Bucknell University
Lafayette*
Bucknell Holds off Lafayette for 53-39 Victory in Women's Basketball
2/13/2007 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 13, 2007
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Amanda Brown (Richardson, Texas/L.V. Berkner) scored a game-high 17 points and Hope Foster (Washington, D.C./Dunbar) chipped in 16 points and 11 rebounds for her ninth double-double of the season to help the Bucknell women's basketball team hold off a pesky Lafayette squad, 53-39, Tuesday evening at Sojka Pavilion. The Bison extended their winning streak to seven games, equaling the program record established in 1986-87 and matched last season.
By avenging its lone Patriot League loss of the season, Bucknell (18-8, 10-1 Patriot League) extended its lead in the league standings to a full two games over second-place Army, which lost 58-54 to American on Tuesday. With any combination of Bison wins or Army losses that adds up to two, Bucknell will clinch the top seed in next month's Patriot League Tournament.
Despite making just five field goals in the first half, the Bison led by a slim 20-17 margin at halftime. Brown, who scored 10 of her points in the first half, was the lone Bucknell player to connect on more than one field goal in the first 20 minutes of play. Vanessa Van De Venter, who led Lafayette (6-20, 4-7 PL) with 14 points, including eight straight early in the first half, was the only Leopard with more than one field goal in the first half as she connected on 4 of 5 attempts before her third foul forced her to the bench.
The Bison defense, which is now allowing a paltry 55.9 points per game, including 51.5 in league play, limited Lafayette to just 7 of 24 shooting and forced 12 turnovers in the first half. A nearly six-minute stretch midway through the first half when the Leopards did not make a field goal helped Bucknell take a 17-14 lead.
Highlighting that 7-0 run by the Bison was the return of senior captain Lindsey Hollobaugh (Loganton, Pa./Central Mountain), who missed five of the last six games with a knee injury. Ironically, Hollobaugh, who had one point in nine minutes off the bench, originally hurt the knee nearly one month ago at Lafayette.
A 3-pointer by Cristin Zavocki on the first possession of the second half and two free throws by Van De Venter, who ended up fouling out with a team-high 14 points in just 23 minutes, gave the Leopards their final lead of the game at 22-20. Bucknell then held Lafayette to 0-for-3 shooting and forced four turnovers as it went on a 13-0 run over a three-minute span. Foster posted six of her points during the spurt, while Jacquie Seawright (Olton, Texas/Olton) capped it with a wide open 3-pointer from the right corner. Seawright joined Brown and Foster in double figures with 11 points.
Lafayette narrowed Bucknell's advantage to four points on a pair of occasions, but Bucknell finally sealed the win by ending the game on a 10-2 run. The Leopards managed just one field goal in the final seven minutes of play as the Bison held their third opponent in the last six games under 40 points. The 1979-80 campaign was the last time Bucknell held more than one opponent in a season to less than 40 points.
Thanks to a hot-shooting second half that featured a 12 of 23 performance, the Bison shot 43.6 percent. Foster and Brown combined to make 11 of 19 in the game. Lafayette managed to shoot just 32.7 percent, the third consecutive foe that has failed to reach 35 percent against the stellar Bucknell defense that played zone most of the night.
Most of the margin of victory came from the free throw line where the Bison made 17 compared to just four for Lafayette. Bucknell made 68.0 percent of its free throws despite Brown, Foster and Hollobaugh making just 2 of 8 during one stretch in the first half.
Turnovers plagued Lafayette, which turned the ball over 19 times despite just four steals by the Bison. Bucknell turned the ball over just 12 times, including only three times in the decisive second half.
With her 11 points, nine of which came in the second half, Seawright surpassed the 900-point mark in her four-year college career at South Plains Junior College and Bucknell. She now has 907 career points, including 374 as a Bison. Brown surpassed the 600-point mark in the contest as well.
Foster, who recorded three blocks in the contest, continued her remarkable shooting of late. She made 6 of 10 field goals, marking the sixth consecutive game she has made at least 50.0 percent of her field goals. Each of the last four games she has attempted exactly 10 shots.
While Foster hauled in a game-high 11 rebounds and Seawright and Brown tallied five apiece, Bucknell was outrebounded 32-27 as Lafayette grabbed 11 offensive boards. Emily Garner led the Leopards with nine rebounds, while Val Gomez paced the squad with three offensive caroms.
Bucknell, which has now won 10 Patriot League games for the fourth time in 17 years in the league, will conclude its regular-season home slate Saturday at 5 p.m. against Colgate. Prior to the game seniors Hollobaugh and Seawright will be honored.
