Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Army
Bigger Lineup Helps Lead Bucknell Women's Basketball to 47-46 Victory at Army
2/3/2008 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 3, 2008
WEST POINT, N.Y. - Joyce Novacek made her first career start and grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds and Amanda Brown scored five key points late in the second half as the Bucknell women's basketball team ended a four-game losing streak at Christl Arena with a tight 47-46 victory over Army Sunday afternoon.
Bison head coach Kathy Fedorjaka inserted the 6-2 Novacek into the starting lineup for the first time this season in place of Taylor Phillips and she responded with a career-high seven points and her career-high 13 rebounds, nine of which came in the first half. Hope Foster also grabbed 10 boards as Bucknell equaled the Black Knights' rebound output of 40.
After a 21-minute stretch where neither team led by more than two points, Amanda Brown, who missed the last six games, connected on a 3-pointer and a long jumper on back-to-back possessions to give Bucknell a 44-38 advantage with just under four minutes to play.
Cara Enright, who led Army with 18 points on 7 of 22 shooting, helped the Black Knights narrow the score with a pair of fast-break baskets. Her two free throws with 1:07 left made the score 47-44, setting up a wild finish.
Bucknell, which failed to score for the final 2:17, ran down the clock on its next possession and ended up with Foster launching a long jumper as the shot clock ran out. The shot missed and Army's Stefanie Stone came down with the rebound.
On the Black Knights' next possession Novacek blocked Alex McGuire's layup attempt and Kesha Champion grabbed the rebound. Kristina Collymore missed the front end of the ensuing 1-and-1, giving Army another chance. Without a timeout, the Black Knights' Erin Anthony converted a wide open layup with 4.3 on the clock. Foster took the ball out for the Bison, but through the ball out of bounds, giving Army another chance.
Enright took the ball out for the Black Knights, but stepped over the sideline when throwing it in, giving Bucknell the ball back. The Bison successfully inbounded the ball to Champion and she was immediately fouled. She missed the front end of her 1-and-1 attempt and Army was unable to launch a desperation shot in an attempt to win.
While the game featured 13 lead changes and six ties, Bucknell opened its largest lead early when it went on an 11-0 run to take an 11-2 advantage less than 15 minutes in. Every member of the starting five connected on a field goal during that run.
Over the next nine minutes of the first half, Army went on an 18-7 spurt to take its first lead since 2-0 at 20-18. The Bison managed just four field goals over the final 15 minutes of the first half as they went into the locker room trailing 24-22.
Bucknell's first-half point total was its lowest first-half point total since scoring 16 against Illinois-Chicago on Dec. 28.
Lauren Schober, who hit a pair of 3-pointers and was 6 of 11 from the field, led the Bison with 16 points. Foster added eight, while Brown had seven off the bench.
After shooting 31.0 percent in the first half and turning the ball over 11 times, Bucknell shot 50 percent (10 of 20) and had just eight turnovers in the second half.
The Bison defense forced 12 turnovers and limited Army to 28.6 percent shooting from the field. Enright was the lone Black Knight in double figures, but Megan Evans, McGuire and Anthony had eight points apiece.
Eight of the last nine meetings between Army and Bucknell, the two teams with the best Patriot League records over the last three years, have been decided by five points or less.
The victory helped the Bison improve to 9-12 on the season and 4-3 in Patriot League play. They are now one game behind first place Army and Holy Cross, who are both 5-2 in league play. The Black Knights are 14-8 overall.
Bucknell will return home on Saturday, Feb. 9, when it hosts Navy at 7 p.m. at Sojka Pavilion.
