Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Women's Basketball Concludes Non-Conference Portion of Schedule Wednesday at Home
1/2/2007 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 2, 2007
What: Iona (6-6) at Bucknell (8-6)
Where: Sojka Pavilion, Lewisburg, Pa.
When: Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2007, 7 p.m.
Game Notes
Bucknell and Iona both conclude the non-conference portion of their schedules Wednesday night at Sojka Pavilion. The Bison, who are 8-6, are coming off a 69-51 home loss to Buffalo, while the Gaels, who have won three of their last four games, fell to Central Florida by a 59-47 score in their last outing. Both teams are led by veterans as there are a total of five seniors and four juniors in the projected starting lineups. Bucknell senior guard Lindsey Hollobaugh has been on a hot streak the last two games, averaging 16.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. She is 5-for-12 from 3-point range over that span and moved into seventh place on Bucknell's career scoring list in the last game. She also moved up to ninth place on the career assists list as she now has 248 and is within 50 of fifth place.
ABOUT IONA
Iona is off to is best start since 1992-93 with a 6-6 record through its first 12 games. The Gaels are 2-0 in league play and are coming off a season in which they won a program-record 17 games. Martina Weber, who had a game-high 16 points in last year's meeting, leads Iona in scoring at 13.7 ppg despite appearing in just three games this season. Tiara Headen is also averaging double figures at 10.3 ppg. The Gaels' real strength is their veteran roster and their rebounding as five players are averaging at least 4.0 rpg. Additionally, the starting lineup features three seniors and two juniors. Five more upperclassmen can come off the bench as there is just one freshman on the 15-person roster.
BISON VS. GAELS
This is the fourth consecutive year Bucknell and Iona have met and the series is currently even at 2-2. The first meeting, a 66-48 Iona win, took place in December 1992. The Bison lost 75-58 at Iona last November, but won 90-66 two years ago in the only game in the series to be played in Lewisburg.
WITH A VICTORY OVER IONA, BUCKNELL WOULD...
• ...open a season with a 9-6 record for the first time since 2001-02
• ...avoid its first losing streak of the season
• ...improve to 6-2 against teams from New York State this season
• ...close out the non-conference portion of its schedule with a victory for the fourth consecutive year
• ...win its second consecutive game over a MAAC opponent
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 547 career rebounds, 130 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 ... just once in the last 84 games has an opponent converted at least 50.0% of its field goals against the Bison defense ... Foster is 26th on Bucknell's career scoring list ... Kesha Champion is 35th on Bucknell's career scoring list ... senior guard Lindsey Hollobaugh has 72 career double-figure scoring games ... Bucknell has not endured a losing streak this season.
BUCKNELL VS. NEW YORK TEAMS
Bucknell will be playing its eighth game against a New York team Wednesday against Iona. The Bison are 5-2 against squads from the Empire State this year. Bucknell is 12-4 in its last 16 games against New York foes.
BEST START SINCE 2001-02
With an 8-6 record, Bucknell is off to its best 14-game start since 2001-02. The Bison opened that year with an 11-6 record.
2006 RECORD
Bucknell wrapped up the 2006 calendar year with a 20-12 record. The Bison last reached 20 wins in a year in 2002 when they went 20-10.
WINNING THE JUMP
Thanks to 6-2 forward Hope Foster, Bucknell has won the opening jump ball 10 times this season. The Bison are 5-5 in games they have possession first and 3-1 when the other team gains control of the opening tip.
NO LOSING STREAKS
Bucknell has not lost two consecutive games this season. It is the first time the Bison have made it to January without losing at least two games in a row once since the 1987-88 campaign. Bucknell had just one two-game losing streak that year as it finished with an 18-11 mark, however, only eight of those contests were before Jan. 1.
END OF A STREAK
Buffalo shot 52.8% from the field on Dec. 29, becoming the first team in a span of 84 games to eclipse the 50% mark versus Bucknell. The last time a team shot exactly 50.0% from the field was Lehigh on Jan. 14, 2004. Providence, on Dec. 29, 2003, was the last team to shoot better than 50.0% against the Bison.
FINAL NON-CONFERENCE GAME
Bucknell is hosting Iona in its final non-conference game of the season Wednesday. The Bison will be trying to win their last non-conference contest for the fourth consecutive season. Bucknell has won its final non-conference game in five of the last six years.
60+ POINTS LEADS TO WIN
For the first time in three games, Bucknell failed to reach 60 points last Friday against Buffalo. The Bison are just 2-6 when scoring less than 60 points, but are an undefeated 6-0 when tallying at least 60 points this season. Bucknell was 14-4 when registering at least 60 points in 2005-06.
STRONG IN DECEMBER
By closing out December with a 3-3 record, Bucknell accomplished that feat for the fourth consecutive season. The last time the Bison were under .500 in the year's final month was 2002-03.
BETTER IN FIRST HALF
Bucknell has outscored its opponents 431-385 in the first half, but has been outscored 449-393 after halftime. The Bison have "won" the second half against only Columbia and Cornell.
WEEKDAY WARRIORS
Bucknell has posted a sparkling 8-2 mark on weekdays as opposed to its 0-4 mark on Saturdays and Sunday. Both of the weekday losses for the Bison came on Friday nights.
8-2 WHEN LEADING AT HALF
Bucknell led Siena 45-21 at halftime on Dec. 21, marking the 10th time this season the Bison led at halftime and they are 8-2 in those contests. Bucknell is outscoring its opponents by nearly 50 points in the first halves of games this season.
500-POINT CLUB
Kesha Champion became the 38th member of Bucknell's 500-point club earlier this season against St. Bonaventure. She joined teammates Lindsey Hollobaugh (1,320) and Hope Foster (687) on that list. Hollobaugh is seventh on the career scoring list, while Foster ranks 26th. Champion currently ranks 35th.
Bucknell Career Scoring Leaders
25. Monica Nawarskas 701
26. Hope Foster 687
33. Jill Henry 557
34. Karin Wegener 550
35. Kesha Champion 547
SOJKA SUCCESS
Bucknell has posted a 4-2 home mark this year to improve its all-time record at Sojka Pavilion to 31-19 (.620). 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.
UP NEXT
Bucknell will open Patriot League play Saturday as its continues its longest homestand of the season against Navy. The contest is the first of a doubleheader with the men's team, which also faces the Mids. Tip off is slated for 4 p.m. Bucknell is 21-15 all-time against Navy and has won three consecutive meetings.
