Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Lehigh *
Road Struggles Continue as Bison Fall at Lehigh, 68-61
2/11/2003 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 11, 2003
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The Bucknell women's basketball road woes continued as the team fell at Lehigh, 68-61, in Patriot League action on Tuesday, February 11. The Bison drop their second game of the season to the first-place Mountain Hawks (8-1), falling to 4-5 in the conference.
The Lehigh defense stepped up against two-time Player of the Year, Molly Creamer. Creamer, who entered the game leading the country with 27.5 points per game, was limited to 7-of-20 shooting from the floor for 14 points.
Bucknell led 6-5 with just under five minutes gone in the game before a 13-2 run by the Mountain Hawks gave the host team an 18-8 lead. Jessica DePalo, who had 10 of Lehigh's first 18 points, scored eight of those during the stretch. Junior Katie Hettler ended the Orange and Blue drought with a layup at the 11:33 mark. The 5-7 guard followed with her first three-pointer of the season just 26 seconds later to cut the deficit to five, 18-13.
Lehigh pushed the advantage back to nine with four unanswered points, before another Hettler layup and a three-point play by senior Kate Franks made it a four-point game, 22-18. The two squads exchanged foul shots, before the Mountain Hawk's Anne Tierney hit a three-pointer to give her team a 27-20 lead with 4:47 on the clock until halftime.
From there, the Bison defense went to work, forcing five Lehigh turnovers and shutting out the squad 12-0 over the final five minutes to carry a 32-27 lead into the locker room. Creamer, who had been held to just two points in the first 15 minutes, scored six for Bucknell during the stretch.
Both teams struggled from the field in the opening frame. Lehigh held a slight advantage in field goal percentage, shooting .364 (8-22) to Bucknell's .361 (13-36). The Mountains Hawks were 3-of-8 from three-point range, while BU connected on just 1-of-9 from downtown. Both teams were perfect from the free throw line.
Lehigh opened the second half with two quick three-pointers to take over the lead, 33-32. Franks responded with a trey of her own at the other end to give the Orange and Blue the lead back. The 5-10 guard, playing in her first game since sitting out with an injury, then capped a 7-2 Bucknell run with her second triple of the game to extend the lead back to five, 42-37.
Sandwiched by two Carli Toliver three-pointers, the Mountain Hawks outscored BU 12-2 over the next three minutes to regain a lead they would not relinquish, 49-44. The Bison got within one, 49-48, with 11:29 left in the game, but Lehigh eliminated the hopes of a comeback with an 8-0 spurt over two minutes to go up nine, 57-48. Bucknell could only get as close as five the rest of the way before falling 68-61.
Franks ended the game with a team-high 17 points, 14 of those coming in the second half. Joining her and Creamer in double-figures was Almind with 13 points and 11 rebounds for her third straight double-double. Hettler ended the game with career-high's in both points (9) and rebounds (8).
Toliver paced Lehigh with 18 points, while DePalo added 14, Tierney scored 13 and Jana Ransom tallied 11. Tierney led all players with 19 rebounds.
Bucknell falls to 9-12 on the year and 4-5 in Patriot League play. The Bison are in action next on Sunday, February 16, when they host Navy for a 2:00 p.m. game that will be televised on ESPN2. Lehigh improves to 11-10 overall and 8-1 in conference play.
