Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Lehigh
Bucknell Women's Basketball Takes 64-48 Hit Against Lehigh
1/26/2011 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 26, 2011
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell women's basketball shot better than 65 percent from the field in the second half, but the team could not overcome its poor start as it fell 64-48 to Lehigh at Sojka Pavilion on Wednesday night. The Bison managed just 13 first-half points, ending their brief winning streak and bringing their season record to 5-13 overall and 2-4 in the Patriot League.
Bucknell kept pace with Lehigh (12-9, 2-4) throughout the second half. The Bison benefited from some of its best shooting on the year, making 17 of their 26 attempts (65.4 percent). The Mountain Hawks saw their share of success too, however, and closed the second half 14 of 29 (48.3 percent) from the field.
Lehigh kept Bucknell from making much of a dent in its lead down the stretch, matching the home team shot for shot. Not until the 7:40 mark did the Bison put together a substantial run. Cosima Higham (Brooklyn, N.Y./Poly Prep Country Day) and Alyssa Dunn (Mason, Ohio/Seven Hills School) each recorded four points to give Bucknell an 8-0 run, its longest of the night. That only brought the Mountain Hawks' lead down to 11, however. With 5:51 to play, Lehigh held a 51-40 advantage.
Nothing much came of the Orange and Blue's brief scoring streak as Lehigh never truly relinquished control. By the end of the night, Bucknell kept the final score differential under 20 as Felicia Mgbada (Edison, N.J./Blair Academy) and Lindsay Horbatuck (Avon, Conn./Avon) scored the final four points of the game.
After its efficient shooting in the second, Bucknell's final field goal percentage stood at 50 percent (23-for-46) for the game, setting a season high.
Bucknell's 13 points in the opening frame was anything but a season high. The total set a Sojka Pavilion record for the fewest scored in a half by the Bison. The previous low mark had been 15 points on three occasions with the most recent being vs. Drexel on Nov. 25, 2008.
The Bison struggled to find their rhythm from the start, and Lehigh opened the game on a 12-2 run after it took Bucknell more than five minutes to register a point. That trend continued as the last time the Bison trailed by single digits came with the scoreboard reading 12-4 after Higham backed down her defender for a layup at 10:22.
Higham and Horbatuck had 11 of Bucknell's 13 points in the first half, and Dunn added the final two. At the break, none of the Bison's starters had scored. The Bison bench continued to be a factor throughout the rest of the game as well. Bucknell's reserves totaled 29 points on the night, compared to 19 for Lehigh's.
The Bison's scoring struggles were in large part due to difficulty protecting the ball. Bucknell turned the ball over 26 times in the game, including 14 times in the first half.
Higham and Horbatuck ultimately combined for 23 points off the bench. Higham's 12 points tied a season high as did Horbatuck's 11. Higham also led the team in rebounds with nine and tied Shelby Romine (Centreville, Va./Westfield) for the team-high in assists with four.
As a team, Bucknell won the battle of the boards, 32-21.
Lehigh put three players in double-digit scoring with Erica Prosser leading the way. The Mountain Hawks' senior guard finished with 19 points, while Alexa Williams added 14 and Courtney Dentler had 10. No Lehigh player had more than five rebounds.
Bucknell will return to action on Saturday, Jan. 29 when it hosts Army at 7 p.m. at Sojka Pavilion. The Bison will also hold their annual alumni game earlier in the day at 1 p.m. Among the former players returning for the event are Bucknell's all-time leading scorer Molly Creamer and recent graduates Lauren Schober and Kesha Champion.
