Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Women's Basketball Visits Albany Saturday Evening
12/3/2004 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 3, 2004
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Bucknell concludes its season-opening stretch of five of its first six games away from Sojka Pavilion with Saturday's contest at Albany. The Bison, who will be playing two consecutive road games in the state of New York for the first time since 2001-02, are looking to avert their first three-game losing streak since the 2002-03 season. Bucknell will face a stiff challenge against the Great Danes. Albany has opened the season with a 3-1 record, its best since 1997-98. In its latest game, a 63-47 win over Fairleigh Dickinson, the Great Danes forced 32 turnovers. The Bison must control their turnovers after averaging more than 25 per game so far this year. Sophomore guard Lindsey Hollobaugh, who saw a streak of 10 consecutive games with double-figure points end against Manhattan, is the lone Bucknell player to have at least as many assists as turnovers. She has a team-high 17 assists to go along with her team-high 13.4 points per game. Senior center Brooke Tomovich will also be counted on for her offense after leading the team in scoring each of the last two games. After scoring just six points in her first two games, Tomovich has tallied 44 over the last three contests to increase her season average to 10.0 points per game.
About Albany
With a 3-1 record Albany is off to its best start since the 1997-98 campaign after beating Fairleigh Dickinson 63-47 Wednesday evening. The Great Danes held FDU to 30.0 percent shooting and forced 32 turnovers. In its three victories, Albany has outscored the opposition by an average of 18.7 points per game. Danielle Hutcheson, who is one of four players averaging at least 10 points per game, had a season-high 16 points against the Knights. Jen Schumacher, who had a career-high 31 points earlier this year, leads the team at 15.0 points per game. Senior forward Maree Jones was named the America East Conference Co-Player of the Week last Monday after averaging 18.0 points per game and 3.0 rebounds per contest as Albany split its two games at the Northern Arizona Thanksgiving Tournament. Head coach Trina Patterson, who is in her third year at the helm of the Great Danes, has seen her team improve each year since taking over prior to the 2002-03 season. In her first year, Albany compiled a 9-18 record, while last year it finished 13-16. Now with a 3-1 record early in the season, she has her squad well on its way to its first .500 finish since 1997-98.
Bison Versus the Great Danes
Bucknell and Albany have played five times in the last four years, with two meetings coming during the 1999-2000 season. The Bison hold a 4-1 series advantage which features three consecutive wins. Bucknell upended the Great Danes 62-45 at Sojka Pavilion last year. In their four wins, the Bison have outscored Albany by an average of 19 points.
Two-Game Losing Streaks
Bucknell has not lost more than two games in a row since a three-game skein in February of 2003. Last year the Bison lost two consecutive games on five separate occasions, but each time averted a three-game losing streak. Since its last three-game losing skid, Bucknell has had seven two-game losing streaks, including one earlier this year.
Gap Between 20-Point Victories
Bucknell defeated Cornell 86-63 for its first win of the season on Nov. 24. The 21-point margin was the first time the Bison won a game by at least 20 points since a 96-69 thrashing of Colgate on Feb. 16, 2002. In 2000-01 Bucknell posted five victories of at least 20 points, while in 2001-02 it totaled three. A pair of 19-point wins last year were the largest winning spreads the last two years.
Big Losses
Bucknell's 77-49 loss to Manhattan on Nov. 28 was the largest for the Bison since an 89-54 loss at Villanova Dec. 29, 2000. That year Bucknell rebounded to post the first 20-win campaign in school history. Since head coach Kathy Fedorjaka took over at the helm of the program prior to the 1997-98 season, the Bison have experienced only three losses worse than the 28-point margin against the Jaspers.
Don't Waste the Points
Since the beginning of the 2001-02 season Bucknell has scored at least 85 points in a win 13 times. In the contests immediately following those victories, the Bison have posted just a 5-8 mark, including 0-3 last year. In those games the Bison have averaged just 68.0 ppg. This season Bucknell is 0-1 following wins in which it scores at least 85 points.
500 Points for Sophomore
In just the second game of her sophomore season Lindsey Hollobaugh eclipsed the 500-point mark for her career. After scoring 16 points in the opener against Florida International, the Loganton, Pa., native needed just one point to reach the 500 mark. With 15:33 remaining in the first half against Texas A&M, the school's all-time freshman scoring leader made a jumper to even the score at 8-8 and give her 501 career points. Since that time Hollobaugh has increased her career point total to 550. Her 16.2 ppg career scoring average ranks fourth in Bucknell history.
