22-12)

4:30 p.m. ESPNU 

No. 1 Washington State (21-14) vs. No. 4 Illinois (17-15)

 

Championship

Wednesday, April 3

7 p.m. ESPN2

No. 1 Villanova or No. 1 Penn State vs. No. 1 Washington State or No. 4 Illinois