Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Army*
Bucknell Women's Basketball Takes Over First Place in PL with 59-55 Victory Over Army
1/27/2007 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 27, 2007
Box Score | Box Score (PDF) | Photo Gallery 
| 2007 Women's Basketball Alumni Game
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Hope Foster (Washington, D.C./Dunbar) scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for her seventh double-double of the season and Bucknell's starting five played all but six minutes as the Bison women's basketball team defeated Army 59-55 Saturday afternoon in front of 528 energetic fans at Sojka Pavilion. Bucknell, which won its third consecutive game, took over sole possession of first place in the Patriot League standings as the two teams were tied for the top spot entering the contest.
The Bison (14-8, 6-1 Patriot League) saw three of their starters each play 40 minutes and two others play 37 as they outlasted the Black Knights, who saw their bench account for 63 minutes.
Foster was the key to the game as she was 8 of 11 from the field and 6 of 6 from the free throw line despite drawing multiple defenders every time she touched the ball. She also added two blocks and a pair of steals. A three-point play from her with just over 13 minutes remaining gave Bucknell a 43-35 lead, but she did not take another shot until less than three minutes remained and Army (18-4, 5-2 PL) had climbed to within 52-47. During that span the Bison did build a pair of nine-point leads, but endured a stretch of more than five minutes without a field goal that ended with another three-point play from Foster.
The second three-point play from Foster put Bucknell up 55-47, but back-to-back jumpers from Alex McGuire cut the lead to four with less than a minute to play. The second of those two jumpers came with McGuire's foot on the 3-point line in the left corner that would have made the contest a one-possession game in the final minute.
Amanda Brown (Richardson, Texas/L.V. Berkner) and Lauren Schober (Chicago, Ill./Regina Dominican) combined to shoot 4-for-6 from the free throw line in the final 25 seconds of play to seal the game for the Bison.
While Bucknell led the entire second half, the first stanza was a back-and-forth affair that featured four lead changes and three ties. Neither team was able to jump out in front by more than five points until the Bison went on a 7-0 run in a span of just over 90 seconds near the end of the first half. Schober connected on a 3-pointer from the top of the key, Foster added two free throws and Jacquie Seawright (Olton, Texas/Olton) scored on a short jumper coming off a screen to put Bucknell up 30-23. Courtney Wright, who led Army with 11 rebounds in 23 minutes off the bench, scored on back-to-back possessions to cut the Bison halftime lead to three points.
Facing the Patriot League's best rebounding team, Bucknell was outrebounded by a 44-35 margin, but Schober totaled a season-high 10 to join Foster in double figures.
Brown netted double figures for the seventh consecutive game with 14 points despite connecting on just 1 of 8 3-pointers. Seawright notched double figures for the third straight game with 11 points to go along with a season high-tying seven rebounds. She is averaging 13.3 points and 6.7 rebounds over her last three contests.
Kesha Champion (Chesapeake, Va./Indian River) played solid defense on Army's Cara Enright, the league's leading scorer at 15.9 points per game, and limited her to just 10 on 3 of 13 shooting. Champion also dished out a season high-tying six assists and recorded a career-high six steals.
McGuire led the Black Knights, who were limited to 36.5 percent shooting, with 12 points.
Both teams struggled from 3-point range with Bucknell making just 3 of 20 and Army converting 3 of 14. The Bison made 10 free throws to just six for the Black Knights.
Bucknell, which improved to 14-4 when leading at halftime this season, returns to the road next Saturday, Feb. 3, when it travels to Navy. Tip off is slated for 1 p.m. in Annapolis.
