Jasmine Bascoe’s big night sends Villanova to second straight WBIT Final Four appearance
Bascoe finished with 20 points, five rebounds, and eight assists, and Villanova will face Belmont on Monday in Indianapolis.
Maddie Burke (center) and her team celebrate Villanova's 71-61 victory over Portland in their WBIT quarterfinals.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
by Katie Lewis
Published
In the last game at the Finneran Pavilion this season, Villanova went out with a 71-61 victory over Portland in the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament quarterfinals on Thursday night.
Freshman guard Jasmine Bascoe led No. 4 seed Villanova (21-14) with 20 points, five rebounds, and eight assists. Sophomore guard Maddie Webber added 16 points on 6-for-8 shooting from the field.
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“We have so many girls that this was their last home game, so just knowing that, we want to keep going for them and to keep playing,” Bascoe said. “This is a big accomplishment, so we wanted to get this done.”
The Wildcats clinched a spot in the semifinals for a second consecutive season and will face Belmont on Monday in Indianapolis (2:30 p.m., ESPNU). Belmont beat James Madison, 90-45, on Thursday.
“It’s amazing,” Villanova coach Denise Dillon said. “There’s some things you can never project looking ahead, and I just couldn’t be more proud of this group for coming together and continuing to get better as the season progressed. I felt the energy and was feeding off of that.”
Wire to wire
The unseeded Pilots defeated Stanford and Seton Hall to reach the quarterfinals. But Villanova limited Portland to 38.5% shooting from the field. Graduate guard Emme Shearer led the Pilots with 17 points.
Villanova shot 45.2% from the field, while making 26.3% of its threes.
“[Villanova] hit timely shots,” Portland coach Michael Meek said. “I felt like they’re a really good team. I’m also really proud of our team for being on the road right now and being able to keep up with a team like that. We’ve had a lot of awesome experiences out of [the WBIT] that we wouldn’t have otherwise.”
Jasmine Bascoe of Villanova goes up for a shot against Portland during the first half of their WBIT quarterfinal game on March 27, 2025, at the Finneran Pavilion at Villanova University.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Jaliyah Green, left, of Villanova avoids Portland's trapping defense and passes to teammate Maddie Burke during the first half of their WBIT quarterfinal game on March 27, 2025, at the Finneran Pavilion at Villanova University.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Lara Edmanson, center, of Villanova fights for a rebound against Lainey Spear, left, and Emme Shearer of Portland during the first half of their WBIT quarterfinal game on March 27, 2025, at the Finneran Pavilion at Villanova University.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Coach Denise Dillon of Villanova huddles the team before their game against Portland in the WBIT quarterfinal game on March 27, 2025, at the Finneran Pavilion at Villanova University.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Jaliyah Green of Villanova goes up for a shot against Alexis Mark of Portland during the first half of their WBIT quarterfinal game on March 27, 2025, at the Finneran Pavilion at Villanova University.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Coach Denise Dillon of Villanova on the sidelines during the first half of their WBIT quarterfinal game on March 27, 2025, at the Finneran Pavilion at Villanova University.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Ryanne Allen, left, of Villanova and. Alexis Mark of Portland collide during the first half of their WBIT quarterfinal game on March 27, 2025, at the Finneran Pavilion at Villanova University.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Maddie Webber, right, of Villanova and Rhyan Mogel of Portland collide during the first half of their WBIT quarterfinal game on March 27, 2025, at the Finneran Pavilion at Villanova University.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Maddie Webber of Villanova shoots over Portland defenders during the 2nd half of their WBIT quarterfinal game on March 27, 2025, at the Finneran Pavilion at Villanova University.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Jasmine Bascoe, right, of Villanova drives to the basket against Alexis Mark of Portland during the first half of their WBIT quarterfinal game on March 27, 2025, at the Finneran Pavilion at Villanova University.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Denae Carter, right, of Villanova blocks a shot by Alexis Mark of Portland during the 2nd half of their WBIT quarterfinal game on March 27, 2025, at the Finneran Pavilion at Villanova University.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Jasmine Bascoe, right, of Villanova collides with Emme Shearer of Portland during the first half of their WBIT quarterfinal game on March 27, 2025, at the Finneran Pavilion at Villanova University.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Coach Michael Meek of Portland has words for an official during the 2nd half of their WBIT quarterfinal game on March 27, 2025, at the Finneran Pavilion at Villanova University.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Coach Denise Dillon, right, of Villanova has some instructional words for Jasmine Bascoe during their game against Portland in a WBIT quarterfinal game on March 27, 2025, at the Finneran Pavilion at Villanova University.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
