Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Niagara
Bucknell Women's Basketball Drops 66-41 Decision at Niagara
12/2/2009 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 2, 2009
NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – Joyce Novacek (Aliquippa, Pa./Hopewell) dominated in the paint, putting up a career-high 22 points, but Bucknell women's basketball struggled as a team to hit shots throughout the game leading to its second straight loss, 66-41 to Niagara at the Gallagher Center on Wednesday night.
The game started at a hurried pace, but that did not mean that scoring came as quickly for either team. At the first media timeout, the score still read just 4-2. Nearly 10 minutes later, that had improved to only 14-10. Bucknell forced the issue in the paint throughout the half and got some looks early. Novacek got a handful of opportunities on cuts to the basket from the elbow, drawing a number of fouls. The forward struggled to hit her free throws, however, making it difficult for the Bison to put some space between them and their opponent.
A majority of the Bison's early baskets came in the paint. Rachel Voss (Cincinnati, Ohio/Loveland) scored both her baskets on putbacks from the left block. All of Novacek's team-leading six points came in the paint as well. At the half, 14 of Bucknell's 18 points had come from under the basket and six were second-chance points.
Morgan Wrightson (Gaithersburg, Md./Notre Dame Academy (Va.)) looked like she was going to open things up after hitting the team's lone three-point bucket with 7:56 remaining in the half after the guard got a rare open look from the perimeter. Unfortunately, the long-range shot was the last in over four minutes for the Bison. Even after Cosima Higham (Brooklyn, N.Y./Poly Prep Country Day) snapped the drought with a jumper in the paint, Bucknell managed just one more bucket before halftime.
Heading into the locker room, Bucknell trailed 19-18. It was the fewest points the Bison had allowed all season, but it was also the fewest they had tallied themselves.
Novacek picked up in the second half where she left off. After making the Bison's last basket of the first frame, she came back to 11 of the team's first 13 points of the second. Her dominating play in the opening minutes gave Bucknell back the lead at 31-30 with 13:39 remaining, but that advantage was short-lived. Niagara's Ali Morris grabbed back-to-back steals that resulted in five points to put her team back in front.
Morris' defense sparked the Purple Eagles, giving them energy on the offensive end of the court as well. Niagara began hitting its shots from the outside and looked to be taking control of play. After going 1-for-13 (7.7%) from behind the arc in the first half, Niagara improved to 7-for-12 (58.3%) in the second.
On the other end of the court, Bucknell continued to press the issue inside. The shots ceased to drop for the Bison, however, and the Orange and Blue were soon down by double digits. Novacek continued to work, eventually surpassing her career high in scoring, but the opportunities were fewer and the point spread continued to grow.
Only four Bison tallied points in the second half. Joining Novacek were Felicia Mgbada (Edison, N.J./Blair Academy), Christina Chukwuedo (Monessen, Pa./Monessen) and Higham with a combined seven points.
Adding to her 22 points, Novacek also had three blocks to move her into ninth place all-time at Bucknell with 56 career rejections. She also tied with Higham for the team high in rebounds with seven.
Leading the way for Niagara was Kayla Stroman with 17 points. Stroman also finished with a game-high seven assists.
Bucknell will return to Sojka Pavilion on Saturday, Dec. 5. The matchup with Yale is slated for 7 p.m.
