A clutch shooting effort propels No. 23 Villanova past Belmont, 83-80 at the Gulf Coast Showcase

Behind a balanced team effort, No. 23 Villanova escaped a late comeback from Belmont, coming away with an 83-80 victory over the Bruins in the first round of the Gulf Coast Showcase in Naples, Fla.

Leading by 17 in the third quarter, Villanova (5-0) star forward Maddy Siegrist took a seat with her third foul. In her absence, the Wildcats extended the lead to 21, but over the next 10 minutes, Belmont (1-4) took advantage, chipping away until the game was tied at 70 with six minutes to play.

The teams went back and forth with intense defensive play and clutch free-throw shooting in the final minutes, but the Wildcats ultimately came out on top.

Villanova was paced by Siegrist who finished with 29 points and three rebounds, marking the first time she has not recorded a double-double this season. The senior also added a season-high five steals.

Sophomore guard Lucy Olsen chipped in 20 points to go along with four assists, while junior Maddie Burke added 11 points on three 3-pointers.

Belmont had four players in double figures led by Sydni Harvey who finished with 24 points, including six three-pointers. Tuti Jones and Destinee Wells added 16 points each.

Coming off of a 74-71 win over Temple last week in which Siegrist was the only Wildcat to score in double digits with her 41-point effort, the Wildcats saw a much more balanced offense on Friday afternoon.

Along with the three Wildcats in double figures, junior Bella Runyan and sophomore Christina Dalce each added eight points. Villanova shot 72.4% from the field, including 70% from three, in the first half, to score 53 points — a season-high for points in a single half. The Bruins upped the intensity on the defensive end in the second half, holding the Wildcats to just 36% from the field, 25% from distance and 30 points.

With 19.2 seconds remaining, Olsen drew a foul on the in-bounds possession, sending her to the line for two. The sophomore knocked down both to take an 81-78 lead, preventing the Bruins from tying with two free throws on the ensuing possession.

With the win, Villanova advances to the semifinals of the Gulf Coast Showcase for a Top 25 matchup against No. 21 Baylor (5 p.m., FloHoops). The Bears beat Saint Louis, 92-58, in the first round on Friday morning.