Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Women's Basketball Back at Sojka for Sunday Showdown with Buffalo
11/20/2010 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 20, 2010
WHAT: Bucknell (1-1) vs. Buffalo (1-2)
WHERE: Sojka Pavilion, Lewisburg, Pa.
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 21, 2 p.m.
RADIO: WVBU 90.5, SportsJuice.com
VIDEO: Bison Vision on BucknellBison.com 
LIVE STATS: GameTracker on BucknellBison.com 
Complete Game Notes in PDF Format 
ABOUT THE GAME
Following its first setback of the season in a 64-42 loss to Fordham last Wednesday, Bucknell will look to bounce back in a big way when it hosts Buffalo at 2 p.m. at Sojka Pavilion on Sunday. The Bison will also try to find the fine shooting touch that has eluded them so far this season but kept them in the game for so long against the Bulls a year ago as they play for a 2-1 record in the early season.
WITH A VICTORY OVER BUFFALO, BUCKNELL WOULD...
► Improve to a perfect 2-0 at Sojka Pavilion this season. The last time the Bison started at least 2-0 at home was in 2006-07 with wins over Hampton, Cornell and St. Bonaventure.
► Even the all-time series with Buffalo at five games piece.
► Avoid back-to-back losses to the Bulls for the third time in series history.
► Improve its all-time record against Mid-American Conference schools to 9-13. Buffalo is the only MAC opponent on the Bison's 2010-11 schedule.
► Go over .500 in non-conference games since 2000-01. In the last 11 seasons, the Bison are 78-78 away from Patriot League action.
LAST MEETING - JAN. 3, 2010
► Buffalo 64, Bucknell 51 (Alumni Arena)
► Bucknell's defensive effort paid off down the stretch as Buffalo was held without a field goal for 11:05 in the second half. That gave the Bison a bit of a look at a comeback. After trailing by a game-high 20 points at the 14:21 mark, the Bison worked their way back to within nine points with less than three minutes to go. The offensive push fell short, handing Bucknell a 13-point loss on the road.
► Buffalo's Kourtney Brown entered halftime with 14 rebounds before Bucknell could shut down the forward. Brown finished the game with 15 boards.
► Only three Bison scored in the first half - Cosima Higham, Trisha Krewson and Morgan Wrightson. The trio combined for 28 points.
► Krewson recorded her second game with more than 20 points. Days after posting 30 against Lycoming, the then-sophomore dropped 25 on Buffalo to lead all players.
QUICK FACTS
Shelby Romine has led Bucknell in scoring in each of her first two collegiate games ... Joyce Novacek has at least shared the team rebounding lead in both games this season ... Romine was named the Patriot League/Anaconda Rookie of the Week on Monday ... Novacek claimed her 10th career double vs. Rider on Nov. 12 ... Six of Rachel Voss' eight double-digit scoring performances have come at Sojka Pavilion ... Voss was selected to the Patriot League All-Rookie Team last year after leading Bucknell in steals and finishing as the team's fifth-leading scorer ... the Bison recorded at least one blocked shot in every game last year, including a season-best 11 at Lafayette ... Bucknell was picked eighth in the 2010-11 Patriot League Preseason Poll ... Cosima Higham each enter her senior season with nine career double-doubles ... Bucknell led the Patriot League in offensive rebounding (13.0/game), rebounding defense (31.9/game), rebounding margin (+5.8) and blocked shots (3.9/game) last season ... the Bison finished the 2009-10 campaign ranked in the top 100 nationally in rebounding margin (27th, +5.8), scoring defense (77th, 59.9) and blocked shots (91st, 3.9).
HISTORY VS. BUFFALO
► Two of Bucknell's four wins over Buffalo have come at Sojka Pavilion. The most recent was also the Bison's last victory at any venue, 75-57 on Jan. 2, 2009.