All-Tournament Selection
Sophomore guard Lindsey Hollobaugh was named to the All-Tournament Team for her performance at the season-opening Florida International Tournament. In the two games, both losses, Hollobaugh tallied 29 points, six rebounds and 10 assists. She was joined on the All-Tournament squad by Tamea Scales (Texas A&M), LaQuetta Ferguson (FIU), Lasma Jekabsone (FIU), and Jessica Dickson (So. Florida). The tournament MVP was Ezria Parsons from first-place South Florida.
Balanced Attack
After seeing two players (Lindsey Hollobaugh and Desire Almind) account for more than half of its points last year, Bucknell has had much better scoring balance through its first three games this season. The Bison have five players averaging at least 7.4 points per game, and a pair of players tallying at least 10.0 ppg. Among the top five scorers are two freshmen, two sophomores and a senior.
Wide Margins
With a team that features six freshmen and three sophomores Bucknell head coach Kathy Fedorjaka is excited to see how her squad handles close games. However, through the first five contests she has not been able to see her youngsters in pressure-packed situations as each game has been decided by at least 15 points. The last time the Bison started a season with each of their first three contests ending with margins larger than 15 points was 1974-75. The average margin of victory by the winning team through Bucknell's first five contests has been more than 20 points per game.
Bison in the Second Half
Bucknell has been outscored by 57 points this season (350-293). Despite the large deficit, the Bison have just 11 points less than their opponents in the second half. In the first half, opponents hold a 176-130 advantage over Bucknell.
Freshman Production
Despite just two of the six heralded freshmen earning spots in the starting lineup during the first five games of the season, the rookies have had success in their first taste of college action as three freshmen rank among the team leaders in scoring. Kesha Champion, who has netted 12 points on two occasions, is fourth on the team with 7.6 points per game. Kristina Collymore (7.5 ppg.) and Hope Foster (5.4 ppg.) are fifth and sixth on the squad in scoring.
Foster Rebounds
Freshman Hope Foster leads the Patriot League in rebounding with 7.8 per game. The last freshman to lead the Bison in rebounding was Vicki Quimby, who averaged 7.4 boards per game in 1998-99. The last Bucknell freshman to register at least 7.8 rebounds per game was Marie Kocornik in 1984-85. She grabbed 8.5 rebounds per game that season.
Increased Shooting Percentage
Freshman forward Hope Foster had a tough time in her college debut by going 0 of 10 from the floor against Florida International. The Washington, D.C., native rebounded to make her first six shots against Texas A&M. Overall, she has made just 11 of 34 shots, but was a combined 1 of 19 versus FIU and Manhattan. Taking those two contests out of the equation, Foster has made 10 of 15 field goals.
Great From the Line
Bucknell is shooting 67 of 92 (.728) from the free throw line. The Bison have shot better than that figure just three times in the history of the program, but rank sixth in the Patriot League as seven of the eight conference teams are making at least 70.0 percent of their free throws. Five Bison have not missed a free throw yet this year, led by Brooke Tomovich's 10-for-10.
Block Party
Through five games Bucknell has blocked 20 shots as a team. If the Bison continue averaging 4.0 blocks per game they will finish the regular season with 108. That figure would rank as the most in the history of the program. Last year's squad tied the 1989-90 team for the top position with 106. Hope Foster leads this year's team with six blocks.
Tough Starts
With an 0-2 start to the season, Bucknell started the year with two consecutive losses for the third straight year. On just six occasions have the Bison opened a season 0-3. The last time that occured was the 2002-03 season when they rebounded from the 0-3 start with a three-game winning streak.
Tough Starts II
Bucknell has started the season with a 1-4 record for the second consecutive season. Follwing their 1-4 start in 2003-04, the Bison reeled off four straight wins to improve to 5-4.
Third Game Victories
Football coaches often say their teams improve the most between the first and second games of the season. For Bucknell head coach Kathy Fedorjaka, her squads tend to improve between the second and third games. Since taking over the helm of the Bison prior to the 1997-98 campaign, Fedorjaka's teams are 6-2 in their third games of the season after beating Cornell on Nov. 24, 86-63.
Preseason Accolades For Hollobaugh
Sophomore guard Lindsey Hollobaugh was selected to the preseason All-Patriot League team in a preseason poll of coaches and sports information directors. The Loganton, Pa., native was second on the team with 16.7 points and 5.5 rebounds per game as a freshman. Her 483 points broke Molly Creamer's freshman scoring record of 475. Hollobaugh was the only non-senior to appear on the preseason all-league squad. The 5-9 Hollobaugh became the fourth Bison to be named Rookie of the Year in the Patriot League last year.
