Late Free Throw by Brooke Tomovich Gives Bucknell 72-71 Win Over Holy Cross in Women's Basketball

Wednesday, February 23

Lewisburg, Pa.

7:00 PM

Bucknell University

Holy Cross *

Late Free Throw by Brooke Tomovich Gives Bucknell 72-71 Win Over Holy Cross in Women's Basketball

2/23/2005 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball

By: TBD

Feb. 23, 2005

Box Score

LEWISBURG, Pa. - Brooke Tomovich made 1 of 2 free throws with 8.6 seconds remaining to lead a 72-71 upset of first-place Holy Cross by seventh-place Bucknell in women's basketball action Wednesday night at Sojka Pavilion. The Bison, who defeated the Crusaders for the third time in four meetings, improved to 10-16 overall, 4-9 in the Patriot League. Holy Cross, which clinched first place in the regular season standings by virtue of a Lehigh loss to American, fell to 16-10 overall, 11-2 Patriot League.

Lillian Drumgold celebrates Bucknell's victory over Holy Cross.

Tomovich, who led all scorers with 23 points in her final career home game, was fouled going up for a layup on the left side of the basket by Lisa Andrews with the score tied at 71-71 and 8.6 second remaining. An 86.7 percent free throw shooter entering the game, Tomovich made her first six free throws of the contest. She converted the first to give the Bison a 72-71 edge, but missed the second. Maggie Fontana, who led Holy Cross with 18 points and grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds, hauled in the carom. She went the length of the court, but Tomovich knocked the ball away as Fontana entered the lane. Tomovich fell on the ball, but a Holy Cross player grabbed it at the same time to cause a tie-up with 1.2 seconds on the clock. The Crusaders retained possession on the alternating possession arrow.

On the ensuing in-bounds play Holy Cross got the ball to Ashley McLaughlin on the left block. However, as she spun to shoot with Tomovich defending her, the horn sounded before she could get a shot off.

After leading for most of the first eight minutes of the second half, Bucknell relinquished its lead when Jessica Conte, who was one of four Crusaders in double figures with 11 points, made a pair of free throws to put Holy Cross up 51-50. The Bison would lead for just 22 seconds out of the next 8:55 as the Crusaders' lead fluctuated between one and five points.

Bucknell finally regained the lead when Lindsey Hollobaugh, who played just 31 minutes, but was one of four Bison in double figures with 15 points, connected on a pair of free throws with 4:22 remaining to give Bucknell a 65-64 lead. The lead would change four more times in the final minutes of the contest. Overall, there were 16 lead changes, including 10 in the second half.

Heading into the final minute Bucknell trailed 71-69, but Lindsey Geosits, who eclipsed the 100-assist mark this season with four helpers against Holy Cross, took a pass in the right corner from a driving Hollobaugh. Geosits took one dribble and pulled up for a jumper that evened the score at 71.

On Holy Cross' next possession, Laura Aloisi turned the ball over for the fifth time in the game with just over 40 seconds remaining. Bucknell called a timeout, but returned the favor with a turnover of its own on the in-bounds play as Conte picked the pass off with just over 30 second remaining. She raced the length of the court and attempted a short jumper from the right side, but missed. Fontana grabbed the offensive board and attempted a layup that was blocked by Hope Foster who had four blocks to break the Bucknell single-season blocks record. She has 63 this season to break Desire Almind's year-old record of 62. Geosits chased down the rebound which gave Bucknell the possession that led to Tomovich's game-winning free throw.

After six lead changes within the first six minutes of the game, Bucknell took the lead for good in the first half when Kesha Champion scored to give the Bison a 10-9 lead with 14:24 remaining before halftime. The Bison had their lead grow to as many as seven points before going into halftime with a 36-32 lead. Tomovich scored 14 of her 23 points before intermission, while Champion scored eight of her 12 in the first 20 minutes of play.

Foster, who tied Champion for the team lead in rebounds with seven, was the fourth Bucknell player in double figures with 10 points. Five of Champion's rebounds were of the offensive variety, a career-high total. Overall, the Bison hauled in 41 rebounds, including 17 offensive. The 17 offensive boards equaled their season high posted against Akron in December. Holy Cross grabbed 43 rebounds, led by Fontana's 14.

Both Bucknell and Holy Cross shot well from the line. The Bison, who were led by Tomovich (7-8) and Hollobaugh (7-7) made 24 of 29 (82.8 percent). The Crusaders were led by 8 of 9 shooting from Fontana and made 21 of 26 (80.8 percent) as a team.

Brittany Keil, who had 17 points, and Lisa Andrews, who had 13, were the other two Holy Cross players to score at least 10 points.

Bucknell, which had never won more than two out of four games in the 36-game series against Holy Cross, has won three of the last four meetings with the Crusaders.

The Bison reached the 70-point plateau for the first time against a Patriot League foe this year. Bucknell had tallied more than 70 points on just three other occasions this year, all victories.

At halftime of the game there was a special presentation to retire the No. 23 jersey of Molly Creamer '03, Bucknell's all-time leading scorer.

The Bison, who currently have a one-game lead over Lafayette, which defeated Navy 68-58 Wednesday night, wrap up the regular season with a game at Colgate at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 26. Bucknell is just one game behind Colgate and Navy in the Patriot League standings and could still finish as high as fifth in the league standings. However, the Bison could also finish as low as eighth since Lafayette holds the tiebreaker over Bucknell.