Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
UMBC
Bucknell Women's Basketball Makes Late Push but Slips 68-63 to UMBC
11/29/2009 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 29, 2009
| Video Highlights
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Three Bison finished in double-digit scoring, but a slow first half on the offensive end put Bucknell women's basketball in an early hole it was unable to recover from, resulting in a 68-63 loss to UMBC at Sojka Pavilion on Sunday afternoon. Trisha Krewson (Sandusky, Ohio/Perkins) led the team with 12 points and five assists. Joyce Novacek (Aliquippa, Pa./Hopewell) and Morgan Wrightson (Gaithersburg, Md./Notre Dame Academy (Va.)) finished with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
After only producing offensively in spurts through the first frame, Bucknell (2-4) finally started to make some headway in the second. A 13-point halftime deficit was soon reduced to single digits at 15:32 as the Bison began to hit their shots. Novacek opened the half with a pair of layups before Krewson hit back-to-back jumpers, including a three-pointer, from the left corner. Rachel Voss (Cincinnati, Ohio/Loveland) also hit a three-pointer from nearly the same spot as Krewson, bringing the score to 46-37.
Wrightson capped off an 8-0 Bucknell run to set the score at 46-42, but UMBC (3-2) kept Bucknell from getting a good look at an advantage. Wrightson took a charge on the defensive end to give her team a boost of energy, but it was the Retrievers who responded with five straight points, taking their lead back up to nine.
After some hot shooting in the first half, UMBC had less success finding the bottom of the net in the second. That allowed the Bison to work its way back into the mix yet again. With 2:43 remaining in the contest, Cosima Higham (Brooklyn, N.Y./Poly Prep Country Day) connected for her only field goal, tying it at 60 apiece.
The Retrievers again kept Bucknell at bay, and the Bison never pulled in front. Michelle Kurowski scored the final eight points for the visiting team to secure its third win of the year.
Such a close battle seemed a bit unlikely after the first 20 minutes. UMBC jumped ahead from the get-go with an 8-0 lead. The Retrievers' first double-digit lead at 12-2 came with 15:24 still left on the game clock. A 7-0 Bison run, which included three free throws from Lindsay Horbatuck (Avon, Conn./Avon) brought the team to within three points at 12-9.
UMBC gave its opponent its first look at its ability to recover from that point. Less than three minutes later, the Retrievers were back in front by 11. Five of UMBC's final eight field goals in the half came from behind the three-point line, making it difficult for a relatively flat Bison squad to stay in contention.
Heading into the locker room, the Retrievers were 14-for-32 (43.8%) from the field, including 6-for-15 (40.0%) from three-point distance. Bucknell came in at 8-for-25 (32.0%) after the first half.
Like the Bison, UMBC finished with three players in double-digit scoring, led by Kurowski with a game-high 29 points on 9-for-18 shooting from the field. The guard was also 10-for-12 from the free throw line.
Bucknell had some solid success on the boards. The Bison out-rebounded the Retrievers 48-34. Felicia Mgbada (Edison, N.J./Blair Academy) led all players with a career-high nine rebounds to help her team to a rebounding win for the third consecutive game.
After spending the last four games at Sojka Pavilion, Bucknell will return to the road briefly for a Wednesday night matchup with Niagara at Niagara University, N.Y. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m.