► Bucknell's Jan. 2, 2009 win was the team's largest margin of victory at 18 points. The Orange and Blue's largest margin of defeat was also 18 points and that also came at Sojka Pavilion when Buffalo won 69-51 on Dec. 29, 2006.
► Buffalo has a slight edge in scoring average through the teams' first nine games. The Bulls put up 65.8 points per game compared to 64.4 for the Bison.
► Sunday's matchup will mark the first time the teams have met in the month of November. The Bison are 3-2 against the Bulls when they play before Jan. 1.
► When Trisha Krewson scored 25 points in last year's game with Buffalo, she set a Bucknell series high. That broke the previous mark for most points scored by a Bison in the series set in 2005 when Jacquie Seawright and Amanda Brown both tallied 22 off the bench. Seawright also led Bucknell in rebounds (9) and steals (5) in that game.
► Joyce Novacek has struggled with fouls in previous meetings with Buffalo. The senior has been called for 10 personal offenses in three games and fouled out in 2009.
► Recent Results:
Dec. 28, 2005: Bucknell, 74-63
Dec. 29, 2006: Buffalo, 69-51
Jan. 2, 2008: Buffalo, 78-65
Jan. 2, 2009: Bucknell, 75-57
Jan. 3, 2010: Buffalo, 64-51
ABOUT THE BULLS
Buffalo has started 2010-11 with a 1-2 record. Since winning their season opener against Howard, 86-63, the Bulls have taken losses to Cleveland State (78-69) and most recently at Temple (74-64) on Friday night.
The Bulls rely heavily on Kourtney Brown and with good reason. The senior forward is averaging a double-double with 24.7 points and 15.0 rebounds, marks that include a 34-point, 16-rebound performance in Buffalo's loss to Cleveland State. Brown is also the reigning MAC Defensive Player of the Year and a 2009-10 First Team All-MAC selection after leading the conference in points (17.8) and rebounds (11.5) a year ago.
THE LAST TIME THAT HAPPENED, WE WON
After taking a three-point lead at halftime against Fordham last Wednesday, Bucknell fell flat offensively in the second half and shot 3-for-14 (.214) from the field in the final 20 minutes. The last time a Bison squad made just three field goals in a single half was on Jan. 20, 1993. Bucknell played Army in Davis Gym and went 3-for-26 (.115) in the first half. Despite the poor shooting, the 1993 Bison took a 16-14 lead into halftime and ended the night with a 51-37 victory over the Black Knights. The difference came at the free throw line as Bucknell made 25 of 35 attempts, including 15 of 18 from Bucknell Hall of Famer Lisa Fink, compared to 5-for-15 shooting for Army.
ROMINE WITH AN EARLY LEAD
With 17 points against Rider and nine at Fordham last week, Shelby Romine became the first Bison freshman since 1993-94 to lead Bucknell in scoring in each of her first two collegiate games. The last Bison rookie to accomplish the feat was Shannon McGowan who finished with 11 points, tying senior Monica Nawarskas, in the season opener at Monmouth. McGowan then went on to tie K.C. Vlah for a team-best 11 points against St. Francis (N.Y.) in the next contest. Although she did not post the squad's high scoring mark in every game, McGowan did reach double-figure scoring in each of her first seven career games with Bucknell
SCORING STRUGGLES
It has not been as long as you might think since Bucknell scored as few as 17 points in a single half. Prior to suffering their scoring drought against Fordham on Wednesday, the Bison posted 17 points in the second half against Lehigh on Feb. 24 and Holy Cross on Jan. 16 as well as in the first half against Lehigh on Jan. 27 last season.
100s
Christina Chukwuedo hit the century mark in both career points and assists at Fordham last Wednesday. The junior now has 100 points and 101 assists in the Orange and Blue. Chukwuedo's assists total is a team high.
KEEPING THEM OFF THE GLASS
For the first time this season, Bucknell outrebounded its opponent, winning the battle on the glass against Fordham, 31-25. The Bison held foes to 25 or fewer rebounds eight times last season. Lycoming struggled the most, grabbing just 21 total rebounds on Dec. 30.
