Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Lafayette
Bucknell Women's Basketball Earns 400th Win in 58-40 Victory Over Lafayette
2/18/2009 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 18, 2009
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LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell women's basketball earned its 400th win in program history as the Bison (14-10, 6-5) defeated Lafayette 58-40 at Sojka Pavilion on Wednesday night. Cosima Higham (Brooklyn, N.Y./Poly Prep Country Day) posted the fifth double-double of her career with 12 points and 11 rebounds. With two rejections, the sophomore also moved into a tie for 10th place on Bucknell's single-season blocks list with 32.
Both teams struggled to control the ball throughout the game. Lafayette (8-18, 2-9) committed 21 turnovers, while forcing Bucknell into 23. Lauren Schober (Chicago, Ill./Regina Dominican) was a key contributor on the defensive end, gathering a team-best four steals on the night.
Joyce Novacek (Aliquippa, Pa./Hopewell) struck first for the Bison with a fastbreak layup by getting ahead of the defense. The up-tempo play set the tone for the game. Trisha Krewson (Sandusky, Ohio/Perkins) hit a three-point shot to put Bucknell up 7-2 just three minutes in, but Lafayette bounced back with a 6-0 run to take its first lead of the game.
The scoring advantage changed hands three more times over the next six minutes, but a drought from the field sank the Leopards' chances for a solid comeback. Lauren Jackson's layup at 11:53 was the last field goal for Lafayette until Cristin Zavocki drained a three-pointer with :04 remaining in the half.
In the meantime, Bucknell continued its attack, getting eight points from Higham and seven from four other Bison. The 17-6 run to end the stanza took Bucknell from 12-11 down to 28-18 up at the buzzer.
The Orange and Blue continued to build on its lead through the opening moments of the second half. Amanda Brown (Richardson, Texas/L.V. Berkner) hit one of her two three-point field goals at 13:38 to give Bucknell the 39-23 advantage.
Lafayette fought to get back in the contest, however, powered by its leading scorer, LaKeisha Wright. The Bucknell lead was whittled down to single digits with just over four minutes to play following a layup from Wright and setting the score at 46-39. Bucknell went scoreless for nearly five minutes during that stretch.
The Bison finally reclaimed momentum following a deep three-pointer from Brown with 1:53 to go. Lafayette's Jessica Spicer missed a pair of free throws while Bucknell connected for its shots from the line in the final minutes to close the door on the Leopards.
Although Bucknell shot just 3-for-5 from the charity stripe in the first half, the squad connected for 12 of 16 in the second.
With :22 remaining, Morgan Wrightson (Gaithersburg, Md./Notre Dame Academy) drained both her free throws to help the Bison regain their 16-point lead. Taylor Phillips (South Parkersburg, W. Va./Parkersburg South) closed out the scoring with her own pair of free throws to put the final tally at 58-44.
Brown led the Bison with 13 points, followed by Higham's 12 and Novacek's 11. Brown also finished with six assists, five of which came in the first 20 minutes.
The Leopards were led by Wright with 14 points, while Elizabeth Virgin posted a team-high seven boards. Lafayette was held to 25.5 percent shooting (13-51) on the night.
Bucknell is back in action at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21 when it takes on Colgate in its final home game of the season. Brown and Schober will be recognized prior to the tip off as part of Senior Night. They will also be recognized for reaching 1,000 career points earlier this season. Fans can come to Sojka Pavilion early to take in the men's team as it faces Delaware at 2 p.m. in the ESPNU Bracketbusters.
