Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Women's Basketball Closes Regular Season Slate at Army Saturday
2/26/2009 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 26, 2009
WHAT: Bucknell (15-11, 7-6) vs. Army (18-10, 8-5)
WHERE: Christl Arena, West Point, N.Y.
WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 28, 1 p.m.
RADIO: WVBU 90.5 FM, SportsJuice.com
TV: None
STREAMING VIDEO: BucknellBison.com
LIVE STATISTICS: goARMYsports.com
Complete Bucknell-Army Game Notes 
Interview with Women's Basketball player Lauren Schober 2-27-09 
With a Victory Over Army, Bucknell Would...
- Finish the regular season above .500 in the league (8-6) and on the road (8-7).
- End the Black Knights' three-game winning streak.
- Guarantee itself at least a No. 4 seed in the Patriot League Tournament, finishing one spot better than 2007-08 when it won the title as the fifth seed.
About the Game
Bucknell's success on Saturday will have a direct impact on its place in the Patriot League Tournament, which starts Saturday, March 7 in Bethlehem, Pa. If the Bison win, they will earn at least the fourth seed, but a defeat to Army will guarantee no better than fifth. With the second through sixth seeds still up for grabs, the tournament's final seedings will also depend partly on the outcomes of other games in the league.
Bucknell-Army Series
At four consecutive wins, Bucknell is half way to equaling its longest unbeaten streak against Army. The Bison won eight straight between Jan. 19, 2000 and Jan. 24, 2003, a stretch that included an 83-67 win in the Patriot League Tournament. The current four-game winning streak is the second-longest behind nine against Navy and tied with four against Colgate.
Last Meeting - Jan. 31, 2009
- Bucknell was victorious against the Black Knights, 59-57, but not without weathering four lead changes in the final five minutes of the game. The Bison ultimately maintained the advantage despite tallying just two field goals in that stretch. The win marked the Orange and Blue's fourth consecutive win over Army.
- Lauren Schober scored her 1,000th career point on her first basket against the Black Knights. She finished the night with 20 points to lead the Bison. Joyce Novacek and Amanda Brown also chipped in 14 points apiece. Cosima Higham grabbed a team-best 10 boards.
- Army's Erin Anthony posted a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Alex McGuire added 20 points.
Quick Facts
Bucknell won its 400th game in program history on Feb. 18 vs. Lafayette ... Trisha Krewson and Morgan Wrightson have each won two Patriot League Rookie of the Week honors this season ... Bucknell has outrebounded its opponent 13 times this season ... Lauren Schober became the 19th Bison to join the 1,000-point club vs. Army on Jan. 31 and was named the Damon's Bison Athlete of the Week the following Monday ... Cosima Higham posted her fifth double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds vs. Lafayette ... Amanda Brown leads the Patriot League in assists (5.0) ... After tying her career high with 23 points against American Jan. 14, Brown set a new high with 26 points at Holy Cross Jan. 17 ... Brown's 21 points at Lafayette marked her sixth game this season and 14th of her career with more than 20 points ... Brown also moved into the Bucknell top five in assists with 337... Lauren Schober set a Sojka Pavilion record against Colgate with nine steals by a Bison ... Joyce Novacek posted her second double-double of the season and the fourth of her career with 19 points and 14 rebounds at Howard ... Bucknell has two of the top 15 scorers in program history on this year's team in Amanda Brown (9th) and Lauren Schober (15th).
History vs. Army
- Bucknell has defeated Army in six of the teams' last seven meetings. During that stretch, the Orange and Blue have outscored Army by nearly 4.5 points per game. The average is slightly misleading, however, as two of those wins came by double-digit scoring margins. Excluding those 12- and 13-point victories, the Bison's average lead shrinks to 1.2 points.
- The last time the Bison were in Christl Arena was during the 2008 Patriot League Tournament. Bucknell won 57-61, the largest margin of victory by either team since 2006. Bucknell has not lost at Christl Arena since it last lost to Army on Feb. 24, 2007 by a score of 61-57.
- In 25 years since the series began, the Bison are 9-12 at Army. They have won by as many as 18 (Jan. 19, 2000 and Feb. 9, 2002) and lost by as many as 20 (Feb. 13, 1991).
