The Guru’s Local NCAAW Report: Princeton Surges in Second Half for 16th Straight Series Win; Drexel Takes Sixth Straight; Perretta Being Honored at Villanova

 By Mel Greenberg @womhoopsgurux

PRINCETON, N.J. – After Courtney Banghart had built Princeton into a force of national relevance, Mike McLaughlin came down from Division II Holy Family in Northeast Philadelphia to Penn and ultimately in the last decade grew the Quakers into standing toe-to-toe with the Tigers and capturing a few Ivy titles.

But after Banghart left for North Carolina and the Power 4 world of the Atlantic Coast Conference, Carla Berube took over and has stymied several league rivals the way her alma mater No. 1 UConn has owned the Big East in both incarnations as well as its time in the American Conference.

Though some games came close, like last month’s six-point loss in the league opener at The Palestra, No. 23 Princeton has been perfect against Penn in Berube’s seven seasons.

For a while here Friday night in Jadwin Gym, the Quakers looked like the revival against Columbia last weekend following the demoralizing loss the previous night to Cornell would continue when Penn (13-8, 3-5) closed the half on a 13-2 run and 30-28 lead.

But that was the high-water mark for the visitors.

The Tigers (19-2, 7-1), who have let many teams this season hang around until the stretch of the fourth quarter, erupted out of the break, taking the next ten minutes with a 24-13 advantage and kept the foot on the gas 17-7 in the final period for a 69-50 victory.

Princeton’s Olivia Hutcherson had 19 points, shooting 8-for-12 from the field with seven rebounds and five steals, while Skye Belker had 16 points, propelled by 4-for-7 makes from deep, and Madison St. Rose, injured during last Friday’s home loss to Columbia, scored 15 points.

On Penn’s side, 16 was the number of the night, the Quakers’ 16th straight loss in the series, including the 14-0 shutout since Berube arrived, and also the double-digit number of points collected by Simone Sawyer and Mataya Gayle in the contest.

Tina Njike had nine points and 10 boards.

“It’s helpful when you only have one game to prepare for during the week,” Berube said, while looking forward to next weekend’s revenge visit to Columbia, Friday, and Cornell, Saturday.

Penn is on the reverse side of that road trip, looking for revenge Friday night 6 p.m. (ESPN+) at Cornell in Ithaca, N.Y., and then looking for a sweep of Columbia Saturday night at Levien Gym at 6 p.m. (ESPN+) off Broadway on New York City’s Upper West Side.

“We harp on every single game, especially at home, that we are going to get every team’s best,” said Toby Nweke, who started for the Tigers at forward and had seven points, four rebounds, and four assists.

The Tigers had the defensive touch, particularly in the fourth quarter, limiting Penn to 2-of-13 from the field.

“I had been looking for that,” Berube said of the second half performance. “It wasn’t anything we talked about at halftime other than let’s play the way we are capable of playing.

“Part of that great defense is you are taking good shots on the offensive ends and not letting them get out in transition on us.”

Drexel Win Sixth Straight

In the only other game on the Guru’s nightly national/local awareness chart, the Dragons (14-7, 7-3) at home in the Daskalakis Athletic Center took care of business quickly in their Coastal Athletic Association game with Hampton (9-13, 3-7) soaring to an 18-0 lead and rolling to an all-time series best 75-42 victory topping the previous 21-point differential triumph on December 5, 2015.

The margin of victory was Drexel’s widest since topping UNCW by 33 points on Feb. 4, 2022 and is tied for the sixth widest in conference play since joining the CAA, previous known prior to last season as the Colonial Athletic Association.

Amaris Baker made 10 shots from the field and scored 24 points with five rebounds and four assists.

Laine McGurk had 10 points, four rebounds, and dished four assists, while Deja Evans scored 11 points.

Grace O’Neill had three points, eight boards and five assists, making the senior the first in program history with 600 career points, 600 rebounds, and 350 assists.

Next up is a Sunday visit from Monmouth, completing the two-game series at 1 p.m. on FloCollege.

Perretta Honored as Villanova Looks to Keep Streaking in the Big East

Retired longtime Wildcats coach Harry Perretta, who has been doing analysis on conference broadcasts since he stepped down from a 42-year career (1978-2020) with a record 783-489, will be honored at halftime Saturday of the Villanova home game, which tips off at 2 p.m. against Georgetown in Finneran Pavilion.

He is being enshrined in the arena’s front area with a plaque, the equivalent of when a player’s jersey is retired.

Villanova (18-5, 11-3) is coming into the game fresh off Wednesday’s 67-57 road victory at Butler (9-14, 3-10) in Indianapolis in which Jasmine Bascoe scored 27 points and dealt five assists.

Kennedy Henry and Brynn McCurry each scored 12 points.

The Wildcats hold a one-game lead over Seton Hall with the tiebreaker. The Pirates Saturday are at St. John’s.

Rider and Delaware Gain Wins

On Thursday, two locals played, Rider (5-17, 3-10) at home in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) game at Alumni Gym in Lawrenceville, N.J., rallied from a double-digit deficit to win 71-60 over Manhattan (5-17, 5-8) as Aliya McIver had a career-high 31 points.

