Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Women's Basketball Travels to Hampton Saturday
11/16/2007 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 16, 2007
What: Bucknell (0-2) at Hampton (2-0)
Where: Hampton Convocation Center, Hampton, Va.
When: Saturday, Nov. 17, 2007, 6 p.m.
Radio: WVBU 90.5 FM and SportsJuice.com
Game Notes
With a Victory Over Hampton, Bucknell Would...
► End a five-game losing streak dating back to last year
► End a five-game losing streak to non-league foes
► Avoid its fifth 0-2 road start in the last six years
► Avoid its first 0-3 start since 2002-03
► Improve to 3-1 against teams from the MEAC over the last two years
About the Game
Bucknell enters Saturday's contest with Hampton having lost five games in a row dating back to last year and will look to end that streak. The Bison will need to reduce their turnovers and improve their rebounding after Tuesday's game against James Madison where they totaled 28 turnovers and were outrebounded 55-37 by an athletic Dukes squad. The Pirates have won a pair of tight games to open the season 2-0. They defeated Georgetown 52-50 last Friday, and followed that with a 71-57 overtime victory at Saint Louis as the Bilikens failed to score in the overtime stanza. Despite their 2-0 record, the Pirates are shooting just 36.5 percent from the floor and are turning the ball over more than 20 times per game.
Bucknell-Hampton Series
Bucknell holds a 3-0 advantage in the all-time series with Hampton, including an 85-77 victory at Sojka Pavilion in last year's season opener. All three meetings have come during Kathy Fedorjaka's tenure as Bison mentor. Bucknell has scored at least 80 points in all three meetings.
Bucknell vs. MEAC
Bucknell is 17-7 all-time against teams that are currently in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, including 4-2 over the last two years.
Free Throw Hot Streak
Andrea Wright made her first career start on Tuesday against James Madison and scored seven points and pulled down three rebounds. She also connected on all three of her free throws and is a team-best 7-for-7 this season. She has now made 11 consecutive foul shots dating back to last year.
Difficult Schedule
Bucknell head coach Kathy Fedorjaka beefed up Bucknell's non-conference schedule this season and it has shown by the performance of the Bison's first three opponents. The combined record of St. Bonaventure, James Madison and Hampton through Nov. 15 was 7-0.
Hot from the Line
Highlighted by 6 of 6 shooting by Lauren Schober and a 4 of 4 game by Kesha Champion, Bucknell coonnected on 17 of 18 (94.4%) free throws against James Madison. The last time the Bison shot better from the free throw line in a game where they had at least 10 attempts was Feb. 24, 2001, when they were 11-for-11.
Another One Under 40%
Bucknell held its eighth consecutive regular season opponent under 40% field goal shooting Tuesday when it limited James Madison to 32.9 percent shooting from the field.
JMU Rebounding
James Madison pulled down 55 total rebounds, including 33 on the offensive end Tuesday against Bucknell. The 55 rebounds were the most by a Bison opponent since Maryland Eastern Shore hauled in 58 in a triple overtime affair in December 2005. The last team to grab more than 55 in a regulation contest was Air Force, which grabbed 56 earlier that month. The last Bison opponent to record at least 33 offensive rebounds was Robert Morris, which totaled 37 on Nov. 24, 1996.
Turnovers for the Bison
Bucknell turned the ball over 28 times Tuesday night against James Madison. It marked the most turnovers for the Bison since Nov. 26, 2004 when they had 32 miscues in a 20-point loss at Saint Francis (Pa.).
High Scorers
Four members of the current Bison squad have already eclipsed 500 points in their careers, headlined by Hope Foster and her 917 career points. She ranks 18th on the Bison career scoring list. Kesha Champion, Amanda Brown and Lauren Schober also have more than 500 career points, joining an exclusive club that has just 40 members.
Current Bison with 500 Career Points and Rank on Bucknell Career Scoring List 17. Chiara Sockel 961 18. Hope Foster 917 26. Monica Nawarskas 701 27. Kesha Champion 687 28. Amanda Brown 679 t-37. Kate Rounsley 542 t-37. Lauren Schober 542
Hoping to End the Streak
Bucknell lost its final three games of 2006-07 and has now lost five in a row overall. It is the first time since ending a six-game losing skid in February of 2005 that the Bison have lost five contests in a row.
Home Openers
Bucknell lost its home opener Tuesday against James Madison, marking the first time it lost its first home game since 2003-04. The last time the Bison dropped their home opener by as many as 20 points was 1998-99 when they lost 81-54 to Kent.
Early Openers
Bucknell's season-opening game at St. Bonaventure last Friday marked the earliest starting date in program history, eclipsing last season's Nov. 10 opener by one day. Prior to last year, the Bison's earliest game had been on Nov. 14, 1998.
Double-Doubles
Lauren Schober recorded her fourth career double-double in the season opener against St. Bonaventure last Friday. The Chicago, Ill., native tallied 10 points and 10 rebounds. It marked the third straight year a Bison junior has registered a double-double in the season opener. In 2005-06 Lindsey Hollobaugh posted 14 points and 11 rebounds at Stony Brook, while Hope Foster tallied 20 points and 16 rebounds last year opposite Hampton.
Foster Continues to Pile Up Blocks
Hope Foster has amassed 270 blocks in her career. As a freshman, she tallied 72 rejections to break Desire Almind's year-old Bucknell single-season record of 62. She easily eclipsed that figure as a sophomore with 95 blocks to pace the Patriot League for the second consecutive season. Last year she nearly broke her own record, but finished with 93 blocks, leading the Patriot League once again. Foster finished her junior campaign with a 3.0 blocks per game average, which ranked ninth in the nation. The year before she averaged 3.3 blocks per game, good for eighth in the country. With 10 blocks this season, Foster is just 39 blocks shy of the Patriot League career record, held by Kathy Courtney of Holy Cross.
Up Next
Bucknell returns home on just one day of rest to host Howard Monday, Nov. 19, at 7 p.m. at Sojka Pavilion. The Bison enter the weekend with an 0-4 record, losing by an average score of 79.5 to 54.3. Included in those early season losses was a 71-50 loss to Patriot League foe Navy. It is the lone time this year that Bucknell will be asked to play on just one day of rest.
