Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
La Salle
Bucknell Women's Hoops Falls 61-54 in Championship Game of La Salle Invitational
12/30/2003 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 30, 2003
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Playing in the La Salle Invitational for the third time in program history, the Bison women's basketball team advanced to the championship game for the first time but came up just short in a 61-54 decision on Tuesday, December 30. With the loss, BU's longest win-streak of the season was snapped at four games.
It was a nip and tuck game from the start with neither team enjoying a lead larger than five in the first half. The opening 20 minutes featured eight lead changes and six ties.
La Salle held the lead or was tied with Bucknell for the first five minutes of the contest before a jumper by Lillian Drumgold capped a 5-0 run and gave the Bison a 14-9 advantage with 14:00 to go in the half. The Bucknell offense went quiet for the next 4:22, however, allowing La Salle to gain momentum again and put together a 12-2 spurt to take over 21-16.
A Desire Almind layup, sandwiched by two Drumgold jumpers, gave BU back the lead and the two teams exchanged buckets over the next two minutes before standing in a 26-26 deadlock with 2:46 until halftime.
La Salle's Crista Ricketts scored the Explorers' final four points of the half on two free throw's and a layup, and Almind added a jumper for the Orange and Blue for the 30-28 La Salle halftime lead.
The second half was much the same as the first with six ties and six lead changes, and neither team leading by more than four until the final minute of the game.
La Salle again led for the first five minutes of the half before two Brooke Tomovich free throw's gave the Bison a brief 38-37 lead with 14:46 to play. After four unanswered by the Explorers pushed it back to 41-38 in their favor, Bucknell scored six straight to take over the lead, 44-41, with just under 11 minutes to play.
BU either held the lead or was tied with the Explorers for the next five minutes. Two Jill Marano free throw's and a Ricketts layup gave La Salle the 50-48 lead, but Almind and freshman Lindsey Hollobaugh responded with buckets, and Monica Garrido-Sanz scored for the host team to tie the contest for the 12th time as 52-52 with 3:00 to play.
Marano, who hit just three field goals the entire game, delivered a blow with her second trey of the contest to put La Salle on top 55-52 with 1:47 left in the game. Drumgold got two back with her layup with 41 seconds left, but the Orange and Blue were forced to foul and La Salle hit 6-of-6 down the stretch to win it 61-54.
The Explorers held a lopsided advantage from the charity stripe, making 19-of-29 attempts to BU's 5-of-7.
Almind led the Bison with 16 points and 15 rebounds for her Patriot League leading seventh double-double of the year. Hollobaugh added 15 markers and eight caroms. Both players were selected to the All-Tournament team for their play during the two-day tournament.
Ricketts, the tournament MVP, led all players with 21 points. Davineia Payne, also a member of the All-Tournament team, was the team's leading rebounder with eight.
Other selections to the all-star squad with Coppin State's Antoinette Reese and Providence's Gayle Nwafili. Providence defeated Coppin State, 69-61, in the consolation game.
Bucknell is 5-5 overall and will host Manhattan for a 7:00 p.m. game on January 2 before taking the road for four-straight games. La Salle improves to 7-3 overall.
