Villanova Wins City Series Opener at Palestra, Topping Penn, 99-89; VU Makes 1st 23 FTs

by Craig Dimitri
E-mail: novaviewpoint@yahoo.com

The Wildcats took on the Penn Quakers at the glorious Palestra on Saturday night, and it was a good outcome for Villanova - the Wildcats triumphed 99-89. In a remarkable feat, the Wildcats converted the first 23 free throws they attempted, a major reason why they just missed the century mark. They also forced 25 Penn turnovers, 17 of which came during the first half.

Four Wildcats reached double figures - Curtis Sumpter (28 points), Mike Nardi (19 points), Shane Clark (16 points), and Scottie Reynolds (11 points). For Penn, Mark Zoller, a graduate of St. Joseph's Prep (as is VU freshman Reggie Redding), scored a career-high 33 points to lead the Quakers.

Villanova improved to 1-0 City Series, 6-1 overall, while Penn fell to 0-1 City Series, 4-3 overall. The Wildcats will now travel to Norman, Oklahoma, to face the nationally-ranked Sooners on Wednesday, December 6.

Questions? Comments? Information? You can contact Craig Dimitri at novaviewpoint@yahoo.com.