Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Women's Basketball Returns to Sojka Pavilion for Holy Cross Saturday
1/15/2010 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 15, 2010
WHAT: Bucknell (4-11, 0-2) vs. Holy Cross (4-13, 0-2)
WHERE: Sojka Pavilion, Lewisburg, Pa.
WHEN: 2 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 16
PROMOTIONS: Pregame carnival (12-1:30), Postgame autographs
RADIO: WVBU 90.5 FM, SportsJuice.com
STREAMING VIDEO: BucknellBison.com
LIVE STATISTICS: BucknellBison.com
Complete Bucknell-Holy Cross Game Notes 
Patriot League Growing Our Community - Holy Cross Promotion 1-12-10 
ABOUT THE GAME
Bucknell returns home to Sojka Pavilion for the first time in four games. The contest will be a sight for sore eyes for the Bison faithful as Bucknell has played on its own court just once since Dec. 5. The Orange and Blue will take on Holy Cross as both teams shoot for their fifth win of the season and their first victory in Patriot League action.
The Bison will host a pregame carnival on the Sojka Pavilion concourse. Starting at 12 p.m., middle school-aged fans and younger can have their faces painted, play games and make signs for the game. Bucknell will also be available for autographs following the game.
WITH A VICTORY OVER HOLY CROSS, BUCKNELL WOULD...
► Win its first Patriot League contest of the season.
► Put together its first set of back-to-back wins against the Crusaders since 2007, tying its longest winning streak in series history.
► Improve its home record this season to 4-3. The Bison also have wins over Fordham, Loyola (Md.) and Lycoming.
► Avoid starting the Patriot League season 0-3. The last time the Bison started 0-3 against league foes was in 1991-92 when Juliene Simpson's squad fell to Navy, Holy Cross and Army in consecutive contests.
LAST MEETING - FEB. 14, 2009
► Bucknell 58, Holy Cross 44 (Sojka Pavilion)
► The Bison evened both the season series with the Crusaders and their Patriot League record with the 58-44 win at home last year. Bucknell had lost the first matchup at Holy Cross, 66-60. The Valentine's Day win also improved Bucknell's league tally to 5-5 on the year.
► With 15 points, Lauren Schober led a trio of Bison to score in double figures. Cosima Higham added 12 points, while Amanda Brown finished with 11.
► The Bison used their outside shooting in the first half to stay ahead of their opponent, finishing the opening stanza 6-for-14 (42.9 percent) from behind the arc. Bucknell's outside shooting success slowed in the second, 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.
► Bucknell shot better than 40 percent for the second consecutive game when it took on Holy Cross. It was also the first of three games in which Bucknell held its opponent to less than 33 percent shooting.
QUICK FACTS
Trisha Krewson has scored in double-figures in each of the last five games ... Bucknell has recorded at least one block in every game this year, including a season-high 10 at Cornell ... Cosima Higham's six blocked shots at Cornell ties her for sixth at Bucknell for most rejections in a single game ... Bucknell's 30-point loss at Navy was the largest margin of defeat by the Bison in series history ... three Bison have scored in double figures in five of the last six games ... Krewson became the first Bison this year to score better than 20 points in two consecutive contests, posting 30 vs. Lycoming and 25 at Buffalo ... Krewson's performances in those two games earned her Patriot League/Anaconda Player of the Week ... Joyce Novacek has recorded at least one blocked shot in nine of the last 12 games ... Bucknell had two players with 20-plus points in back-to-back games when Novacek posted a career-high 22 points at Niagara on Dec. 2 and Morgan Wrightson had 22 points against Yale on Dec. 5 ... Novacek also led the team in blocks (3) and rebounds (7) at Niagara ... Rachel Voss and Lindsay Horbatuck have each been named the Patriot League/Anaconda Rookie of the Week this year ... in their Sojka Pavilion debut, the Bucknell freshmen scored half of their team's 62 points vs. Penn State ... Higham was named to the Iona Tip-Off All-Tournament Team during the season's opening weekend.
HISTORY VS. HOLY CROSS
► Bucknell and Holy Cross have been alternating wins at Sojka Pavilion for the last several years. The last time either team won consecutive games in Lewisburg was in 2001 through 2004 when the Crusaders took four straight victories.
► Bucknell has met Holy Cross eight times in the Patriot League Tournament, more than any other foe, and has come away with a 3-5 record in those matchups. The Bison have also played in three league championship games since the PL began, each time dueling with the Crusaders and claiming a 2-1 tally.
