After earning its longest winning streak of the season Sunday, Marquette women’s basketball saw it come to an end Friday night falling to the Villanova Wildcats in overtime by a score of 74-63 at Finneran Pavilion.
It is just the third time in the Megan Duffy Era that the Golden Eagles have lost a game after leading at halftime.
Marquette came out firing from deep in the first quarter, knocking down two 3-pointers within the first five minutes. Then the Golden Eagles’ offense would then go cold as the Wildcats defense held them scoreless over the next few minutes heading into the under-five media timeout.
Despite its scoring drought, Marquette held a 23-17 lead heading into the second quarter.
A game that was back and forth throughout, and one in which Marquette led by as much as eight, finished regulation in dramatic fashion before Villanova took control in overtime.
Junior guard Antwainette Walker scored four early points in the second quarter for the Golden Eagles. Both teams would then go onto trade blows until the 2:07 mark of the frame.
As the case was in the first quarter, Villanova held Marquette scoreless over the final minutes of the frame bringing their deficit to four 35-31 heading into halftime.
The Golden Eagles had a balanced scoring effort in the first half with five players scoring six or more points. Meanwhile for Villanova, junior forward Maddie Siegrist had 18 first half points.
After earning an early basket to begin the third quarter, the Golden Eagles followed with an over five minute scoreless stretch. During that span, the Wildcats used a 6-0 scoring run to tie the game at 39 forcing Duffy to call a timeout.
Coming out of the timeout, senior forward Chloe Marotta attacked the rim and was fouled, making the shot before finishing the and-one. Later in the period graduate student Karissa McLaughlin fouled Siegrist with 10 seconds left in the quarter. Siegrist then went 2-for-2 at the line to bring the Wildcats within three of the Golden Eagles e going into the fourth.
Both teams would experience scoreless droughts in the fourth quarter. Villanova came within one with 3:01 to go in regulation after graduate student forward Briana Herlihy hit a 3-pointer. Then with 2.2 seconds left in the frame, McLaughlin was sent to the line for two free-throws with the score 57-56 Marquette.
The Purdue transfer went 1-for-2 at the charity stripe to move the lead to 58-56, giving Villanova an opportunity to tie or win the game.
Following its timeout, Villanova fed the ball into Siegrist’s hands. Then with 0.9 seconds remaining Siegrist drew the foul on Marotta and would go 2-for-2 at the line tying the game at 58.
Villanova carried its momentum into overtime, outscoring Marquette 14-3 in the frame to earn the come from behind victory. Siegrist finished with 10 points in the extra period online.
Siegrist finished the game with a career-high 42 points and 13 rebounds.
Overall Villanova went 26-for-62 from the field and 6-21 from three-point range.
Marquette was led on the night by junior guard Jordan King who had 14 points, four rebounds and four assists on the night.
Marotta finished with 13 points, 13 rebounds and six assists on the night. It is Marotta’s fifth career double-double.
As a team, the Golden Eagles shot 25-for-66 from the field and 3-for-10 from 3-point range.
Marquette (17-6, 10-4 BIG EAST) will now return to the Al McGuire Center to host No. 8 UConn on Sunday. Tip-off is scheduled for 1:30 pm CST and can be streamed on FOX.
This article was written by Ben Schultz. He can be reached at benjamin.a.schultz@marquette.edu or on Twitter @benschultz52.