The Broncs were down 31-16 before the break and eventually launching a comeback victory.

“Our energy was great, the bench was great, and it was a great team win,” said first-year coach Jackie Hartzell. “I prefer not to fall behind like that, but we keep fighting.”

Said McIver of her night, “My teammates just set me up. There were a lot of good screens, and I had the hot hand, so they kept finding me.”

Rider on Saturday is up at Merrimack at noon in suburban Boston, the game on the regional NESN Network and ESPN+.

The 1-2 punch at the top of the MAAC on Wednesday kept winning. Quinnipiac (19-4,14-0), which recently won at two-time defending champion Fairfield (9-4, 13-1) to move into first, took a 73-55 victory at Canisius paced by 16 points from Anna Foley, while the Stags at home blasted Marist 109-48 as Meghan Andersen was 8-for-10 from deep and finished with 40 points.

On Saturday, at 1p.m. Fairfield hosts Iona at 1 p.m. while Quinnipiac is at Niagara at 2 p.m., both games on ESPN+.

Delaware (11-11, 5-5), playing in the Blue Hens’ debut season in Conference USA on the road in Atlanta beat Kennesaw State 65-60 in overtime.

Safi Kolliegbo had 18 points for the winning visitors while Ande’A Cherisier had 16 points and 12 rebounds.

On Saturday, Delaware is at Jacksonville State in Florida at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN+.

Penn State Ends Big Ten Winless Streak

Catching up with Wednesday’s local games, no one played Monday or Tuesday, Penn State (8-15, 1-11) finally gained a conference triumph winning 85-82 in overtime over Purdue at West Lafayette, Ind.

Gracie Merkle, back in the lineup for the Lady Lions, had 19 points, shooting 6-for-7 from the field, and grabbing 20 rebounds, while Rutgers transfer and reserve Kiyomi McMiller had 30 points, shooting 10-for-19 from the field.

Moriah Murray had 15 points, and Tea Cleante scored 10 points.

Rutgers (9-14, 1-11), out West was routed 96-46 at No. 2 UCLA (22-1, 12-0), in Los Angeles, the Bruins getting 17 points from Kiki Rice and seven rebounds, while Gabriela Jaquez scored 14 points, and Lauren Betts had 11 points.

Lauryn Swann had 14 points for the Scarlet Knights.

On Saturday Penn State hosts No. 12 Michigan State at 1 p.m. (B1G+) in Rec Hall while on Sunday Rutgers hosts Minnesota at noon (B1G+) at Jersey Mike’s Arena in Piscataway, N.J.

The two longtime rivals — Penn State and Rutgers — are tied for last in the Big Ten, but at the moment the Scarlet Knights have the tiebreak off a four-point road win over the Lady Lions with a second to be played later this month in New Jersey.

In the Atlantic 10, Wednesday, Saint Joseph’s (15-7, 6-5) challenged league leader Rhode Island (20-2, 11-0) most of the night on the road at Kingston, but the Rams ultimately prevailed 69-61 setting a program record with its 14th straight win besides sweeping the season series with the Hawks.

Aleah Snead had 24 points with nine boards for the visitors while Gabby Casey had 17 points with nine rebounds.

Rhode Island’s Brooklyn Gray had 21 points.

La Salle (12-11, 5-7) at home in the John E. Glaser Arena, struggled with poor shooting and foul trouble to lose 68-60 to Dayton (12-11, 5-7).

Four of five starters scored in double figures for the Flyers, led by Molly O’Riordan with 16 points.

Ashleigh Connor had 17 points for the Explorers while Joan Quinn scored 13, and Aryss Macktoon had 10 points and 12 rebounds. Freshman Amiya Moses had seven blocks.

On Saturday, at 1 p.m. La Salle hosts Fordham, while at 2 p.m. Saint Joseph’s hosts Dayton at Hagan Arena, both games on ESPN+.

George Mason, which is on a record-setting conference start without a loss but a game in the win column behind URI, is at preseason favorite Richmond at 6 p.m. on ESPN+.

In the Patriot League on Wednesday, Lafayette (8-14, 4-7) on the road was routed 62-46 at preseason favorite and first place Navy (15-6, 10-1) in Annapolis, Md.

Talia Zurinski had 12 points, Teresa Kiewiet had 11 points and 10 rebounds for the visiting Leopards, while Maddison Krugg had 13 boards.

Navy’s Zanai Barnett-Gay had 20 points and 13 rebounds.

Lehigh (11-10, 7-4) at home in Stabler Arena in Bethlehem, Pa., edged Loyola of Maryland 63-62 completing the season series with a sweep of the Greyhounds (5-6, 9-12).

Whitney Lind had 17 points for the Mountain Hawks, while Belle Bramer scored 11, Lily Fandre had 14 points and Katie Hurt had a career-high 10 points.

On Saturday, Lafayette hosts Army at the Kirby Sports Center in Easton, Pa., at 2 p.m. and Lehigh hosts Holy Cross at 4 p.m., both on ESPN+.

Temple, which has been off since last Saturday’s win at Tulane, on Saturday hosts North Texas at 2 p.m. (ESPN+) at the Liacouras Center.