Bucknell also limited Fordham to seven offensive boards. That happened on five occasions during the 2009-10 season with the fewest being five against Navy on Feb. 6.
ONCE A THIEF, ALWAYS A THIEF
Lindsay Horbatuck has picked up where she left in the steals department. After leading the team in steals as a freshman (34), the scrappy forward now has two steals in each of her first two games this season.
NOT-SO-SHARP SHOOTING
After their first two games, the Bison are just 1 of 6 from three-point range. The 2004-05 squad had similar shooting performances in its season debuts, combining for 1-for-9 from behind the arc against Florida International and Texas A&M. They then went 4-for-19 against Cornell in their third game of the season and finished the year 92 of 289 (.318).
ROMINE TOP ROOKIE
Shelby Romine became the first Bison to cop Patriot League honors when she was named the league's Rookie of the Week on Monday. The award came just days after recording 17 points, five assists, three rebounds, one block and one steal against Rider. Romine earned the start in her first collegiate game and played 38 minutes.
THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE THROWS
Bucknell was 18 of 25 from the free throw line against Rider last week. Those numbers turned out to be noteworthy for several Bison.
► Shelby Romine was 9-for-13 from the line. The freshman's outing was just the fifth time since 2005-06 that a Bison made at least nine free throws in a single game. Romine joins Cosima Higham and Hope Foster, who sank nine free throws on three occasions, during that stretch.
► Joyce Novacek made seven of her eight free throw attempts against the Broncs. The last time the forward posted similar success at the charity stripe was at American last season. Novacek was also 7-for-8 (.875) in that contest.
► The Bison reached 18 made free throws three times all of last season, including at Cornell (18-24), Army (20-24) and Lafayette (18-23).
► The last time Bucknell attempted 25 or more free throws was against Colgate on Jan. 23, 2010 when they shot 16-for-27.
EARLY DOUBLE-DOUBLE
Joyce Novacek posted her 10th career double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds against Rider on Nov. 12. Such a performance in the first game of the season is not unusual for the Bison. Bucknell now has had a player reach the double-double achievement in the season opener five times in the last six years.
Double-Doubles in Recent Season Openers
Lindsey Hollobaugh
2005-06
at Stony Brook
14 pts.-11 reb.
Hope Foster
2006-07
vs. Hampton
20 pts.-16 reb.
Lauren Schober
2007-08
at St. Bonaventure
10 pts.-10 reb.
Cosima Higham
2008-09
at George Mason
12 pts.-13 reb.
Joyce Novacek
2010-11
vs. Rider
11 pts.-13 reb.
DEFENSIVE POWER
Bucknell held Rider to .298 shooting from the field (17-57) on Nov. 12, and everyone is hoping that is a sign of good things to come. Despite posting one of the best scoring defense marks in program history last season, the Bison limited opponents to less than 30 percent shooting just twice, including Colgate (.295; 18-61) and Army (.278; 15-54).
STARTING ON THE RIGHT FOOT
There's something about season openers that seems to get Rachel Voss going. In Bucknell's 2009-10 opener vs. Miami (Ohio), Voss totaled 10 points and three steals. Against Rider in the 2010-11 season opener, the sophomore tallied 11 points and tied that career high in steals.
NEW FACE
The Bison coaching staff welcomed its newest addition to the sideline against Rider. Bill Broderick joined the team as an assistant coach during the summer after spending the last two seasons as an assistant at Elon. The Vienna, Va., native's career also includes stops at Potomac State College (1992-94), Frostburg State (1994-95), Arizona (1995-98) and Pittsburgh (1998-2002).
LEADING OFF
Bucknell has done well for itself when beginning the season on its home court. With their 53-48 win over Rider on Nov. 12, the Bison are 8-3 in season openers that are also home openers.
