Bucknell University
Siena
Balanced Scoring Attack Leads Bucknell Women's Basketball Past Siena, 79-67
12/21/2006 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 21, 2006
LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. - All nine players on the active roster scored, led by a season-high 17 points from Kesha Champion (Chesapeake, Va./Indian River), and the Bucknell women's basketball team used a game-opening 14-0 run to easily defeat Siena Thursday night at Alumni Recreation Center. The Bison won their second straight game for the second time this season and improved to 8-5, their best 13-game start since 2000-01, while the Saints fell to 2-9.
Champion was one of four Bucknell players in double figures as Lindsey Hollobaugh (Loganton, Pa./Central Mountain) and Amanda Brown (Richardson, Texas/L.V. Berkner) netted 15 apiece and Lauren Schober (Chicago, Ill./Regina Dominican) added 12.
The Bison set the tone early, sprinting out to the 14-0 advantage as the Saints were 0-for-9 from the field with four turnovers before Sarah Fullmer connected on a jumper from just inside the foul line to put Siena on the board.
Bucknell extended its lead out to 19-2 and 29-12, but used a 16-9 run over the final five minutes of the half to build a commanding 45-21 lead, equaling its largest of the first half. The 45 points equaled the most the Bison have tallied in a half this year and was just 13 shy of their per game average.
Champion, Schober and Brown led the run at the end of the half with a barrage of 3-pointers. Champion connected on a pair from the left wing that hit nothing but net, including one in the waning seconds of the half. Schober and Brown, who registered seven consecutive points during the run as she totaled a team-high 11 points before halftime, hit one apiece from behind the arc.
The Bison forced 10 turnovers and h nine steals in the first half as they had numerous fast-break opportunities. That helped them blister the nets at a 60.7 percent clip (17-28), including 5 of 7 from 3-point range.
Siena slowed play down in the second half and turned the game into a half-court contest. The Saints dumped the ball inside to Laura Menty, who tallied a game-high 25 points, including the first 12 of the second half as Siena closed to within 53-40 mid-way through the second half.
The Bison were able to extend the lead back out and held on to the victory by scoring their final 15 points from the free throw line as Siena repeatedly fouled in the final minutes. The Saints connected on four desperation 3-pointers during that time to cut the deficit to 12.
Bucknell tallied just six field goals in the second half after netting 17 in the first 20 minutes of play. It finished the game at 44.2 percent from the field, but a sparkling 7 of 13 from 3-point range. Hollobaugh, Champion and Schober each knocked down a pair from behind the arc.
Hollobaugh led the Bison, who outrebounded their second consecutive opponent, with a season-high seven rebounds. Champion added six boards to go along with her four steals. Bucknell finished with 13 steals as a team and forced a total of 15 turnovers.
Le'Le' LeSeur saw her first action of the season for Bucknell and tallied three assists, two steals and one point in 13 minutes of action before fouling out.
Katelyn Dooley, who netted three desperation 3-pointers in the final minutes, tallied 12 points on four 3-pointers, while Sarah Fullmer scored 13 to round out the trio of Saints in double figures.
Bucknell is now idle for eight days until starting a four-game homestand next Friday, Dec. 29, against Buffalo. That will be the third of four consecutive contests against opponents from New York.
