Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
La Salle
Bison Women's Basketball Struggles Continue, Drop 85-74 Decision at La Salle
12/21/2002 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 21, 2002
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - The Bucknell women's basketball squad battled back from a 21-point deficit to get within six, but it was too little too late and the Bison squad dropped an 85-74 decision at La Salle on Saturday, December 21. Senior Molly Creamer led all scorers in the contest with 27 points, scoring her 1,900th career point in the process.
After falling behind by as many as 17 in the first half, the squad entered the locker room down 43-29 at the break after a 5-2 spurt to end the frame. BU suffered through another disappointing half, shooting only 37.5% from the floor to La Salle's sizzling 56.3%. The Bison could not contain the Explorers from beyond the arc, allowing the host team to connect on 6-of-13 attempts from downtown for a 46.2% clip.
La Salle turned a 14-point halftime advantage into a 21-point lead with 12:52 to play in the game. The Explorers hit their first three field goals attempts of the half, and outscored Bucknell, 8-1, over a three-minute span to jump ahead, 60-39.
The Bison came charging back, however, when freshman Lindsey Geosits capped a 14-3 run with her second three-pointer of the game, getting Bucknell within eight, 63-55. Creamer also tallied two from downtown during the three-minute stretch.
La Salle flirted between a seven and nine point lead over the three minutes before a three-point play by Creamer got the Orange and Blue within six, 67-61, with 5:37 to go. Two unanswered buckets by the Explorers gave the host team a 71-61 lead. The score stood at 72-62 with just under two minutes to play and the Bison were forced to foul. La Salle was clutch from the free throw line, making 13-of-14 attempts in the final 1:39, including 8-of-8 from sophomore Jill Marano. A three-pointer by senior Kate Franks with seven seconds left created the final deficit of 85-74.
Bucknell, which entered the contest with the second-highest team free throw percentage in the country, made only 9-of-20 attempts from the line for a season-low .450 showing.
The Orange and Blue were without the services of junior Desire Almind, the second-leading scorer on the team, due to a leg injury that held her out of only her third career game.
Creamer needed 24 points entering the game to reach 1,900 in her career, and the senior now has 1,903 markers. Franks ended the game with 24 points, her third 20-point game of the season. Also in double-figures scoring was junior Kristin Valdner with 10 points. Valdner led the squad with a career-high 11 rebounds for her second double-double of the year. Geosits, celebrating her 19th birthday, matched her career high with six points, while freshman Chelsea Smith came off the bench to score a career-best five markers as well.
Davinieia Payne led La Salle with 22 points.
Bucknell falls to 3-5 overall. The Bison are in action next when they travel to the St. Peter's Holiday Classic on December 29-30, facing Alabama at 5:30 p.m. in the first round on December 29.
