Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Army
Schober Hits 1,000 Points as Bucknell Women's Basketball Defeats Army, 59-57
1/31/2009 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 31, 2009
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Lauren Schober (Chicago, Ill./Regina Dominican) surpassed 1,000 points for her career as she scored a season-high 20 points to lead the Bucknell women's basketball team to a tense 59-57 victory over Army at Sojka Pavilion on Saturday night. The Bison (11-9, 3-4) weathered four lead changes in the final five minutes of the game and ultimately maintained the advantage despite tallying just two field goals in that stretch. The win marked the fourth consecutive win over Army (12-9, 3-4) for the Orange and Blue.
Entering the game with 999 points, Schober did not have to wait long to reach the scoring milestone. The senior co-captain did have to work hard for her first basket, however. Schober missed back-to-back shots but grabbed the offensive rebounds on both occasions. The third time was the charm as she earned the layup to become the 19th player in Bucknell history to join the 1,000-point club.
Schober's basket came in the midst of a hot start to the contest. Both teams came out firing and Bucknell was rewarded by making five of its first six shots. Army also shot well, keeping the Bison's lead to 10-9.
That lead was short-lived, but so was Army's as the teams' traded baskets through the first 12 minutes. The Black Knights' Nalini Hawkins and Jessie Coiffard suddenly combined for five points around the seven-minute mark to put their team up by four, the largest lead of the night for the visiting squad.
Bucknell turned to Schober to help claw its way back. Schober hit a layup in traffic at the 5:17 point before registering a steal and taking the ball end-to-end for a jumper. When Amanda Brown (Richardson, Texas/L.V. Berkner) hit a jump shot from the left elbow on the Bison's next possession, Bucknell regained the 25-23 lead at 4:14.
The Bison wrapped up a 10-0 run with a layup from Cosima Higham (Brooklyn, N.Y./Poly Prep Country Day) at 3:04. With just over three minutes remaining in the half, Bucknell had extended its lead to 29-23. Army continued to hang around, however, getting to within two points at halftime, 29-27.
Those two extra points in the opening stanza proved the difference in the game as both teams stayed evenly matched throughout the second half. Schober started the ball rolling with a steal on the Bison's first defensive effort that resulted in layup, and Higham hit a pair of free throws in the opening minutes to bring the advantage back to six. Army responded with a 9-0 run, helped in part by Alex McGuire who hit a three-point shot and two free throws. Within minutes, Bucknell's lead had evaporated and the Black Knights were up by three.
Momentum soon swung back in favor of the Bison. Bucknell retook its largest lead of the game at 46-40 with 8:51 to play, but for the fourth time of the game, Army came back. Megan Evans tied the contest at 46 with a free throw, which then led into the flip-flopping score down the final stretch.
Schober connected for both her charity shots at 3:58 to put Bucknell up 53-52, and the Bison held the advantage for the remainder of the game. Although the Orange and Blue stretched the lead to four with less than a minute left, Army would threaten a final time as Evans hit another free throw with just nine seconds remaining and put the score at 58-57. Brown closed out the scoring for the night with her own free throw, giving Bucknell the 59-57 victory.
Joining Schober in double-figure scoring was Brown and Joyce Novacek (Aliquippa, Pa./Hopewell), each with 14. Higham posted 10 rebounds, and Novacek came within one board of a double-double with nine. Brown's seven rebounds, five of which came on the offensive side, was a season high for the senior. Schober also tallied five steals.
The Bison committed a season-low seven turnovers, while forcing Army into 15. The home team also outrebounded its opponent, 40-36, with the help of a season-high 22 offensive boards.
Leading the way for the Black Knights was McGuire with 20 points and Erin Anthony with 13. Anthony also had 11 boards on the night.
Bucknell will be off next Wednesday and return to action on Saturday, Feb. 7 when it travels to Navy for a 7 p.m. tip off.
