Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Women's Hoops on Road at American, Navy this Weekend
2/10/2005 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 10, 2005
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Bucknell heads into this weekend's games at American and Navy trying to end a six-game losing streak, its longest since 1997-98. The final weekend of Friday-Sunday Patriot League play features Bucknell's first road trip in three weeks. The Bison have struggled on the road, winning just once in 12 games away from Sojka Pavilion. Despite its 0-4 Patriot League mark on the road, Bucknell has lost its games by an average of just 4.8 points per game. Three of those four road defeats have come at the hands of the top three teams in the league standings - Holy Cross, Lehigh and Army. Over their last five games, the Bison will take to the road three times. After playing a difficult slate during the first half of the league season those games will be against the teams that hold fourth, fifth and sixth in the conference standings.
About American
American has posted just a 1-3 record since defeating Bucknell two weeks ago to fall to 9-13 on the season and 4-5 in the Patriot League under first-year head coach Melissa McFerrin. After struggling through a seven-game losing streak earlier this year the Eagles have gone 4-4 in their last eight games. Senior Chanel Hunt, a member of the Preseason All-Patriot League team with Lindsey Hollobaugh, is averaging 11.2 points per game to rank second on the team. The 1,000-point scorer has been excellent on the defensive end, posting 61 steals to rank second in the PL. Classmate Joanna Barnes has shouldered much of the offensive load for American, which is averaging just 56.6 point per game, second-to-last in the league. Barnes, who had never averaged 10 points per game prior to this year, is fourth in the Patriot League in scoring at 15.3 points per game.
Bison Versus the Eagles
American leads the all-time series 8-4 after defeating Bucknell 56-53 at Sojka Pavilion two weeks ago. After losing the first four games in the series, the two teams are knotted at 4-4 over the last eight meetings. Since American joined the Patriot League in 2001-02, the Eagles hold a 4-3 advantage.
About Navy
Entering the weekend Navy had dropped 10 of its last 13 games to fall to 7-15 this year. Despite their struggles the Mids have posted a 5-2 mark at home. The Mids' defense, which allows just 61.7 points per game, has kept Navy close as it has lost by an average of just 2.9 points per game. Like Bucknell, Navy has just one player averaging double figures with that being senior forward Nikki Curtis. After averaging 3.7 points per game last year, Curtis has drawn starts in all 22 games and is pouring in 12.5 points per game. She is also first on the team in rebounding, pulling down 6.7 boards per game. Four other players are averaging at least 8.0 points per game with Carly Meyer leading the way at 8.9. She is one of three Mids to connect on at least 20 3-pointers this season.
Bison Versus the Mids
Bucknell and Navy have met 33 times with the Bison holding an 18-15 edge. The Mids snapped a 13-game Bucknell win streak in the series with a 65-42 victory at Alumni Hall last year. The last time the two teams played a game closer than nine points was a 60-57 Bucknell win at Navy Jan. 10, 2001.
Tough Defense
Bucknell's defense is allowing opponents to shoot just 38.1 percent from the field this year to lead the Patriot League. The Bison have not held their opponents to that low of a percentage since the 1994-95 season when the opposition connected on just 37.6 percent of its field goals. Along with the low field goal percentage defense, Bucknell is allowing only 63.0 points per game. That figure is the lowest the Bison have allowed per game since the 1996-97 season when opponents also averaged 63.0 points.
Bucknell's PPG Allowed
Year PPG Allowed
1975-76 56.9
1979-80 59.0
1974-7559.0
1976-77 61.5
1980-81 61.7
1978-79 62.1
2004-05 63.0
1996-97 63.0
Bucknell's Points Allowed Breakdown
Points Times Allowed
40-49 2
50-59 5
60-69 12
70-791
80-89 2
Century Mark for Fedorjaka
Friday's game against American is the 100th regular-season Patriot League game for Bucknell head coach Kathy Fedorjaka. The eighth-year mentor has compiled a 57-42 mark during league play. The Bison have never finished under .500 during a Patriot League campaign since Fedorjaka took over in 1997-98. By comparison, Fedorjaka's counterparts this weekend, Melissa McFerrin and Tom Marryott, have combined to coach just 32 league games going into Friday's games.
