Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Long Island
Cold Shooting Dooms Bucknell Women's Basketball at Long Island University in 66-51 Loss
1/4/2003 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 4, 2003
BROOKLYN, N.Y. - Long Island University's Tamika Dudley scored 17 points and pulled down 21 of the Blackbirds 50 rebounds as LIU handed the Bucknell women's basketball squad a 66-51 loss on Saturday, January 4. Bison senior Molly Creamer led all players with 23 points, notching her 2,000th career point in the loss.
The Orange and Blue were sluggish to start the game, falling behind 9-0 before a Creamer layup made it 9-2 with 3:30 gone in the game. The Blackbirds led by 11 just over four minutes later, before the Bison went on a 10-5 run over the next five minutes to get within six, 22-16. From there, LIU's Jessica Brookes hit three three-pointers during a 13-2 spurt that gave the host team a 35-18 lead with over four minutes left in the frame.
Bucknell closed out the half on an 8-3 run of its own, four coming from freshman Lindsey Geosits, to enter the locker room down 38-26.
The Bison shot only 36.7% from the field in the frame, going 0-6 from three-point territory. Long Island, on the other hand, could not miss, hitting a sizzling 58.3% of its shots from the floor, including 9-of-15 from downtown.
BU stood within 11, 41-30, with 18:39 remaining in the game, before both teams went cold from the floor for a six minute stretch. The Orange and Blue missed 10-of-10 shots from the field during the drought before a Creamer jumper with 12:29 to go ended the slump. Long Island failed to capitalize on the ice cold Bison, making only 1-of-9 shots and 4-of-6 free throws during the stretch to only lead 47-32.
Bucknell got within 11 on two other occasions the rest of the way, but that was as close as the team would get.
With 5:21 remaining and the Bison trailing by 18, 61-43, Creamer went to the foul line and connected on two free throws, giving her 20 points in the game and 2,000 for her career. The co-captain added a three-pointer less than a minute later before fouling out of only her second career game to end the contest with 2,003 career points.
The Bucknell defense held Long Island to 36.0% from the field in the second half, but continued to struggle offensively, shooting a dismal 19.4% (6-of-31) from the floor in the frame.
The Orange and Blue fall to 5-7 overall. BU returns to action on Saturday, January 11, for a 1:00 p.m. game against American in the first Patriot League game of the season. The contest also marks Bucknell's final game in Davis Gymnasium before moving to Sojka Pavilion on Wednesday, January 15. Long Island improves to 2-8 overall.