- Most Recent Results:
Feb. 24, 2007 Army, 61-57
Feb. 3, 2008 Bucknell, 47-46
March 1, 2008 Bucknell, 59-47
March 8, 2008 Bucknell, 50-47 (OT) (PL Tournament)
Jan. 31, 2009 Bucknell, 59-57
About the Black Knights
Army is also playing for a top spot in the Patriot League Tournament. Like the Bison, the Black Knights would be guaranteed at least a No. 4 seed with a win on Saturday. If defeated, however, they cannot finish higher than fifth.
Army is 8-5 in Patriot League action this year, including 5-1 in the last six games, placing it in a three-way tie for second place with American and Holy Cross. Army's only loss during that stretch came at Lehigh, 66-57, on Feb. 14.
In their last contest, the Black Knights won their third consecutive game by overtaking Lafayette, 60-55. Army trailed by four at halftime but rallied back behind 20 points from Erin Anthony, 19 from Alex McGuire and a double-double (12 points-11 rebounds) from Megan Evans
Last Time Out
Bucknell held a three-point lead at halftime against Lehigh on Wednesday but was unable to keep up with the top-ranked team in the Patriot League down the stretch, falling 69-60 at Stabler Arena. The Bison outrebounded their opponent 41-36, but struggles from the free throw line closed the door on their hopes of an upset. Bucknell shot just 5-13 from the charity stripe in the game, including a lone attempt in the opening half.
Lauren Schober posted a game-high 18 points, and Amanda Brown followed with 13. Schober also had a team-best five assists, while Joyce Novacek led all rebounders with 10. Novacek finished the night with three blocks, moving her into a tie for ninth on Bucknell's single-season list of top-10 shot blockers.
Patrolling the Paint
Joyce Novacek and Cosima Higham have been making their presence in the paint known in the Patriot League this year. Both are ranked in the top 10 in rebounding with Higham in a tie for second (7.4/game) and Novacek in seventh (7.2). They are also among the top 10 in blocked shots with Novacek in fourth (1.5) and Higham in seventh (0.9). Fortunately for the Bison, the two sophomores are able to pick up where the other leaves off. Higham led the team in rebounding through the first seven games of league play at 8.3 per game, while Novacek was second at 6.3. In the last six contests, however, the trend has reversed with Novacek ahead at 8.2 boards per game and Higham in second at 6.3.
Looking Ahead
With three teams tied for second place and two teams tied for third in the Patriot League entering play on Saturday, the league tournament pairings are anything but set. Lehigh clinched the No. 1 seed with its win over Bucknell on Wednesday. Lafayette is the No. 7 seed and Colgate is No. 8, but slots two through six remain wide open and the Bison could finish anywhere in the mix. One scenario allows the Orange and Blue to take the No. 2 seed - wins from Bucknell (over Army), Lafayette (over American), Lehigh (over Holy Cross) and Navy (over Colgate).
The quarterfinal contests are slated for Saturday, March 7, followed by the semifinal round on Sunday, March 8. Both rounds will be held at Lehigh's Stabler Arena. The Patriot League Tournament Champion will be determined on Wednesday, March 11 at the site of the higher seed. The game will be televised on ESPNU at 6 p.m.
Breaking Records
Four Sojka Pavilion records fell and three more were tied in the Feb. 21 matchup with Colgate. The Bison recorded a facility-best 20 steals in the game. Nine of those went to Lauren Schober, who set the record for most steals by a Bison player and tied the mark for most by a player from either team. With only nine points in the first half, the Raiders broke the mark for fewest points in a half by an opponent. Colgate also held the previous record (10), set in the first half on Feb. 17, 2007. Colgate's shooting percentage (.241) is also a new low mark, and its three free throws made and six attempted tied an opponent's previous low.
Double That
Morgan Wrightson earned her second Patriot League Baden Rookie of the Week honor on Monday after averaging a team-high 10.5 points per game last week. The freshman earned her first league accolade for the week of Dec. 7 following her performance at Penn State. Wrightson joins Trisha Krewson as the second Bison to earn the award twice this season. Bucknell has taken four of the league's 15 weekly rookie awards to date.
