Villanova junior guard Jasmine Bascoe scored 14 points and dished six assists as the Wildcats rolled past FDU 68-45. The Sunday, Oct. 18, exhibition at Finneran Pavilion was Villanova's only preseason tune-up of the 2026-27 season.
Bascoe, a Big East Preseason All-Team selection, shot 5-for-11 from the field and 2-for-5 from three-point range. The Wildcats shot 49.1 percent as a team, the Villanovan reported.
Two freshmen made an immediate impression off the bench. Ellise Bender and Alexis Eberz each scored nine points on 50 percent shooting. Eberz went a perfect 4-for-4 from the field in the fourth quarter and finished with nine points.
"You just … knew what Lex was going to bring with her competitiveness," head coach Denise Dillon said. "She's just a hard-nosed, old-school basketball player."
Sophomore guard Kennedy Henry grabbed a team-high seven rebounds. Henry, also named to the Big East Preseason All-Team, added muscle and weight over the offseason, the Villanovan reported at Big East Media Day on Oct. 7.
The score was lopsided, but FDU outrebounded Villanova 38-31. The Villanovan attributed the gap in part to the absence of senior forward Brynn McCurry, who tore her ACL again this offseason and will miss the entire 2026-27 season. McCurry has dealt with injuries throughout her career.
Dillon said the team needs to buy in faster on the defensive end.
"Time's ticking," she said.
Villanova trailed 13-10 after the first quarter before ripping off a 13-4 run to open the second and taking a 32-21 halftime lead. The Wildcats held FDU to nine third-quarter points on 15.1 percent shooting, then closed with a 10-for-11 fourth quarter.
The Wildcats, coming off their first NCAA Tournament appearance in three years, are projected nationally as a top-30 team. Their season opener is Nov. 1 against Notre Dame in the Eternal City Tip-Off at Rome's Palazzo dello Sport, NBC Philadelphia reported. The game airs at noon on FS1.
