Bucknell University Athletics
Bison Women's Basketball Hosts Marist Saturday in Second Game of Doubleheader with Men
12/1/2006 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 1, 2006
What: Marist (4-2) at Bucknell (5-3)
Where: Sojka Pavilion, Lewisburg, Pa.
When: Saturday, Dec. 2, 2006, 3:30 p.m.
Game Notes
Behind a strong defense that has not allowed an opponent to eclipse 60 points since nationally ranked Michigan State accomplished the feat two weeks ago, Bucknell has won three of its last four games as it has sprinted to a 5-3 record, its best eight-game start since opening the 2000-01 campaign 7-1. The Bison will take on a Marist team that is equally hot, having won three games in a row with no opponent totaling more than 53 points over that span. The Bison, who are limiting opponents to 35.9 percent shooting from the floor, will need to shut down the Red Foxes' high-powered offense that has tallied at least 70 points four times and is averaging 72.0 points per game. Bucknell's defense will be anchored by junior Hope Foster, who has blocked 43 shots this season and owns three of the top four positions on Bucknell's single-season blocks list. Additionally, Amanda Brown is among the Patriot League leaders in steals with 19, a figure that is just nine shy of her freshman-year total.
ABOUT MARIST
Marist enters Saturday's contest with Bucknell on a three-game winning streak, with each of the three victories by at least 18 points. The Red Foxes are outscoring their opponents by a whopping 14.7 points per game. Marist's two losses have come on the road to nationally ranked Duke and to Villanova in overtime. Rachele Fitz leads the team in scoring at 13.5 points per game, while Meg Dahlman is averaging 12.0 points and a team-high 6.7 rebounds. Both players are averaging just over 20 minutes per contest as just one player on the roster is playing more than 25 minutes per game. Dahlman transferred to Marist from the Patriot League's Holy Cross.
BISON VS. RED FOXES
Bucknell is 2-4 all-time against Marist, but both victories have come in the last three meetings. The last time the two teams met, the Red Foxes defeated the Bison 69-64 in Davis Gym.
WITH A VICTORY OVER ST. MARIST, BUCKNELL WOULD...
• ...open a season with at least a 6-3 record for the first time since 2000-01 when the Bison began the campaign 7-1
• ...improve to 4-0 at Sojka Pavilion for the first time since opening 2004-05 home schedule 6-0
• ...remain undefeated against New York teams this year
QUICK FACTS
Bucknell reached the semifinals of the Patriot League Tournament for the fourth time in five years last year ... Hope Foster leads current Bison with 504 career rebounds, 173 shy of climbing into Bucknell's top-10 list ... the Bison were one of the best defensive teams in the nation last year as they ranked in the top 50 nationally in four defensive categories, including seventh in field goal percentage defense ... Bucknell is holding opponents to 35.9% shooting from the field ... just twice in its last 12 games has Bucknell allowed a team to shoot better than 40.0% ... just one team (Richmond) has eclipsed 40.0% this year ... it has been a span of 79 games since an opponent has converted at least 50.0% of its field goals against the Bison defense ... Lindsey Hollobaugh has netted double figures in six games this year and 69 times in 90 career games ... the 59.9 ppg Bucknell is yielding this year would rank fifth all-time, and second-best since 1980 ... Kesha Champion eclipsed 500 career points against St. Bonaventure ... Champion is 38th on Bucknell's career scoring list, 18 points behind 37th-place Monique LeBlanc, a current assistant coach for the Bison.
FOSTER CONTINUES TO PILE UP BLOCKS
Junior forward Hope Foster, who already owns the Bucknell career and single-season blocked shots record, has piled up an impressive 43 blocks in eight games this year. After setting a Bucknell record for blocks in a single game with eight against Hampton, she surpassed that with 11 against Michigan State one week later to tie the Patriot League single-game standard.
Hope Foster's Blocked Shots Accomplishments
• Bucknell single-game record (11 vs. Michigan State)
• Tied Patriot League single-game record (11 vs. Michigan State)
• 15 career games with at least five blocks (only 23 total in Bucknell history)
• Owns top two spots on Bucknell's career blocks list (Fr.-72/So.-95)
• Tied for Patriot League single-season blocks record (95)
• Second in Patriot League history in career blocks (210)
• First on Bucknell's career blocks list (210) - 78 ahead of second place
• At least one block in 61 of 65 career games
54 POINTS IN WIN
For the fourth time in the last two years Bucknell won a game when scoring only 54 points Thursday against St. Bonaventure. The Bison last won a game by scoring less points in a 48-47 victory over Akron in December of 2004.
SEAWRIGHT STRONG OFF BENCH
After totaling just 14 points in the first four games of the season, senior forward Jacquie Seawright has been on a tear in the last four, averaging 9.8 points per game off the bench over that span to up her average to 6.6 ppg. The Olton, Texas, native knocked down three 3-pointers in the first half against St. Bonaventure on her way to a season-high 11 points, marking the fourth straight game she netted at least nine points.
CUTTING DOWN TURNOVERS
After averaging nearly 20 turnovers over the season's first six games, Bucknell has done a much better job taking care of the ball over the last two contests. The Bison turned the ball over a season-low nine times against Richmond and 13 times versus St. Bonaventure. They are now averaging 17 turnovers per game on the season.
5-1 WHEN LEADING AT HALF
By turning a 30-21 halftime lead into a six-point victory Thursday against St. Bonaventure, Bucknell improved to 5-1 when leading at halftime this season.
500-POINT CLUB
Kesha Champion became the 38th member of Bucknell's 500-point club Thursday against St. Bonaventure. She joined teammates Lindsey Hollobaugh (1,258) and Hope Foster (616) on that list. Hollobaugh is eighth on the career scoring list, while Foster ranks 27th.
THE EMPIRE STATE
Bucknell will be facing its fourth opponent from New York this season in Marist. The Bison are 3-0 with wins over Columbia, Cornell and Marist. Bucknell has won four straight opposite New York foes, and is 10-2 in its last 12 contests against New York teams.
800TH GAME
Saturday's contest at Marist will mark the 800th game in the 34-year history of the Bucknell program. The Bison are 355-444 all-time.
500 REBOUNDS
With 11 rebounds against St. Bonaventure, Hope Foster joined Bucknell's 500-rebound club. The junior, who finished her sophomore campaign with 430 rebounds, has a chance at challenging Vicki Quimby's program record of 902. In fact, Foster could break into the top 10 later this year. Bobbi Castens holds down the 10th spot with 677 boards.
BUSY NOVEMBER
Bucknell played a program-record eight games in November. On six previous occasions the Bison had played five games in the month. There are only six games on the Bucknell schedule in December.
SOJKA SUCCESS
Bucknell has posted a 3-0 home mark this year to improve its all-time record at Sojka Pavilion to 30-17 (.638). In their first four years playing at Sojka Pavilion, the Bison have never finished below .500. Bucknell posted victories in six of its final seven home games in 2005-06.
Bucknell's All-Time Record in Sojka Pavilion
Year W-L Pct.
2002-03 4-2 .667
2003-04 8-5 .615
2004-05 7-5 .583
2005-06 8-5 .615
2006-07 3-0 1.000
Totals 30-17 .638
UP NEXT
Bucknell returns to the road for its final game before an 11-day break for semester-ending exams Tuesday at Delaware State. The Bison are 3-1 all-time against the Hornets, but lost the meeting last December in Sojka Pavilion.