400 Program Wins
Bucknell women's basketball recorded the 400th win in program history against Lafayette on Feb. 18. Since then, the Bison have accumulated a 401-478 record in nearly 36 years. Bucknell began a varsity team for the 1973-74 season. Since its inaugural season, the Orange and Blue have made two trips to the NCAA Tournament, won two Patriot League regular-season titles and recorded three 20+ win seasons. Bucknell is the sixth team in the Patriot League to hit the 400-win mark, following Holy Cross (615 wins), Army (466), Navy (452), Lafayette (415) and Lehigh (410).
Fifty or Fewer
With the 53-35 win over Colgate on Feb. 21, Bucknell held its third consecutive opponent to less than 50 points. The Bison topped Holy Cross 58-44 on Feb. 14 and Lafayette 58-40 on Feb. 18. Bucknell has limited its opponent to 50 points or fewer on seven occasions this season, including Fordham (46 points), Drexel (44), Cornell (45) and Navy (50).
National Girls and Women in Sports Day
Bucknell celebrated National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) on Feb. 18. Started in 1987, NGWSD is celebrated in all 50 states with community-based events, award ceremonies and activities honoring the achievements and encouraging participation of girls and women in sports.
Bucknell also promoted life-long participation in sports at the monthly Women's Sports Luncheon on Feb. 4. The luncheon included highlights of Bison women's sports and speeches from Page Kannor, a senior rower, Megan Mongan, a junior swimmer, and Lisa Verge, a current Bucknell staff member and volunteer softball assistant coach, who spoke about the importance of athletics and physical activity in their lives.
Double Digits x4
Throughout the season, Bucknell has aimed to place at least four of its scorers in double figures each game. The team has met that goal on seven occasions, most recently at American on Feb. 11 as Amanda Brown (16 points), Joyce Novacek (14), Lauren Schober (11) and Trisha Krewson (10) hit the high tallies. Four combinations of players, including Cosima Higham, Taylor Phillips and Morgan Wrightson in addition to the above four, have helped to accomplish the feat during the season. Schober is the only Bison to factor in each of the seven games. Bucknell is 5-2 in games in which four players score in double figures.
Two-Time Rookie of the Week
For the second time this season, Trisha Krewson was named the Patriot League Baden Rookie of the Week on Feb. 9. The award follows a career night for the freshman in which she totaled a personal-best 18 points on 4-for-5 shooting from three-point distance against Navy. The long-range shots total is a career high for Krewson who had yet to make more than one three-pointer in a single game this season. The Ohio native also tied a career high in rebounds with seven.
Perfection On the Line
The Bison shot a perfect 12-for-12 from the free throw line against Navy on Feb. 7. Those 12 made shots is the second-most in Bucknell history, beaten only on Feb. 20, 1991 when the Bison shot 18-for-18 at Colgate. The Orange and Blue have had a perfect night from the free throw line in seven games in nearly 36 seasons.
Novacek Earns Academic All-District Honors
Joyce Novack was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District II First Team by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) on Feb. 5. A management major, Novacek has earned a cumulative grade-point average of 3.94, including two semesters with a perfect 4.0 GPA. Her success in the classroom, combined with her volunteer efforts in the community and her prominent role in the Bison's on-court success earned her a spot on the ballot for Academic All-America Team. Novacek is the first Bison to earn Academic All-District honors since Lindsey Hollobaugh was named to the Second Team in 2006-07.
250 Wins for Fedorjaka
With the win over Colgate on Jan. 24, head coach Kathy Fedorjaka earned her 250th career victory. In 16 years as a head coach, Fedorjaka has amassed a 255-194 (.568) record and is 188-156 (.547) in her 12th season at Bucknell. Prior to Bucknell, Fedorjaka coached at Connecticut College and Bloomsburg. She returned to Lewisburg after serving as a Bucknell assistant from 1990-93 to take over as head coach in 1997. Since then, she has led two teams to the NCAA tournament and twice earned Patriot League Coach of the Year honors.
Block Party
In the last two games, Cosima Higham and Joyce Novacek have joined the program leaders in single-season blocks. Both sophomores have 33 on the year, tying them for ninth with Ann Kirwin. Two other pairs of teammates also have made the top-10 list in the same season - Marie Kocornik (36 blocks) and Kirwin (33) in 1985-86, and Susie Hopper (32) and Julie Bachman (34) in 1989-90.
