Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Holy Cross
Bucknell Women's Basketball Nipped by Holy Cross, 48-46
1/20/2008 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 20, 2008
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LEWISBURG, Pa. - Holy Cross' Bethany O'Dell snapped an 0-for-10 day with a long 3-pointer from the left wing with just less than a minute to play to propel the Crusaders to a 48-46 victory over Bucknell in women's basketball action Sunday afternoon at Sojka Pavilion in front of 2,017 fans, the third-highest attendance for a women's basketball game at the five-year-old facility. Kesha Champion (Chesapeake, Va./Indian River), who hit a two key 3-pointers of her own in the final minutes, led Bucknell with 13 points.
After closing out the first half on an 8-0 run to take a 27-19 lead into halftime, the Bison struggled offensively in the second half, netting nine points through the first 16+ minutes of the stanza. However, they never trailed by more than four points as Holy Cross (9-9, 2-1 Patriot League) turned the ball over nine times and went through one stretch where they went more than six minutes without a field goal.
A runner by Champion with 3:41 remaining snapped a six-minute scoreless streak for Bucknell (7-10, 2-1 PL) and brought it to within 40-38. Two possessions later Champion connected on a 3-pointer, her second of the game, from the left corner to give the Bison a 41-40 advantage, its first lead since 30-27 five minutes into the half.
That lead was short-lived as Laura Aloisi, who scored all eight of her points in the second half, connected on a runner and was fouled. She made the ensuing foul shot to put Holy Cross back up 43-41 with 2:01 left.
Following a timeout, Hope Foster (Washington, D.C./Dunbar) responded for Bucknell with her lone field goal of the half on a short turnaround jumper.
O'Dell, who missed her first 10 shots, proceeded to put Holy Cross back up 46-43 when she knocked down a 3-pointer from about 24 feet on the left wing. She had missed her first six field goal attempts from behind the arc.
Champion again came through as she tied the game with her third 3-pointer. She connected from the right wing with 43 seconds remaining.
Briana McFadden, who tallied a game-high 18 points, drove down the lane on Holy Cross' next possession and was fouled by Champion, who landed on her underneath the basket after the foul. McFadden limped to the bench and was replaced by Christy Cushnie. Cushnie, who had made 6 of 8 foul shots on the year entering the game, made 1 of 2, giving the Bison the ball with a chance to win the game, but they turned the ball over with 13 seconds remaining trying to enter the ball into the post to Foster.
O'Dell proceeded to make 1 of 2 from the free throw line with 11 seconds left, giving Holy Cross a 48-46 advantage, but a last-second shot by Champion that would have tied the score came up short and O'Dell hauled in the rebound to seal the game.
In the first half, Bucknell jumped out to a 14-7 lead over the first eight minutes of play as it forced six Holy Cross turnovers over that span. However, an 8-0 run, keyed by two 3-pointers from McFadden, gave the Crusaders a 15-14 lead with 7:49 to play in the half.
The Bison ended the first half on an 8-0 run over the final two minutes as Lauren Schober (Chicago, Ill./Regina Dominican) hit a pair of 3-pointers and Foster made two free throws.
Bucknell, which entered the game facing a -6.6 rebounding deficit, had 18 first-half rebounds compared to 15 for the Crusaders. However, in the second half, Holy Cross outrebounded the Bison 23-10 and Bucknell failed to grab an offensive rebound in the second half. Kristina Collymore (Montclair, N.J./Montclair) and Schober led the Bison with five rebounds apiece, while Alyssa May, McFadden, Aloisi and O'Dell paced the Crusaders with six apiece.
After holding Holy Cross without a free throw attempt in the first half and shooting 6-for-7, Bucknell did not attempt a free throw in the second half. The Crusaders finished the game 6-for-9 from the line.
Taylor Phillips (South Parkersburg, W. Va./Parkersburg South) paced the Bucknell defense that totaled a season-high 13 steals and forced 17 turnovers with a career-high six steals. It was the most thefts by a Bucknell player since Jacquie Seawright totaled six last February against Colgate. It was also the second time in three games Phillips registered at least five steals.
Both teams shot 34 percent from the field. The Bison were 17 of 49, led by 5 of 9 shooting by Champion, while Holy Cross was 18 of 53, including 7 of 16 by McFadden, who was the only Crusader in double figures.
Foster, who had 12 points and three rebounds, blocked five shots, her most since the second game of the season, to go over 300 (302) for her career. She is now just seven blocks shy of equaling the Patriot League record.
The Bison have now limited Holy Cross to 50 points or less in three straight meetings. The Crusaders have scored 50, 37 and 48 over the last two seasons against Bucknell.
Bucknell, which saw its first two-game winning streak of the season snapped, will continue a three-game homestand Wednesday when it hosts Lafayette at 7 p.m.
