Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Akron
Bucknell Women's Basketball Gets Back on the Winning Track with 64-49 Win Over Akron
12/30/2002 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 30, 2002
JERSEY CITY, N.J. - Bucknell used a 23-0 run over a nine-minute span in the opening half to build a 33-10 lead and never look back as the team went on to defeat Akron, 64-49, in the consolation game of the Saint Peter's Holiday Classic on December 30, 2002. The Bison claimed third place in the event with the 15-point victory.
The Bison finally put together a solid first half, putting the defense to work to hold Akron to 25.0% (7-28) from the field in the frame. Bucknell broke a 10-10 tie with the 23-0 run that ate nine minutes off the clock and the Orange and Blue took a commanding 33-10 lead. Akron finally broke out of the slump with a 6-0 run to get it to 33-16 with 4:37 to play in the half, but BU closed out the frame outscoring the Zips 5-1 for a 38-17 halftime lead.
The 17 points is the fewest allowed in a half by the squad since Navy scored only 16 in the opening stanza of the first round of the Patriot League Tournament on March 1, 2002.
Bucknell extended its lead to 24 just 40 seconds into the second half after a Lindsey Geosits free throw and a Chelsea Smith layup made the score 41-17. The Zips did not score their first points of the frame until more than two minutes had expired, and then promptly got within 17 with seven unanswered to make it 41-24 with 16:00 left in the game.
A jumper by senior Kate Franks pushed the Bison lead back to 21 with 11:24 left on the clock, before another 7-0 Akron run got the Zips within 14, 49-35, with 9:22 to go. With Bucknell holding a 54-37 lead and just over six minutes on the clock, junior Katie Hettler scored two of her career-high seven points and senior Molly Creamer added four during a three and a half minute stretch, to build the advantage back to 23, 60-37.
Akron got hot from the field over the final 2:35 of the contest, making its last five shots, including two three-pointers, to close the gap to 15 at the final buzzer.
Creamer was once again the game's leading scorer, tossing in 19 points on 6-of-10 shooting. Franks, who opened the game a perfect 3-for-3 from downtown, added 13 markers and a game-best six assists. The co-captain needs just 10 points to reach 1,000 in her career. Freshman Mary Edwards was the only other Bison in double figures, going a perfect 6-for-6 from the floor for a career-high 13 points. Hettler was the team's leading rebounder with a career-best seven, to go with her seven points off the bench.
Bucknell breaks out of a three-game losing slump to improve to 4-6 on the season. The Bison return home after the season-high five game road trip to host Air Force on Thursday, January 2, 2003. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m.
Creamer was Bucknell's lone representative on the All-Tournament team. The co-captain has taken home hardware at every regular-season tournament she has participated in.
Alabama won the Saint Peter's Holiday Classic with a 62-57 win over the host team.