► Bison Career Stats vs. Crusaders
Cosima Higham: 7.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.3 bpg, 23.5 mpg
Joyce Novacek: 5.2 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.4 bpg, 21.8 mpg
Trisha Krewson: 4.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 28.5 mpg
Morgan Wrightson: 2.5 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 21.0 mpg
Taylor Phillips: 1.5 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 9.8 mpg
Christina Chukwuedo: 0.5 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 3.5 mpg
► Recent Results:
Jan. 20, 2008: Holy Cross, 48-46
Feb. 16, 2008: Holy Cross, 73-67
March 12, 2008: Bucknell, 57-45 (PL Championship)
Jan. 17, 2009: Holy Cross, 66-60
Feb. 14, 2009: Bucknell, 58-44
ABOUT THE CRUSADERS
Holy Cross has gotten off to one of its rockiest starts in program history, coming to Lewisburg with a 4-13 record overall and 0-2 in the Patriot League. The league tally marks the first time the Crusaders have ever started with back-to-back losses since the start of the Patriot League in 1990-91. Three of the Crusaders' victories this season have come on the road (Central Connecticut, Bryant, Maine) with the fourth coming at the Hart Center in their non-conference finale versus Rhode Island.
Like Bucknell, Holy Cross has a trio of players averaging double figures. Bethany O'Dell leads the group with 14.5 points per game. The senior also leads the league in three-point percentage (.458). Freshman Amy Lepley is a three-time Patriot League Rookie of the Week after claiming the honor each of the last two weeks.
THIS WEEK'S COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Bison fans will be in for a treat when Bucknell returns to Sojka Pavilion on Saturday. The game has been designated State Farm Feed the Fan with those in attendance able to receive a free slice of pizza during the game. Prior to the 2 p.m. tipoff, fans middle-school aged and younger can attend a carnival on the Sojka Pavilion concourse as part of Kids' Day Out.
Saturday's game vs. Holy Cross also marks the beginning of a raffle in which fans can win a mino flip video camera. Bison faithful will be eligible for the prize when they fill out an NCAA survey at the game. The contest will be held at all home games during the Patriot League regular season.
GIVE AND TAKE
After spending four games coming off the bench, Rachel Voss was back in the starting lineup at American on Wednesday night. The freshman has thrived in games when she has started, averaging 8.1 pointsand 3.5 rebounds in 11 contests, compared to 2.0 points and 2.8 rebounds in the four games in which she has come off the bench.
Voss' backup role has benefited other members of the team. Starting in her younger teammate's place, Christina Chukwuedo has earned an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.14, compared to 0.8 as a reserve. Trisha Krewson has also produced more offensively. With the Chukwuedo-for-Voss switch, Krewson is averaging 21. 3 points, up from 7.7 points.
NIGHT AND DAY
A quick comparison of the Bison's statistics when they win and lose paints a very clear picture. In games Bucknell has won this year, it is averaging 73.0 points with a +17.8 scoring margin. In games lost, however, those figures drop to 51.7 points per game and -14.2. No Bison is averaging double-digit points in losses, while four are reaching that mark in wins. The Orange and Blue also has a +11.3 rebounding margin in victories, compared to a slimmer +1.9 margin in defeats.
TRIPLE THREAT
Three Bison - Trisha Krewson, Joyce Novacek and Morgan Wrightson - have posted double-digit scoring averages through the first 15 games. The last time three players put up those types of numbers came in the 2007-08 season. Hope Foster, Amanda Brown and Kesha Champion made up the trio of two years ago.
ALL THE WAY
Trisha Krewson became the second Bison this year to clock the full 40 minutes in a single game when Bucknell took on Navy on Jan. 8. The extra time paid off, as Krewson was the only member of her team to score in double digits with 16 points. She also had a team-high seven rebounds.
Joyce Novacek also played 40 minutes in Bucknell's 67-60 win over Loyola (Md.) on Nov. 24. She finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks. It was her second consecutive double-doubles.
CENTURY MARK
Joyce Novacek became the first Bison this season with more than 100 points and 100 rebounds following her outing at Navy on Jan. 8. The junior has now tallied 159 points and 112 rebounds on the year.
DYNAMIC DUO
Cosima Higham (21 pts.-13 reb.) and Joyce Novacek (16 pts.-11 reb.) each recorded a double-double when the Bison defeated Cornell on Jan. 6. That marks the first time two players recorded double-doubles in the same contest since Desire Almind and Lindsey Hollobaugh on Jan. 2, 2004. Almind had 13 points and 18 rebounds, while Hollobaugh added 18 points and 11 boards, but the Bison fell 54-49 to Manhattan.
Although it has been six years between accomplishments, the 2004 squad did not have to wait so long between repeat performances. Almind and Hollobaugh also had double-doubles when Bucknell defeated Coppin State, 69-64, earlier that season.
REJECTED
Bucknell finished the game at Cornell with a season-best 10 blocks as a team. Cosima Higham and Taylor Phillips each set career highs in the blocks with six and two, respectively. The Bison had not reached 10 or more rejections in a single game since facing nationally ranked Michigan State on Nov. 17, 2006. Against the No. 17 Spartans, Bucknell had 12 blocked shots. Hope Foster also set the school record for rejections with 11 in that game.