JasmineBascoe, right, of Villanova shoots against Emme Shearer of Portland during their WBIT quarterfinal game on March 27, 2025, at the Finneran Pavilion at Villanova University.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Jasmine Bascoe, left, of Villanova goes up for a basket against Ryan Mogel of Portland during the 2nd half of their WBIT quarterfinal game on March 27, 2025, at the Finneran Pavilion at Villanova University.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Jasmine Bascoe of Villanova is congratulated by teammates after a Villanova run forced Portland to call a timeout during the 2nd half of their WBIT quarterfinal game on March 27, 2025, at the Finneran Pavilion at Villanova University.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
The Villanova bench celebrates after a 3-pointer against Portland during the 2nd half of their WBIT quarterfinal game on March 27, 2025, at the Finneran Pavilion at Villanova University.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
With less than a minute to go in the game, senior Kaitlyn Orihell, right, of Villanova is given a hug by Coach Denise Dillon as she is removed from their WBIT quarterfinal game on March 27, 2025, at the Finneran Pavilion at Villanova University.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
With less than a minute to go in the game, graduate student Maddie Burke, right, of Villanova is given a hug by Coach Denise Dillon as she is removed from their WBIT quarterfinal game on March 27, 2025, at the Finneran Pavilion at Villanova University.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
With less than a minute to go in the game, graduate students, Maddie Burke, left, and Bronagh Power-Cassidy of Villanova is given hugs by the coaching staff as they are removed from their WBIT quarterfinal game on March 27, 2025, at the Finneran Pavilion at Villanova University.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Maddie Burke, center, and Villanova celebrate after their 71-61 victory over Portland in their WBIT quarterfinal game on March 27, 2025, at the Finneran Pavilion at Villanova University.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Jasmine Bascoe and Villanova celebrate after their 71-61 victory over Portland in their WBIT quarterfinal game on March 27, 2025, at the Finneran Pavilion at Villanova University.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Maddie Burke, center, and Villanova celebrate after their 71-61 victory over Portland in their WBIT quarterfinal game on March 27, 2025, at the Finneran Pavilion at Villanova University.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Villanova established an early lead with an 8-0 first-quarter run.
The Wildcats forced 12 Pilots turnovers in the first half, which resulted in an additional eight points. Portland committed 20 turnovers overall.
Villanova went into the locker room ahead, 36-24, and did not let up.
Bascoe makes program history
With four against Portland, Bascoe broke Villanova’s program record for most steals by a freshman. She has 65 total on the season.
The freshman guard scored just four points in the first half, while contributing seven assists. She heated up in the second half, dropping 16 points on 7-for-12 shooting.
“[Bascoe’s] court vision is tremendous,” Dillon said. “And then just that scoring ability. When you’re impacting every possession, it’s really hard to stop.”
Bascoe topped an 11-0 Villanova run early in the fourth quarter with a shot in the paint to put the Wildcats up, 64-46.
Seniors go out strong
It was a matter of sealing the win in the fourth quarter for Villanova.
A pair of free throws from junior guard Ryanne Allen increased the deficit to 67-48, Villanova’s largest lead of the game, with 5 minutes, 8 seconds remaining.
It was the final game at the Finneran Pavilion for five graduating players: graduate guard Maddie Burke, senior guard Kaitlyn Orihel, graduate guard Bronagh Power-Cassidy, graduate forward Lara Edmanson, and senior guard Jaliyah Green.
“Kaitlyn and Jaliyah, we couldn’t even take out of the game,” Dillon said. “We kept her out on the floor so she finished. To know that it’s the absolute last time you can be playing at home, it was for them to take advantage of and these young ones to play for them. So I couldn’t be happier.”
