Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Monmouth (Caribbean Classic)
Bucknell Women's Basketball Holds on for 67-53 Win Over Monmouth at Caribbean Classic
11/24/2006 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 24, 2006
CANCUN, Mexico - Hope Foster (Washington, D.C./Dunbar) scored a game-high 19 points, including the first seven of the game, and grabbed nine rebounds as the Bucknell women's basketball team held on for a 67-53 win over Monmouth Friday afternoon in its first game at the Caribbean Classic, held at the Moon Palace Resort. The Bison led by as many as 18 points early in the second half, but the Hawks closed to within eight late in the game before extending the lead back out.
Bucknell opened up its 18-point lead and led by double digits the entire second half until a three-point play by Jennifer Bender, who led Monmouth with 14 points and nine rebounds, including a career-high eight on the offensive end, cut the Bison advantage to 56-48 with just under five minutes to play.
Bucknell head coach Kathy Fedorjaka used a timeout and the Bison responded with seven consecutive points coming out of the stoppage. Foster scored four point, including a layup off a back-door alley oop, and Amanda Brown (Richardson, Texas/L.V. Berkner) knocked down a 3-pointer from the left wing to put the Bison back on top by 15 points (63-48) with less than three minutes to play in the second half that featured a combined 26 free throw attempts.
Bucknell jumped out to an early 11-3 lead in the first half behind an 11-0 run that featured an array of post moves by Hope Foster, as she tallied the first seven points of the game for the Bison, who won their second consecutive game to improve to 4-2.
Monmouth closed the gap to five points at 13-8, but a 10-2 run midway through the first half helped Bucknell take a 25-12 advantage and the Hawks didn't draw closer the rest of the half. That spurt by the Bison featured four points each from Jacquie Seawright (Olton, Texas/Olton) and Andrea Wright (Baltimore, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt). Wright, who tallied a career-high seven points and seven rebounds off the bench, had a pretty coast-to-coast driving layup as she broke the Monmouth full court pressure to give Bucknell a 23-12 lead.
The Bison led by as many as 17 points in the first half that featured them shooting at a 56.0 percent clip.
Bucknell, which made 20 of 28 free throws, including 9 of 9 from Foster, cooled off in the second half from the floor, but still finished the contest at 46.8 percent. Foster was 5 of 9 from the floor, while Seawright knocked down three of her five field goal attempts to equal her season high with nine points.
Hollobaugh joined Foster as the only two Bucknell players in double figures with 13 points as she moved ahead of Kate Franks and into eighth place on the Bison career scoring list with 1,251 points. Overall, the Bison had a balanced scoring attack with Foster, Hollobaugh, Seawright and Brown each netting at least nine points.
Bucknell had another strong defensive game as it nearly held its first opponent of the season under 30.0 percent shooting, but the Hawks made 17 of 56 field goals (30.4 percent). All six opponents for the Bison have failed to shoot 40.0 percent from the floor. The Hawks were just 4 of 19 from 3-point range, but did make 15 of 19 from the free throw line.
Monmouth, which defeated Marshall Thursday at the Caribbean Classic, fell to 3-2 with the loss.
Bucknell is back in action on Saturday, Nov.25, when it faces Richmond at 2 p.m. (EST) in its second game at the Caribbean Classic.
