NCAA 2ND ROUND RECAP: #4 Villanova vs #12 FGCU

Villanova, PA- #12 seed FGCU (33-4) saw their season come to an end Monday night, as they fell to #4 seed Villanova University (30-6), 76-57, in the 2nd round of March Madness, from Finneran Pavilion.

Stats (#12 FGCU):

#12 FGCU shot 35.6% (21/59) from the field, 33.3% (7/21) from beyond the arc, and were outrebounded 42-30 by Villanova. The Eagles dished out 12 assists, had 1 steal, and 2 blocks in the game. #12 FGCU forced 10 Villanova team turnovers, while 14 having team turnovers of their own.

Stats (#4 NOVA):

#4 Villanova shot 47.8% (32/67) from the field, 22.7% (5/22) from beyond the arc, and outrebounded FGCU 42-30. The Wildcats dished out 19 assists, had 5 steals, and 8 blocks in the game. #4 Villanova forced 14 FGCU team turnovers, while 10 having team turnovers of their own.

Outstanding Players (#12 FGCU):

Sha Carter 11 pts, 6 reb

Alyza Winston 10 pts, 3 reb

Uju Ezeudu 9 pts, 9 reb

Outstanding Players (#4 NOVA):

Maddy Siegrist 31 pts, 6 reb

Lucy Olsen 23 pts, 10 reb

Brooke Mullin 7 pts, 5 asts, 4 reb

Overview:

#12 FGCU was led offensively by Sha Carter, who finished with 11 points. The Eagles couldn’t get much going again from beyond the arc, and the flow to the offense was halted due to a tough defensive team in Nova. Alyza Winston (10 points), and Uju Ezeudu (9 points, 9 rebounds) also had moments in the game where they hit some big shots.

The Eagles impressive season finally came to an end Monday night from Finneran Pavilion. #12 FGCU ran into a terrific team in #4 Villanova, with a likely top WNBA pick in Maddy Siegrist, who could not be stopped by the Eagles. Maddy finished with a game high 31 points, and did it all in the game for the Wildcats. Lucy Olsen finished with a double-double of 23 points, and 10 rebounds, while shooting 3/5 from beyond the arc.

While it’s disappointing that the season is over, this FGCU team gave us so many special moments to enjoy, and with the many departures of this team leaving Fort Myers, we can’t wait to see how Coach Smesko retools and reloads for next season. Winston, Antenucci, Bartram, and Ezeudu return next season, and while we have entered the off-season today, we can’t wait for the first official practice, and to see the Eagles reunite for another year with all eyes looking for a return to March Madness.