NO SLUMPING HERE
Joyce Novacek bounced back in a big way against Cornell after struggling at Buffalo earlier in the week. After tallying just six rebounds and one point on 0-for-4 shooting in 29 minutes against the Bulls, the junior recorded her third double-double of the season with 16 points on 7-for-12 shooting and 11 boards in 27 minutes against the Big Red. She has now shot .500 or better in 10 of the last 12 games.
LEAGUE'S BEST
A third Bison earned weekly honors from the Patriot League on Jan. 4, as Trisha Krewson earned her first Player of the Week citation. Krewson's award came on the heels of back-to-back career-best shooting nights, combining for 55 points against Lycoming (30 pts.) and Buffalo (25). The sophomore shot .633 (19-30) from the field, including .652 (15-23) from three-point distance. She also totaled five rebounds, five assists and two steals in those two games.
Rachel Voss and Lindsay Horbatuck have each been named the Patriot League/Anaconda Rookie of the Week this year as well. Voss earned the award Nov. 30 after averaging 10.0 points and 5.0 rebounds, helping the Bison to a 1-1 record against Loyola (Md.) and UMBC. Horbatuck was named the League's top rookie on Dec. 14 after scoring a career-high and team-best 13 points at Towson. The freshman forward also tied her career high with six rebounds in the contest.
HOT-HANDED KREWSON
Trisha Krewson had quite the outing against Lycoming, recording the best offensive night of her career. The sophomore finished with 30 points, making her the first Bison since Desire Almind had 30 against Holy Cross on Feb. 27, 2004. Helping Krewson to her points total was an 8-for-12 shooting performance from behind the arc. Her eight three-pointers tied her with Molly Creamer, who had eight vs. Army on Jan. 16, 2002, for most long-distance shots in a single game. It also doubled the previous Sojka Pavilion record.
Krewson had an equally impressive outing against Buffalo a few days later, tallying 25 points on 9-for-14 shooting, including 7-for-11 from behind the arc. Her 15 made three pointers last week is the highest two-game total in program history.
MAKING IT A HABIT
By tallying 55 points in two games vs. Lycoming and Buffalo, Trisha Krewson became the first Bison to reach the scoring total in two games since Lindsey Hollobaugh combined for 55 against Holy Cross (28 pts.) and Colgate (27) in February 2004. Hollobaugh's feat came in the middle of a streak in which she recorded at least 20 points in six consecutive games to end the 2003-04 season.
RECORD-BREAKING PERFORMANCES
Bucknell produced a number of record-breaking marks in the matchup with Lycoming on Dec. 30. The team's 93 points was a Sojka Pavilion record and the most scored since the Bison defeated Maryland-Eastern Shore 93-92 in triple overtime on Dec. 17, 2005. The 43-point margin of victory was also a Sojka record.
At 12-for-24 from three-point distance, Bucknell broke the Sojka Pavilion record and tied the program mark for three pointers made, as well as tied the facility record for threes attempted in a single game.
CONTROLLING THE PAINT
Bucknell outscored Lycoming in the paint, 40-14, on Dec. 30. That was the fifth consecutive game in which the Bison had overpowered their opponent inside. During that stretch, Bucknell was averaging 12.4 more points in the paint than its opponents.
Those numbers are a direct result of the strong play by Joyce Novacek and Cosima Higham. Including the games against Lycoming and Drexel, when the Bison won the battle in the paint 28-14, the juniors combined for 21-for-28 (.750) shooting from the field.
BLOCK PARTY
Bucknell women's basketball hosted quite the block party in 2008-09 and that has not changed much in the new season. With her first of two blocks against Loyola (Md.) on Nov. 24, Joyce Novacek moved into the top 10 all-time at Bucknell in career blocks. Since that game, she has improved her career total to 64 and is eighth on the list. Cosima Higham posted a career-high six blocks at Cornell on Jan. 6, to give her 57 in her two-plus years in the Orange and Blue. That ranks her 10th all-time at Bucknell.
Last season, Higham and Novacek both joined the program leaders in single-season blocked shots. Higham completed her sophomore year tied for seventh with Marie Kocornik with 36, while Novacek finished tied for 10th with Anne Kirwin with 33. Interestingly, Kocornik and Kirwin also set their marks as teammates during the 1985-86 season.
