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Highlights by Eric Kerr Follow @EricMKerr

Story by Quinton Hamilton Follow @Quade1095

The Quinnipiac women’s basketball team laced them up once again, this time for a Sunday matinee against the Villanova Wildcats. The Bobcats suffered from a slow start and, despite outscoring the Wildcats for most of the game, fell in what turned out to be a close contest, 63-60.

The Bobcats fell into an 11-0 hole in a first quarter that was plagued with turnovers. Junior guard Mackenzie DeWees broke the scoring seal with two free throws and the Bobcats were officially on the board. They continued to play catch-up for the quarter and the period wrapped up with the Bobcats in a nine-point hole and having given up the ball a costly eight times.

The second quarter started with much of the same for the Bobcats. Turnovers continued to plague the team as it trailed early on. The Bobcats were able to string together some good possessions and cut the Wildcats’ lead down to just two possessions on multiple occasions. They were starting to gain momentum. The Bobcats had gone from down 11 in the first to just seven points heading into the locker room.

Sophomore Mikala Morris and DeWees opened the second half with a pair of scores to cut the deficit to just three in what proved to be a quarter of runs. Quinnipiac would get close and Villanova would pull away. The cycle continued until the Bobcats turned up their intensity.

After being forced to leave the game with a bloody nose, DeWees returned not even three minutes later and impacted the game. She posted team highs in both points and rebounds with 16 and 11, respectively, and willed herself to a standout performance.

“The want to get the ball, the want to—if there’s a 50/50 ball I’m gonna be on the floor,” DeWees said postgame.

The Wildcats ended the third quarter on an 8-5 run and held a 47-39 lead.

The name of the game in the second half was adjustments. The Bobcats minimized their turnovers, which allowed them to cut into the Villanova lead. Head coach Tricia Fabbri credits her team for finding their rhythm as the game went on.

“Being down, we didn’t take care of the ball so that’s what they were able to do in the second half, and that was just settling into the game. Adjusting to the young ladies you were playing against over at Nova,” Fabbri said.

Rose Caverly ran the offense for most of the second half and scored 11 points and dished out six assists in the game. She joined Morris and DeWees as all logged more than 30 minutes including playing the majority of the final period. A pair of Sajada Bonner three pointers capped a 14-7 fourth quarter run that brought the Bobcats within one point with just under five minutes remaining.

Without much time remaining, the Bobcats dug deep to keep the game within striking distance for the remainder of the quarter but after a pair of Villanova free throws, a Caverly heave from nearly half court fell just off.

The Bobcats will look to bounce back on Saturday, Dec. 5 at the People’s United Center at 2 p.m. against Fordham.