Patriot League Preseason Poll
Bucknell finished the 2003-04 season with a 7-7 record in Patriot League play to place fifth in the eight-team league's standings. The Bison are picked to finish in the same position in 2004-05. In a preseason poll of coaches and sports information directors, Bucknell was picked behind Holy Cross, Colgate, American and Lehigh, but ahead of Army, Navy and Lafayette. Colgate, which knocked Bucknell out of the postseason tournament last year, was the conference's representative in the NCAA Tournament where they lost to Tennessee in the first round.
In-Season Tournaments
Since the 1977-78 season, Bucknell has participated in at least one in-season tournament every year. The Bison have won three tournament titles, but own just a 34-81 (.296) mark in those tournaments. Since the 1998-99 campaign, Bucknell posted a nearly .500 record, going 10-11 entering this season. However, the Bison dropped both games at the season-opening FIU Tournament this year.
Veteran Presence
Seniors Emilie Barruet and tri-captain Amy Ketcham are the only two Bison in their fourth year with the program. Bucknell has four seniors on its roster, but Brooke Tomovich and Lillian Drumgold are in just their second years in orange and blue after transferring from Loyola (Md.) and UNC Wilmington, respectively. Tomovich played in all 29 games last year and was third on the team in scoring at 9.4 points per game. The 6-2 center connected on 15 of 38 3-point attempts to lead the team at 39.5 percent. Drumgold, who battled an injury during the preseason, brought a streak of 18 consecutive starts into this season. The 5-9 guard has provided valuable minutes off the bench so far this season.
Three-Point Struggles
After three consecutive years of connecting on at least 31.8 percent of its shots from three-point range, Bucknell dipped below .300 last year. The Bison made 96 of 324 from behind the arc and had just Lindsey Hollobaugh (38), Lindsey Geosits (27) and Brooke Tomovich (15) make more than 10 3-pointers. This year Bucknell has continued its struggles from long distance, making just 8 of 37 (21.6 percent). Kesha Champion, Kristina Collymore and Tomovich have each made two to lead the way.
Welcome Freshmen
Head coach Kathy Fedorjaka welcomed a six-person recruiting class to the Bucknell campus this fall. Kesha Champion, Kristina Collymore, Hope Foster, Jessie Lang, Sarah Latham and Ashton Sprouse comprise the freshman class. Fedorjaka expects as many as four or five of the rookies to be in position to start games this year, although for the opener, just one (Kesha Champion) drew a starting assignment.
Replacing a Legend
Just one year after losing Bucknell's all-time leading scorer Molly Creamer, the No. 10 pick by the New York Liberty in the 2003 WNBA Draft, the Bison must figure out how to replace Desire Almind, the third-leading scorer in program history. Almind, who played professionally in France in 2004, finished her career with 1,581 points and 873 rebounds. As a senior, the Blairstown, N.J., native led the team in scoring with 17.3 points per game. She also led the squad and the Patriot League with 13.4 rebounds per contest. Her 390 rebounds broke Bucknell's single-season mark of 289 by Kirsten Ellison in 1989-90. The Patriot League Rookie of the Year in 2000-01, Almind was a two-time second team all-league selection. She also added a first team honor to her list of awards last year.
Team Captains
Seniors Amy Ketcham and Brooke Tomovich, along with junior Lindsey Geosits were chosen as team captains by their teammates prior to the season. It is the first time since 2001-02 Bucknell has had more than two captains.
Sojka Pavilion
Bucknell will be playing its second full season in its 4,000-seat arena -- Sojka Pavilion (pronounced SOY-ka). The facility is a part of the new Kenneth G. Langone Athletics & Recreation Center, which also includes a 16,000-square foot fitness center, a state-of-the-art natatorium featuring a 50-meter-by-25-yard pool, a new sports medicine center and new office suites for coaches and staff. Bucknell went 8-5 at home last season and ended the season on a four-game home winning streak. With the 86-63 win over Cornell, the Bison extended that streak to five games.
Setting The Standard Of Excellence
Bucknell garnered a 2003 USA Today Academic Achievement Award after leading the nation in graduation rates with a perfect 100% showing, and the Bison again ranked in the top 10 in the most recent graduation rates survey that was recently released with an 88% figure. Bucknell also ranks third among all Division I institutions (behind Nebraska and Notre Dame) in total number of Academic All-Americans, with 108 since 1970. Bison teams also get it done on the playing fields, winning the Presidents' Cup -- the Patriot League's all-sports crown -- in 11 of 14 years, including the last seven in a row.
Up Next
Bucknell plays just its second home game of the year Tuesday when it hosts Buffalo at 5 p.m. The Bison men will follow at 7:30 against Robert Morris. The only doubleheader of hte year for Bucknell will be the final game before final exams for the Bison. Following the contest, the squad will have 11 days off before traveling to Coppin State for a game Dec. 11.