LET'S COMPARE
Despite having a 4-11 record, the Bison's statistics show that they are not far from where they were at this time last season. Many of this year's squad's averages closely resemble those put up by the 2008-09 team, which was 9-6 through its first 15 games. Ten of the 15 opponents were the same in each season, including Penn State, Fordham, Loyola (Md.), Yale, Towson, Drexel, Buffalo, Cornell, Navy and American.
| 2008-09 | 2009-10 | |
| Points/gm | 58.0 | 57.4 |
| Rebounds/gm | 40.1 | 37.7 |
| Rebounding margin | +3.5 | +4.4 |
| FG% | .400 (340-851) | .425 (328-771) |
| 3FG% | .308 (57-185) | .339 (63-186) |
| Steals/gm | 6.4 | 8.0 |
| Assists/gm | 14.0 | 13.7 |
NO STOPPING NOVACEK
In a season in which she already has posted back-to-back double-doubles, Joyce Novacek had yet another career night at Niagara on Dec. 2. The forward recorded a career-high 22 points on 10-for-16 (.625) shooting. That scoring total gave her better than 53 percent of her team's points on the night. It was also her first career game with 20 or more points.
Novacek also tied for the game high in rebounds with seven and claimed three of her team's four blocked shots.
HIGH SCORING
With a career-high 25 points vs. Fordham on Nov. 21, Morgan Wrightson became the first Bison this season to hit 20-plus. The sophomore did so on 8-for-17 shooting from the field and 7-for-7 shooting from the free throw line. Wrightson nearly repeated that mark by putting up 22 vs. Yale on Dec. 5 on 10-for-14 shooting. The guard also had a 20-point game vs. Wofford last year.
BALL THIEF
Lindsay Horbatuck swiped a career-high six steals against Loyola (Md.) on Nov. 24. The last Bison freshman to earn as many steals in a single game was current teammate Taylor Phillips. Now a junior, Phillips recorded six against Holy Cross on Jan. 20, 2008.
PICKPOCKETS
All 10 Bison who saw game action against Penn State registered at least one steal in the contest with Alyssa Dunn, Christina Chukwuedo and Lindsay Horbatuck each earning a team-high two steals. The defensive effort marks the only time since at least the 1984-85 season that every Bison recorded a steal during their time on the court.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM FOR HIGHAM
Cosima Higham opened the 2009-10 season on a high note. After the first weekend of play at the Iona Tip-Off Tournament, Higham averaged 12.5 points and 8.5 rebounds. Her performance earned her Bucknell's only selection to the All-Tournament Team.
PL POSTSEASON HONORS
A trio of Bison earned Patriot League postseason honors prior to the league tournament last year. Former Bison Amanda Brown was named First Team All-Patriot League, while classmate Lauren Schober was a Second Team All-Patriot League selection. Trisha Krewson started off her career in the Orange and Blue with a bang, adding Rookie of the Year to her All-Rookie Team nod. Krewson is the fifth Bison to be named the Patriot League's top rookie.
PATRIOT LEAGUE PRESEASON POLL
Bucknell was picked fifth in the 2009-10 Patriot League Preseason Poll. The Bison were also picked fifth prior to the 2008-09 season on their way to finishing in a tie for third place by season's end. Bucknell has now finished at or better than predicted eight times in the last 11 years.
Lehigh was picked first in the 2009-10 poll with 97 points, including 13 first-place votes. The Mountain Hawks were trailed by American and Holy Cross, which tied for second with 76 points and Navy (54) in fourth place.
2009-10 Patriot League Preseason Poll
| Team (First-place votes) | Points | |
| 1. | Lehigh (13) | 97 |
| 2. | American (3) | 76 |
| Holy Cross | 76 | |
| 4. | Navy | 54 |
| 5. | Bucknell | 52 |
| 6. | Army | 50 |
| 7. | Colgate | 22 |
| 8. | Lafayette | 21 |
Preseason All-Patriot League Team
Michelle Kirk, American
Erin Anthony, Army
Briana McFadden, Holy Cross
Erica Prosser, Lehigh (Player of the Year)
Alex Ross, Lehigh
IN THE (PINK) ZONE
The Bison will again be joining the national effort to promote the fight against breast cancer. Last season, Bucknell hosted a Pink Zone Night when it played Holy Cross on February 14. Bucknell players wore pink t-shirts during warm-ups, with two of those shirts being autographed by the team and auctioned on BucknellBison.com. More than 30 of the same shirts were also tossed into the stands during the game.
In 2009-10, those efforts will continue when the Bison welcome American on Feb. 10. Among the planned activities is another t-shirt giveaway, sponsored by Evangelical Community Hospital. The Bison are very pleased to be teaming up with Evangelical's Women's Resource Center to help spotlight breast cancer and promote women's health.
UP NEXT
Bucknell continues with the second of the three straight games at home with a showdown against Lafayette at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 20. Fans who donate a coat at Sojka Pavilion prior to the game will receive a coupon for a free hot dog at the concession stand. All coats will be donated to the Lewisburg Food Bank.