6-0 Start at Home
With its 80-64 win over Fairleigh Dickinson on Jan. 17, Bucknell improved to 6-0 at home. The start was the best since the 1997-98 squad won its first six games. Bucknell's best-ever home start came in 1995-96 when it finished the campaign 12-0 at Davis Gym.
Bucknell's Most Consecutive Home Wins to Start Season
1995-96 12
1988-89 7
2004-05 6
1997-98 6
Sojka Success
Bucknell opened Sojka (pronounced SOY-ka) Pavilion with a 74-67 loss to Lehigh on Jan. 15, 2003. The Bison have posted an 18-11 (.621) record all-time in Sojka. Entering the 2004-05 campaign, Bucknell had a four-game home winning streak in progress. The Bison extended that streak to 10 with an 80-64 victory over FDU in their sixth home game this season. The streak ended with a 56-53 loss to American on Jan. 28. The Bison went 362 days in between losses at Sojka.
Bucknell's 10-Game Home Win Streak (ended 1/28/05)
2/7/04 American* W, 51-39
2/11/04 Lehigh* W, 74-59
2/20/04Lafayette* W, 81-63
2/22/04 Army* W, 73-68
11/24/04 Cornell W, 86-63
12/7/04 Buffalo W, 68-56
12/20/04 Maryland-Eastern Shore W, 60-48
1/3/05 Iona W, 90-66
1/12/05 Colgate* W, 67-65
1/17/05 Fairleigh Dickinson W, 80-64
One Block Short - Twice
Freshman Hope Foster blocked a career-high six shots during an 80-64 win over Fairleigh Dickinson on Jan. 17. That figure was one short of tying the Bucknell single-game mark of seven, set by Stacey Spitko in 1986. All of Foster's six rejections came in the first 13 minutes of the game as she fouled out in the second half after spending just 17 minutes on the court. She equaled that six-block figure three weeks later on Feb. 6 against Lehigh. Foster is the only player in Bucknell history to block at least six shots in a game twice. Her 51 blocks currently rank second on the Bison single-season list, and tie for ninth on the career list.
Bucknell Single-Game Blocked Shots
Stacey Spitko 7 2/8/86
Hope Foster 6 2/6/05
Hope Foster 6 1/17/05
Susie Hopper 6 2/3/90
Hope Foster 5 12/7/04
Susie Hopper 5 1/16/88
Susie Hopper5 12/6/86
Susie Hopper 512/27/85
Marie Kocornik5 12/27/85
Jill Henry 5 12/5/80
Weekday Warriors
Bucknell has posted a 7-15 record this season. Fourteen of its 15 losses have come on weekend days - Friday, Saturday and Sunday. All seven victories have come during the week - Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The lone loss during the week came to Bowling Green on Thursday, Dec. 30.
Consistency
Bucknell has been outscored by 99 points this season (1,385-1,286). Ironically enough, the Bison have been outscored by 50 points (648-598) in the first half, and 49 points (737-688) after halftime.
No Reversing of Record
Each of the last two years Bucknell reversed its first-half Patriot League record in the second half of the conference campaign. Last year the Bison started 2-5, but went 5-2 in the second half. Two years ago, after posting a 4-3 record through seven league games, Bucknell went 3-4 down the stretch. Unfortunately for the Bison they will not be able to accomplish that feat for the third straight year. After going 1-6 during the first half of the leage slate, Bucknell dropped its first two games of the second half.
Cool Her Down
Senior Brooke Tomovich has been playing the best basketball of her career in 2005. Dating to the Iona game Jan. 3, Tomovich has increased her scoring average from 7.7 points to 10.0 points per game. She is averaging 12.0 points per game, including seven double-figure scoring games, during the 11-game stretch since the beginning of 2005. Discounting a pair of scoreless games, Tomovich is averaging 14.7 ppg since Jan. 1. Additionally, Tomovich has showed off her endurance, playing at least 26 minutes in nine of the games, and topping 30 four times. While scoring 16 points in a win over Fairleigh Dickinson on Jan. 17, Tomovich played a career-high 39 minutes. Tomovich played more than 30 minutes just twice in the season's first 11 games.
