Iona advanced with an 85-69 triumph over North Carolina A&T.
"I'm just thrilled for the kids because they've never experienced anything like that before," Perretta said of beating the Spartans, who are ranked No. 25 in the USA Today/ESPN coaches' preseason poll.
Junior guard Rachel Roberts and redshirt freshman forward Lauren Burford each scored 15 points for Villanova, which trailed the Spartans, 37-36, at the half.
The Wildcats' Laura Sweeney, a junior forward from Cherokee High in Marlton, N.J., had 14 points and 10 rebounds, while sophomore guard Devon Kane out of Notre Dame Academy scored 10 points. Becca Mills had a team-high 12 points for Michigan State.
If Perretta gets No. 600 Saturday, the celebration at home will have to wait - because Villanova has two more road stops, at Marist and Princeton, before returning to the Pavilion to face Delaware on Nov. 22.
La Salle 63, Lehigh 43 - The Explorers (1-0) broke a four-game losing streak to the visiting Mountain Hawks (0-1) in winning their season opener as Jayda Payne scored 15 points.
Men
North Carolina 67, Michigan State 55 - With President Obama watching, the top-ranked Tar Heels (1-0) topped the Spartans (0-1) in the Carrier Classic played on the flight deck of the USS Carl Vinson in Coronado, Calif.
Louisville 83, Tennessee-Martin 48 - Kyle Kuric had 14 first-half points, and Rick Pitino earned his 600th college win as the ninth-ranked Cardinals (1-0) routed the Skyhawks (0-1) in Louisville, Ky.
Pitino is the 38th coach to reach 600 wins.
Kentucky 108, Marist 58 - Anthony Davis had 23 points and 10 rebounds to lead the second-ranked Wildcats (1-0) in a romp over of the Red Foxes (0-1) in Lexington, Ky.
Connecticut 70, Columbia 57 - Jeremy Lamb scored 30 points, and the No. 4 Huskies (1-0) knocked off the Lions (0-1) in Storrs, Conn.
Duke 77, Belmont 76 - Seth Curry scored 16 points, and the No. 6 Blue Devils (1-0) held off the Bruins (0-1) in the first round of the Maui Invitational in Durham, N.C. to move coach Mike Krzyzewski within one victory of tying Bob Knight atop the Division I men's career list.
This article contains information from the Associated Press.
