Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Colgate *
Bucknell Overcomes 11-Point Halftime Deficit For 70-62 Win At Colgate
1/31/2003 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 31, 2003
HAMILTON, N.Y. - The Bucknell women's basketball team overcame poor first half shooting and an 11-point halftime deficit (37-26) to come away with a 70-62 victory over Colgate in Patriot League women's basketball action on Friday, January 31. Bison senior Molly Creamer scored 37 points in the win, setting a Cotterell Court record for points in a game by a women's basketball player.
The two teams were deadlocked at 4-4 before Colgate went on a 10-3 run spanning over three minutes to jump out to a 14-7 lead. The Raiders got six points from Leandra Fuller during the burst in which the team made seven of eight shots from the field.
The Bison managed only four points over an eight-minute stretch, falling in a 26-13 hole with 7:09 left in the frame. Bucknell hit only three of its 16 shots during the drought on its way to the 13-point deficit. The Orange and Blue got within seven on two occasions in the final 4:02, but Colgate scored six of the final eight points of the half to enter the locker room up 37-26.
Bucknell shot a dismal .263 (10-38) from the floor in the frame, including a 2-8 (.250) showing from behind the arc. The Raiders, who held a slim 26-21 rebounding advantage in the first half, shot .469 (15-32) from the field in the first half.
Colgate opened up another 13-point lead just over a minute into the second half, before a 7-0 Bucknell run cut it to 41-35 with 17:16 left. The Bison trailed by seven, 42-35, with 15:57 remaining, when Creamer hit a three-pointer to get the squad within four, 42-38. Creamer proceeded to score 11 straight points for BU over a six-minute stretch to keep the team within striking distance.
With the Raiders holding a 54-47 lead with 8:58 to go in the game, the Bison started to slowly chip away at the advantage. Four unanswered points from Creamer got the squad within three, and a Kate Franks jumper made the score 54-53 in Colgate's favor, before two free throws from Creamer gave Bucknell its first lead of the game with 6:47 left. Malissa Burke broke nearly a three-minute scoring slump for the host team with a three-pointer at the 6:05 mark, putting Colgate ahead, 57-55, for the last time.
Creamer responded at the other end with her third trey of the game, before Franks tallied her third triple to give the Bison a four-point cushion, 61-57, with 5:22 left in the game. The Raiders crept back within one, 61-60, with 4:50 to play, but the Orange and Blue scored seven of the last nine points of the game to secure the 70-62 win. The Bison defense did its job, forcing three Colgate turnovers in the final two minutes, while Franks grabbed two crucial rebounds with less than a minute to play.
Bucknell improved to shoot an impressive .484 (15-31) in the second half, including 4-of-5 from downtown (.800). The Orange and Blue outscored the Raiders 44-25 in the frame.
In addition to her 37 points, Creamer shared the team lead with eight rebounds, and grabbed a game-high six steals. Franks joined her in double-figures with 17 points, and added eight caroms.
Burke led the Raiders with 16 points, and Fuller added 13. Alison Hanson was Colgate's leading rebounder with a game-high 11 boards.
Bucknell wins its fourth-straight to improve to 9-9 overall and 4-2 in the Patriot League. The Bison travel to Holy Cross for a re-match of last year's championship game on Sunday, February 2. Colgate falls to 6-12 overall and 1-5 in conference play.