Dishing It Out
While most fans recognize Amanda Brown as one of the Patriot League's leading scorers, she is also the league's most adept passer, dishing out 5.0 assists per game. That average is good for first in the Patriot League and 35th in the nation (as of Feb. 22). Brown is also ranked 25th nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.9). The success is not new for the senior either, who is fourth in program history with 337 career assists.
Connecting with the Community
The Bucknell women's basketball team has always understood the importance of community service, but in the midst of the winter break from classes, the Bison took their involvement to another level. The Orange and Blue spent an afternoon playing basketball and other games with children at the Donald Heiter Community Center in Lewisburg. Players and coaches also visited with families at the Ronald McDonald House in Danville and residents at the RiverWoods senior living community in Lewisburg. The team regularly officiates games for Upward Youth Basketball as well.
Lowe's Senior CLASS Award
Lauren Schober was named a candidate for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award on Dec. 20. She was joined by 29 other Division I women's basketball players around the country exemplifying the "Four C's" - classroom, character, community and competition.
An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the award was launched during the 2001-02 season to honor the attributes of college basketball seniors who remain committed to their university and pursue the many rewards that a senior season and complete college education brings.
Thousand Point Club
Bucknell women's basketball has welcomed two new members to the 1,000-point club this season. Lauren Schober became the newest member on Jan. 31 as she scored 20 points versus Army. She now has 1,101 for her career. Amanda Brown achieved the milestone on Nov. 29 at Loyola (Md.). Since the game against the Greyhounds, Brown has reached 1,305 points in her career. Brown was the 18th Bison to score 1,000 career points, while Schober was the 19th.
Hope Foster (1,256) and Kesha Champion (1,016) became the 16th and 17th members of the club last season. Foster, who is 10th on the list of all-time scorers at Bucknell, crossed the threshold against Penn State. Champion, tied for 18th with Kim Delfs, achieved the milestone when she scored 13 points versus Holy Cross in the Patriot League Tournament.
One Down
The Bison will be without their lone junior for the remainder of the season. Le'Le' LeSeur suffered a season-ending knee injury in practice in late January. The forward earned four starts this year, all coming in the first games of the season. A former Patriot League All-Rookie Team selection, LeSeur was averaging 2.1 points and 2.0 rebounds in less than 10 minutes per game.
NCAA Tournament Appearance
The Bison made their second trip in history to the NCAA Tournament last year. With their automatic bid from winning the Patriot League Tournament, they earned the opportunity to face North Carolina in a first-round matchup in Norfolk, Va. North Carolina came out on top, 85-50. In Bucknell's only previous appearance at the NCAA Tournament in 2002, the Bison were defeated by Baylor 80-56 in Waco, Texas.
Patriot League Preseason Poll
Bucknell was picked fifth with 53 points in the 2008-09 Patriot League Preseason Poll. The Bison were voted to finish first in the league prior to the 2007-08 season, then slipped to fifth before claiming the Patriot League Tournament championship. Bucknell has finished at or better than predicted seven times in the last 10 years.
Holy Cross was picked first with 90 points. Lehigh (83 points), American (75) and Army (60) rounded out the top four.
Preseason Patriot League Poll
Team (First-place votes) Pts.
1. Holy Cross (8) 90
2. Lehigh (6) 83
3. American (2) 75
4. Army 60
5. Bucknell 53
6. Lafayette 38
7. Navy 35
8. Colgate 14
Patriot League "Growing Our Community"
In 2008, the Patriot League received a grant as part of the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Grant Program that allows it to help its member schools further promote women's basketball during the 2008-09 academic year. The league is working with its eight member institutions to develop a number of activities and initiatives targeted to include youth organizations, senior groups, community and civic organizations and students and alumni.
The goal is to increase the home attendance for the entire 2009 Patriot League women's basketball campaign through a variety of promotions and engaging local organizations to attend and learn more about the Patriot league women's basketball programs, as well as expose individuals to the academic institutions.
Up Next
Bucknell's next action will come in the Patriot League Tournament Quarterfinals. The Bison will learn their seed and opponent following Saturday's games. The first two rounds of the league tournament will be played out at Lehigh's Stabler Arena in Bethlehem, Pa.
