Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Women's Basketball Looks for First Season Win Against Canisius
11/27/2002 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 27, 2002
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TONIGHT'S GAME: Bucknell carries an 0-3 record into this evening's contest after dropping its home opener, 77-72, against West Virginia. The Bison are 0-3 to start the year for the first time since the 1994-95 season.
Canisius comes into tonight's game with a 2-0 record after defeating Stetson and Eastern Michigan at the Eastern Michigan/Eagle Classic. The Golden Griffs picked up a 104-68 victory over Stetson, and a 76-70 decision against Eastern Michigan.
THE SERIES: The Orange and Blue have squared off against Canisius four times in a series which began in 1987. Both teams have claimed two games a piece in the series, with the Golden Griffs taking last year's game, 100-89, in Buffalo.
Bucknell's last win in the series came in 1996 when the Bison defeated Canisius, 115-92, at home. BU's other win in the series came in the opener in 1987, a 76-62 victory.
THE LAST TIME OUT: Senior co-captain Molly Creamer scored 30 points, and junior Kristin Valdner recorded her first career double-double, but it was not enough as the Bucknell women's basketball team dropped its home opener, 77-72, to West Virginia. It is the third-straight loss for the Bison, dropping them to 0-3 for the first time since the 1994-95 season.
The Orange and Blue opened the game with a 4-0 lead on two quick baskets, before the Mountaineers grabbed a 5-4 advantage at the 18:31 mark. The first half featured 12 more lead changes, with neither team holding more than a three point edge until West Virginia put together an 11-2 run spanning four minutes to take its largest lead of the ball game, 34-26. Bucknell responded with two buckets to end the half in a 34-30 hole.
The Bison took the lead, 38-34, early in the second with an 8-0 spurt to open the frame. Bucknell either held the lead or was tied with the Mountaineers until a Janel Dunlap layup at the 10:50 mark gave West Virginia a 50-49 advantage. A layup by senior co-captain Kate Franks nearly a minute later put the Orange and Blue back on top, 51-50, but it was the last lead BU would see. Bucknell tied it at 53-53 with 8:24 to go in the game, before a 10-3 run by WVU put the host team in a 63-56 disadvantage.
The Bison cut it to two on three different occasions in the last 3:30, but West Virginia always had an answer. The Mountaineers hit 7-of-10 free throws down the stretch to keep Bucknell at a distance.
Bucknell was led in the scoring column by Creamer's 30 points, in addition to a team-high eight assists. Joining her in double-figures scoring were junior Desire Almind with 13, and Valdner with a career-best 12. Valdner also pulled down a game and career-high 10 rebounds for the first double-double of her career.
