Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Holy Cross
Bucknell Women's Basketball Starts Homestand with 58-44 Win Over Holy Cross
2/14/2009 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 14, 2009
Box Score | Photo Gallery 
| Bucknell-Holy Cross Highlights
| Alumni Game Recap
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Lauren Schober (Chicago, Ill./Regina Dominican) led a trio of Bison to score in double figures as the Bucknell women's basketball team (13-10, 5-5) defeated Holy Cross 58-44 at Sojka Pavilion on Saturday night. Schober posted 15 points as Bucknell hosted Think Pink Night to promote breast cancer awareness.
Neither team wasted any time getting the ball rolling as the Crusaders' (10-15, 5-5) Briana McFadden scored the first layup just four seconds into play. Schober and Amanda Brown (Richardson, Texas/L.V. Berkner) responded with back-to-back three-pointers to put Bucknell up 6-2 about one minute into the game.
Bucknell went up 10-4 before Holy Cross started knocking in some shots. The Crusaders went on an 8-0 run to regain the lead after two consecutive layups from McFadden. The Orange and Blue used a time out to regain their composure, and Joyce Novacek (Aliquippa, Pa./Hopewell) hit a layup straight out of the break, tying the game at 12.
A minute later and with the shot clock winding down, Brown hit her second three-point shot of the night to take back the advantage. Bucknell never relinquished the lead from that point on. The Bison used their outside shooting in the half to stay ahead of their opponents, finishing the opening stanza 6-for-14 (42.9 percent) from behind the arc.
Bucknell's outside shooting success slowed in the second half, but its free throw shooting improved, helping them to maintain the lead throughout the remainder of the game. The Bison shot 23 free throws in the second, making 12 of them, after not attempting any in the first half.
Brown opened the second stanza for Bucknell with a free throw, but Cosima Higham (Brooklyn, N.Y./Poly Prep Country Day) rebounded her elder teammate's missed second attempt. Higham was fouled in turn and made her own trip to the charity stripe.
Higham later gave Bucknell its first double-digit advantage of the game with a steal and a fastbreak layup. At 17:25, the Bison led 35-25.
Bucknell grew its lead slowly but surely over the next several minutes, getting scores from five different players. Novacek made her only trip to the free throw line at 9:29 and gave the Bison their largest advantage of the game with a score of 49-35.
Holy Cross made a final run over the next six minutes and Bucknell was held scoreless for more than four minutes, allowing the Crusaders to work their way to within seven points. McFadden, Alyssa May and Elizabeth Campbell combined to for nine points in that stretch, but it was not enough to do any serious damage to Bucknell's effort.
Bucknell closed the final 1:47 with seven made free throws and kept the Crusaders from scoring another field goal for the rest of the game. At the final buzzer, the Bison had worked their way back to a 14-point lead and the 58-44 win.
Following Schober's 15 points were Higham with 12 and Brown with 11. Schober and Brown shared the team high in assists with four apiece, while Novacek led with eight rebounds, five of which came off the offensive glass.
McFadden finished the night with 15 points as well to lead the Crusaders, while Whitney Fremeau had a team-best eight rebounds.
Bucknell is back in action on Wednesday, Feb. 18 when it takes on Lafayette at 7 p.m. at Sojka Pavilion. The Bison will also celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day at the game with face painting and snacks starting at 6 p.m. A halftime ceremony will recognize this year's athletes of the month, and the game will be followed by an autograph session. The contest is also Girl Scout and Youth Basketball Night. The first 500 fans in attendance will receive free t-shirts.
