Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Canisius
Bucknell Women's Basketball Falls Shy of Comeback in 55-47 Loss to Canisius
11/30/2011 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 30, 2011
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LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell women's basketball got Canisius' lead down to three on more than one occasion but never led in the contest as the Bison fell 55-47 at Sojka Pavilion on Wednesday night. Spurring Bucknell's runs was Alyssa Dunn (Mason, Ohio/Seven Hills School), who finished with a season-best 13 points and three steals. The Bison (1-7) also collected 16 steals as a team, the most since 2009.
Bucknell trailed Canisius (2-3) by 10 points at the half, and the Golden Griffins extended that to 11 early in the second, 30-19 with 16:23 to play. The Bison put together its first true offensive push a few minutes later, and an 14-6 run drew them to within three points at 36-33. Dunn had eight points during that stretch, six of which came on fastbreak layups.
Layups were the name of the game for the Bison as play resumed after the half. Bucknell did not hit a jumper until 8:15 when Katherine Harris (Derry, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) drained a three-pointer. The freshman's long jumper again brought Bucknell within three points at 39-36, but it was in the middle of a run in which Canisius claimed 11 of 15 points. By the end of the Griffs' streak, they had increased their lead to double digits again at 47-37.
Harris' three was her second of the game, giving her six points on the night. She trailed only Dunn and Micki Impellizeri (Seaford, N.Y./St. Anthony's), who tallied nine points, in Bucknell's scoring column.
Impellizeri also played a big role in Bucknell's ability to keep play close. The freshman, who also totaled five steals, hit a layup and drew a foul with five minutes remaining in the game. That opened a 7-0 Bucknell run that ended with another Impellizeri bucket and set the score at 47-44. Bucknell scored just three more points after that, however, opening the door for Canisius. The Golden Griffins extended their lead from the free throw line in the final minutes and ultimately ended with the eight-point win.
Canisius finished the night 12-for-16 (75.0%) from the line, while Bucknell was 5-for-12 (41.7%). The Bison missed some foul shots at key moments in the second half. Christina Chukwuedo (Monessen, Pa./Monessen) came up empty on two attempts at 9:02 that could have shrunk the Griffs' lead to a single point. Rachel Voss (Cincinnati, Ohio/Loveland) suffered the same fate just under the minute mark that could have kept it to a single possession game. They were the first missed free throws of the season for Voss.
Before the three major swings in momentum in the second half were several stretches of slow offense in the first. Neither team did much scoring in the first 20 minutes. Canisius held a 14-7 lead at the 10-minute mark, and by the break the score stood at just 26-16. The Bison shot 25.0 percent (7-for-28) in the first half before improving to 35.1 percent (20-for-57) for the game.
Bucknell's 16 steals is its most in a single game since recording 20 against Colgate on Feb. 21, 2009. The Bison defeated the Raiders 53-35 at Sojka Pavilion in that game and limited them to nine first-half points.
Leading the way for Canisius was Ashley Wilkes with 15 points and seven rebounds off the bench. Voss also grabbed seven boards for the Bison.
Bucknell will be back in action on Saturday when it travels to Newark, N.J., to take on NJIT. It will be the teams' first meeting in series history.