Season Openers That Were also Home Openers
| 2010-11: | Rider | W, 53-48 |
| 2006-07: | Hampton | W, 85-77 |
| 2001-02: | Albany | W, 64-45 |
| 2000-01: | American | W, 79-73 |
| 1998-99: | Kent State | L, 54-81 |
| 1997-98: | Sacred Heart | W, 64-53 |
| 1996-97: | Marist | W, 75-69 |
| 1995-96: | Hofstra | W, 92:53 |
| 1984-85: | Bloomsburg | L, 50-63 |
| 1981-82: | Lock Haven | L, 37-49 |
| 1974-75: | Susquehanna | W, 73-27 |
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
Bucknell continued to excel in the classroom during 2009-10. As a team, the Bison were ranked 14th nationally in grade-point average when the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) released its Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll in July. With a 3.422 GPA, Bucknell was the only Patriot League team to earn recognition. Bucknell also led the pack on the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll. The Bison placed 11 of its 12 players on the list, while no other squad had more than seven.
Joyce Novacek and Trisha Krewson added ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District First Team honors to their resumes as well. It was Novacek's second selection of her career.
COACHING MILESTONES
Head coach Kathy Fedorjaka is coming up on yet another milestone in her coaching career. Now in her 14th year at Bucknell, Fedojraka has a 197-180 record with the Orange and Blue, good for a .524 winning percentage. That total has long put her at the top of the list for most program victories. Number two on that list is Fedorjaka's predecessor, Julienne Simpson, with a six-year mark of 65-98.
Last year, Fedorjaka surpassed the century mark in Patriot League wins with her 60-47 win over Colgate. She enters 2010-11 with a career record of 101-73 in the league.
SENIOR LEADERSHIP
Seniors Cosima Higham, Joyce Novacek and Taylor Phillips have been named Bucknell's team captains for the 2010-11 season. Higham and Novacek also emerged as the squad's leaders last year, making them the first two-year captains since Lindsey Hollobaugh earned the title of captain in 2005-06 and 2006-07. They are also the 14th and 15th Bison in program history to claim the leadership role multiple times.
ENDING ON A HIGH NOTE
Joyce Novacek could hardly have ended her junior season on a higher note. The forward scored a career-high 24 points in the Patriot League Tournament Quarterfinals against Lehigh. That total is also tied for the third-most points by a Bison in the league tournament. Desire Almind also had 24 against Holy Cross on March 5, 2004, while Molly Creamer and Lindsey Hollobaugh share the record with 25.
DOMINANCE ON THE GLASS
It is no secret that rebounding was one of Bucknell's strong points last season. The Bison finished the year with a +5.8 rebounding margin, one of the highest in program history. The last team that came close to such a mark was the 1997-98 squad that finished with a +5.4 margin on the glass.
Rebounding Margin Since 2000-01
| 2009-10 | +5.8 | ||
| 2008-09 | +2.1 | ||
| 2007-08 | -4.1 | ||
| 2006-07 | -2.5 | ||
| 2005-06 | -0.5 | ||
| 2004-05 | -4.8 | ||
| 2003-04 | +0.0 | ||
| 2002-03 | -6.7 | ||
| 2001-02 | +1.7 | ||
| 2000-01 | +3.4 |
MORE BOARDS
Joyce Novacek has been doing her best to leave her mark in the history books at Bucknell. The forward has ranked among the Bison's top three in rebounding in each of her first three seasons in the Orange and Blue. After averaging 4.3 boards as a freshman, that number improved to 6.3 in 2008-09 and finally 7.2 to lead the team in 2009-10. Novacek leads all current Bison with 531 career rebounds. The senior has a shot at cracking the program's all-time top-10 list in boards this year, needing just 147 more to do so.
