Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Women's Basketball Welcomes George Mason to Sojka Pavilion Tuesday Night
12/3/2007 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 3, 2007
What: George Mason (3-3) at Bucknell (2-5)
Where: Sojka Pavilion, Lewisburg, Pa.
When: Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2007, 7 p.m.
Radio: WVBU 90.5 FM and SportsJuice.com
Live Video: SportsJuice.com
Promotions: Feed the Fan/Student Study Break
Game Notes
With a Victory Over George Mason, Bucknell Would...
► Win its last game before final exams for the fifth consecutive season
► Post its second consecutive home win
► Improve to 32-67 all-time against CAA teams
► Collect three wins in a five-game span for the first time since ending a school-record nine-game winning streak last February
About the Game
Having lost at Marist over the weekend, Bucknell will look to get back to its winning ways at Sojka Pavilion, a place the Bison have posted a 39-21 all-time record. Kathy Fedorjaka will be coaching the 400th game of her 15-year coaching career and the Bison will need a victory to avoid a 2-6 record and equal the 2004-05 squad for the worst start during Fedorjaka's 11 years at the helm. George Mason, which has just one player (Lateisha Wade) averaging double figures, had a three-game winning streak snapped at Richmond on Saturday. The Patriots will be idle for 15 days following the game and will next be in action Dec. 19 against Patriot League foe American.
Bucknell-George Mason Series
The Bucknell-George Mason series is being rekindled after nearly 16 years. The last time the two teams met was Feb. 24, 1992 and the Bison were triumphant by a 68-64 score. Bucknell owns a 3-2 lead in the series, including 2-0 in Lewisburg, and has won each of the last two meetings.
Last Meeting - Feb. 24, 1992
► Bucknell 68, George Mason 64
Bucknell outscored George Mason 37-26 in the second half to overcome a seven-point halftime deficit. Juliet McGee, who ranks 14th on the Bison career scoring list, had 16 points and 12 rebounds, while Nickie Hilton registered a double-double of her own with 22 points and 10 boards for the Patriots. Bucknell improved to 7-18, while George Mason fell to 13-11.
Bucknell vs. Colonial Athletic Association
Bucknell is 31-67 all-time against teams that currently compete in the CAA. The Bison lost to CAA foe James Madison by a 73-53 score earlier this season.
Sojka Success
While Bucknell has struggled to a 2-5 record to start this season, they are 1-1 at Sojka Pavilion. The Bison will now play three consecutive games on their home court, where they are 39-21 (.650) all-time.
Tough Start at Marist
Bucknell opened last Saturday's game at Marist missing its first 28 field goal attempts. The Bison trailed 19-0 before getting on the board, and 23-3 before Kristina Collymore netted their first field goal more than 14 minutes into the contest. Bucknell rebounded and made 19 of its final 40 field goal attempts as it whittled what once was a 27-point deficit to just 10 in the final minutes.
Getting Ready for Exams
Each year Bucknell has a lengthy break for final exams in December, but it has not let the studying get in the way of winning games. The Bison have won their final game before final exams each of the last four years. The wins have been by an average of more than 10 points per game. Bucknell is 6-4 in the final game before final exams under head coach Kathy Fedorjaka.
20+ 3-Pointers
Bucknell attempted 23 3-point field goals this past Saturday at Marist, a figure that was nearly double its amount from any of the first six games of the season. The Bison made just six of the 23 attempts (26.1 percent). Last year Bucknell attempted at least 20 3-points five times and made just 29 of 116 (25.0 percent) in those games. The Bison shot 35.9 percent in the other 26 games.
400th Career Game
Bucknell head coach Kathy Fedorjaka will coach her 400th career game against George Mason. The 15th-year head coach has a career record of 226-173. It will be her 295th game at the helm of the Bison, where she has a record of 159-135 and is in the midst of her 11th season.
Three of Four Above 40%
Three of Bucknell's last four opponents have shot at least 40.0 percent from the field. While the Bison have been among the national leaders in field goal percentage defense the last two years, that occurence is not uncommon. In fact, last year Coppin State, Binghamton and Buffalo all shot at least 40.0 percent in a four-game stretch against the difficult Bucknell defense that ranked 32nd nationally in field goal percentage defense at year's end.
Difficult Schedule
Bucknell head coach Kathy Fedorjaka has put together a very difficult for her Bison squad this season. In fact, the five teams Bucknell has lost to this season owned a combined 26-9 record through Saturday's action. Additionally, future opponents No. 10 Duke Penn State are at least receiving votes in the latest USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll. James Madison and Marist are also listed among the others receiving votes category.
Records of Opponents Bucknell has Lost to in 2007-08 (through Dec. 1) St. Bonaventure 5-2 James Madison 6-0 Hampton 4-3 Cornell 3-3 Marist 8-1 Total 26-9
Strong Showing for Sprouse
Senior Ashton Sprouse has seen limited playing time throughout her career, but she made quite an impact this past Saturday at Marist. The 6-1 forward scored five points and grabbed five rebounds, both season highs, in 15 minutes off the bench.
Cold Shooting
Marist held Bucknell to just 27.9 percent shooting this past Saturday, marking the lowest figure of the year for the Bison. The last time they shot worse was last December against the same Marist team (26.9 percent). Bucknell connected on just over 15 percent of its first-half field goals over the weekend against the Red Foxes.
Changing the Starters
Bucknell head coach Kathy Fedorjaka has tinkered with her starting lineup throughout the early part of this season. In fact, the Bison have used a program-record five different starting lineups in the season's first seven games.
High Scorers
Four members of the current Bison squad have already eclipsed 500 points in their careers, headlined by Hope Foster and her 976 career points. She ranks 17th 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 16. Julie Bachman 981 17. Hope Foster 976 25. Shannon McGowan 744 26. Amanda Brown 738 27. Kesha Champion 734 30. Liz Rabenold 594 31. Anne McGovern 579 t-32. Lauren Schober 578
Improved Rebounding
While Bucknell has struggled rebounding the ball this year, it had a strong showing on the boards at Marist. For the second time this season the Bison were not beaten on the boards as they equaled the bigger Red Foxes with 42 rebounds apiece. However, guards Kesha Champion (12) and Amanda Brown (6) accounted for nearly half of the caroms.
Foster Continues to Pile Up Blocks
Hope Foster has amassed 278 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 18 blocks this season, Foster is just 31 blocks shy of the Patriot League career record, held by Kathy Courtney of Holy Cross.
Block Drought
While Foster is among the most prolific shot blockers in the nation, she has seen her block totals fall off recently. In fact, she has had more than two blocks in a game just once over the last five outings. She was also held without a block against Marist, marking just the eighth time in her career she did not block a shot. It was also the first time she did not block a shot against a non-league foe since the first game of her freshman season against Florida International, a streak of 46 games.
Up Next
Bucknell will have 11 days off for final exams before its next game, which is Dec. 15 against Penn State. The Nittany Lions, who are 6-2 and defeated nationally ranked Duke on Sunday, have never played in Lewisburg. Tip off for the contest will be at 7 p.m. The last time the two teams met was in the 2002 Preaseason WNIT and Penn State prevailed 86-72.