Iron Woman
Sophomore guard Lindsey Hollobaugh has been too valuable for head coach Kathy Fedorjaka to take out of the lineup this season. Hollobaugh is averaging 36.9 minutes per game, and has played all 40 minutes nine times this season. She has played 391 out of a possible 400 minutes the last 10 games.
Highway Robbery
Junior guard Lindsey Geosits recorded seven steals during a 67-65 win over Colgate Jan. 12. That figure easily eclipsed her career high of four, and gave her the most steals by a Bison since Desire Almind had eight swipes against Holy Cross Feb. 27, 2004.
Unselfish Geosits
Junior guard Lindsey Geosits has a team-high 89 assists this year. For her career, she has 272 assists to rank sixth on Bucknell's career list. Geosits, Emilie Barruet and Kathryn Hudock, who has one assist and no turnovers, are the only three Bison to have positive assist-to-turnover ratios. As a team, Bucknell has dished out 295 assists on 485 field goals (60.8 percent). Opponents have not been nearly as unselfish, registering assists on 271 of 501 field goals (54.1 percent).
Foster Rebounds
Freshman Hope Foster ranks seventh in the Patriot League, and leads the team, in rebounding with 5.9 per game. The last freshman to lead the Bison in rebounding was Vicki Quimby, who averaged 7.4 boards per game in 1998-99.
Six in a Row
Bucknell's loss to Lehigh on Feb. 6 was its sixth consecutive defeat. The Bison last lost six in a row in 1997-98. Bucknell will be trying to avoid its seventh consecutive loss versus American Friday night. The last time the Bison had a seven-game skid was the 1991-92 campaign.
Block Party
Through 22 games Bucknell has blocked 95 shots as a team. If the Bison continue averaging 4.3 blocks per game they will finish the regular season with 117. 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 squad with 51 blocks (2.3 per game), which ranks first in the Patriot League. She already ranks second on the Bucknell single-season list. She also stands tied for ninth on Bucknell's career list with Kirsten Ellison. Through games of Feb. 7, Foster ranked 33rd nationally in blocks, while Bucknell was 50th.
Eight Straight 20-Point Performances vs. PL
Sophomore guard Lindsey Hollobaugh scored 26 points against Colgate on Jan. 12. It marked the eighth consecutive game against league foes that Hollobaugh scored at least 20 points. That string was broken Jan. 15 against Army when she scored just 10 points. The Loganton, Pa., native has reached double figures in 22 of her last 24 games and is fifth in the Patriot League in scoring at 15.8 points per game. She has scored at least 10 points in 41 of 47 career games.
52-Point First Half
The 52 points Bucknell scored in the first half of its 90-66 victory over Iona on Jan. 3 were the most for the Bison since they tallied 56 points in a 115-92 win versus Canisius Jan. 6, 1996. That game established a new Bucknell record for most points scored in a game.
Low-Scoring Win
Bucknell's 48 points in its 48-47 victory over Akron Dec. 29 was its second-lowest point total in a victory since eighth-year head coach Kathy Fedorjaka took over prior to the 1997-98 season. The Bison defeated Navy 46-43 Feb. 5, 2000 the only time they tallied less than 48 points in a victory during Fedorjaka's tenure. Only three other times in the 32-year history of the Bucknell program had the Bison won in games they scored less than 48 points. Two of those came in 1973-74, while the other came during the 1979-80 campaign.
Record-Tying Assists
In its 90-66 win over Iona on Jan. 3, Bucknell equaled a 29-year-old record with 28 assists on its 32 field goals. The total equaled a mark that was set Feb. 9, 1976, during a 66-49 victory over Juniata.
Hollobaugh Eclipses 800 Points
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 808. Her 15.8 ppg career scoring average ranks fourth in Bucknell history.
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.
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.
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.
Up Next
After four consecutive weekends of Friday-Sunday games, Bucknell will return to Saturday-Wednesday games the next two weeks. The Bison are idle until Saturday, Feb. 19, when they host Army at 7 p.m. at Sojka Pavilion. They then host Holy Cross at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 23, as Bucknell celebrates Senior Night by honoring Emilie Barruet, Lillian Drumgold, Amy Ketcham and Brooke Tomovich.
