BRYN MAWR, Pa. (Interstat) — Fadima Tall scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead the Princeton Tigers to a 73-68 victory over the Villanova Wildcats in a non-conference women’s basketball game on Wednesday night at The Pavilion.

In a contest defined by defensive pressure and offensive efficiency, Princeton improved to 2-0 while Villanova evened its record at 2-2.

The Tigers trailed for much of the first half but used a strong second-half surge to secure the road win. After being down 37-29 at halftime, Princeton outscored Villanova 44-31 over the final two quarters, including a dominant 23-11 advantage in the final period.

Madison St. Rose provided crucial scoring support for Princeton with 17 points, while Skye Belker and Ashley Chea added 13 and 10 points, respectively. The Tigers’ offense, while not shooting a high percentage from the field at 24 of 58, was efficient, scoring 73 points on just 69 possessions for an offensive rating of 105.2. They capitalized at the free-throw line, making 20 of 24 attempts.

Villanova was led by Jasmine Bascoe’s 16 points and Kennedy Henry’s 13 points, five rebounds and four assists. Denae Carter contributed 12 points for the Wildcats, who shot 24 of 55 from the floor but were hampered by 15 turnovers, which Princeton converted into key scoring opportunities.

The game was a back-and-forth affair early, with Villanova holding a 19-13 lead after the first quarter and extending it to an eight-point halftime advantage. The Wildcats maintained their lead through the third quarter, but Princeton’s defense tightened in the final period, holding Villanova to just 11 points.

A critical sequence late in the fourth quarter saw the Tigers pull away. With the game tied, a steal by Madison St. Rose led to a transition opportunity, and a clutch three-pointer from Skye Belker with under a minute remaining gave Princeton a lead it would not relinquish. Tall sealed the game by sinking two free throws in the final seconds.

Princeton’s defense was a key factor, recording 10 steals and forcing the 15 Villanova turnovers. The Tigers also won the battle on the glass, out-rebounding the Wildcats 40-35, with Olivia Hutcherson pulling down nine rebounds for Princeton.

The game was played before an announced crowd of 1,051. Princeton’s next game is on the road at Maryland on Saturday. Villanova will travel to face James Madison on Sunday.