KEEPING THE OPPONENT DOWN
The Bison held opponents to 59.9 points per game last season. That ranks eighth all-time on Bucknell's single-season scoring defense. This year's senior class finds itself on the ledger two other times as well, including third in 2008-09 (57.6) and seventh in 2007-08 (59.3).
CLASS CONTRIBUTIONS
Bucknell's current senior class made itself known for its interior play last season. Cosima Higham, Joyce Novacek and Taylor Phillips combined for nearly 40 percent of the Bison's rebounds in 2009-10.
The new sophomore class made equally important contributions defensively as Alyssa Dunn, Lindsay Horbatuck, Felicia Mgbada and Rachel Voss recorded 83 steals, or 41.3 percent of the team's total. The two classes teamed up to amass 101 blocked shots, giving them more than 90 percent of Bucknell's rejections throughout the year.
STILL STARTING
Joyce Novacek has emerged as one of the team's most steady veterans. The senior has made 68 career starts, more than any other Bison on the roster. Novacek also has the squad's longest streak of consecutive starting assignments, having been among the top five in each of her last 54 games dating back to the Nov. 29, 2008 meeting at Loyola (Md.).
ASSISTS LEADER
Rachel Voss joined some rare company when she led the Bison in assists last year. The freshman became Bucknell's first rookie to post the team's high mark in assists since Molly Creamer tied Lori Houck with 107 during the 1999-2000 season. Voss finished her debut campaign with 66 assists.
PATRIOT LEAGUE POSTSEASON HONORS
For the second consecutive year, Bucknell closed out the campaign with two players receiving postseason honors. Rachel Voss was named to the Patriot League All-Rookie Team, while Trisha Krewson earned second-team honors. Voss was the 16th Bison in program history to earn a spot among the league's top freshmen.
REJECTION CITY
Cosima Higham and Joyce Novacek will be looking to move up the record lists in blocked shots during the 2010-11 campaign. Novacek leads the duo on Bucknell's all-time rejections list with 85 blocked shots, ranking her sixth. Higham is eighth on the program ledger with 78. Both are also tied for sixth on the single-game blocks record list – Higham had six against Cornell, while Novacek turned away six opposite Colgate last January – and trail only all-time blocks leader Hope Foster and Ann Kirwin.
COMMUNITY IMPACT
Over the years Bucknell women's basketball has strived to make a difference in the community. Among the Bison's efforts last season were their annual celebration of National Girls & Women in Sports Day and the WBCA Pink Zone in support of breast cancer education and awareness. Those programs will continue in 2010-11. Bucknell will also make several visits to local elementary schools and the Donald Heiter Community Center, take part in a pen pal program and more. The current team's support of the Lewisburg community began last summer as the Bison volunteered with the Lewisburg Lights and Kelly Mazzante 5K runs, as well as with the street fair at the Bucknell Bookstore's grand opening.
PATRIOT LEAGUE PRESEASON POLL
Bucknell was picked eighth in the 2010-11 Patriot League Preseason Poll. American was picked first in the poll with 93 points, including nine first-place votes. The Eagles were followed closely by defending champion Lehigh with 91 points and seven first-place votes. Navy and Army rounded out the top half in third and fourth, respectively.
2010-11 PATRIOT LEAGUE PRESEASON POLL
Team (First-place votes) Points
1. American (9) 93
2. Lehigh (7) 91
3. Navy 70
4. Army 59
5. Holy Cross 42
6. Colgate 40
7. Lafayette 40
8. Bucknell 31
PRESEASON ALL-PATRIOT LEAGUE TEAM
Michelle Kirk, American (Player of the Year)
Angela Myers, Navy
Erin Anthony, Army
Erica Prosser, Lehigh
Liz Leer, American
UP NEXT
Bucknell will continue to alternate home and road games when it gets back on the bus to head to Youngstown State. The Bison-Penguins matchup is set for 5:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 24 in Youngstown, Ohio. The teams have not played each other since 1992, and Bucknell has not won since they first met in 1989.
