Villanova women rout St. Joe’s to keep perfect start alive

Earlier in the week, Villanova women’s basketball coach Harry Perretta jokingly said that he did not think the Wildcats’ stay in the national rankings would be long.

Well, that won’t be the case after the No. 24/25 Wildcats whipped Saint Joseph’s, 79-44, Sunday afternoon at the Jake Nevin Field House.

The victory assured that Villanova (7-0 overall, 1-0 Big 5) will remain in the rankings for at least one more week. It was the largest win ever over the Hawks and made the Wildcats 22-4 in their last 26 Big 5 games. It also is the third time in the last 16 seasons that the Wildcats have opened the season with seven consecutive wins. They also started 7-0 in 2002-03 and 2013-14.

The Wildcats led from start to finish and received a huge effort from sophomores Kelly Jekot, Mary Gedaka, Grace Stant and Bridget Herlihy. That quartet combined for 54 points and a combined 22-for-36 from the field (61.1 percent).

Jekot scored a career-high 27 points on 11-for-17 shooting. She also had a game-high six assists, five rebounds, two blocked shots and one steal. Gedaka was 7-for10 from the field and scored 16 points. Jannah Tucker pitched in with 13 points.

Adashia Franklyn scored 10 points to lead the Hawks (5-2, 0-2).

In other women’s action: DREXEL 73, DELAWARE STATE 52 » Senior Kelsi Lidge recorded the first double-double of her career to help the Dragons pull away from the Hornets.

Lidge scored a career-high 17 points and pulled down 10 rebounds. She also handed out three assists. Fellow senior Megan Marecic reached double figures for the third straight game with 13 points. Senior Sara Woods also established a career best with 13 points. She scored seven straight points in the second quarter to turn a 25-22 deficit into a 29-25 lead. Aubree Brown added 12 points. INDIANA (PA.) 86, CHEYNEY 55 » The Crimson Hawks (7-0) scored 26 of the first 35 points and never looked back.

Megan Smith led four IUP players in double figures with 19 points. Gianna Hill netted 10 points for the Wolves

Men’s Basketball

(1-8).

Being on the road bother Indiana (Pa.).

The Crimson Hawks scored the first 11 points of the game and rode that fast start to a 92-67 victory over Cheyney at Cope Hall.

Ayton Hutton of IUP led all scorers with 21 points. Jacobo Diaz pitched in with 15 points and 15 rebounds. Jeff Lewis paced three Cheyney players in double figures with 18 points. Cliff St. Juste added 13 points and Kyle Parker 10. did not