Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Women's Basketball to Entertain Niagara in Pre-Thanksgiving Bout
11/20/2012 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 20, 2012
| Bucknell (1-2) vs. Niagara (1-2) Women's Basketball |
| WHERE: Lewisburg, Pa., Sojka Pavilion |
| WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 21, 7 p.m. |
| RADIO: WVBU 90.5 FM and SportsJuice.com |
STREAMING VIDEO: Bison Vision  |
LIVE STATISTICS: GameTracker  |
COMPLETE GAME NOTES  |
ABOUT THE GAME
Bucknell women's basketball is hoping for pre-Thanksgiving feast of success when it hosts Niagara at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at Sojka Pavilion. The Bison, are coming off a nine-point victory at Canisius that gave Aaron Roussell his first win as Bucknell's head coach, are also hoping to hand the Purple Eagles a third consecutive loss and improve their own record to 2-2.
Live audio coverage can be heard at WVBU 90.5 FM and online at SportsJuice.com with Danny Will doing the play-by-play duties. Live stats can be found on GameTracker at BucknellBison.com. The game will also stream live online on Bison Vision.
WITH A VICTORY OVER NIAGARA, BUCKNELL WOULD...
• Win its first home game of the season.
• Win back-to-back games for the first time since winning three straight Feb. 8-15, 2012 (vs. Colgate, Lafayette, Lehigh).
• Win back-to-back non-conference games for the first time since Nov. 21-24, 2009 (vs. Fordham, Loyola (Md.)).
• Avoid back-to-back losses to Niagara for the first time since 1994-96.
QUICK FACTS
• Aaron Roussell collected his first win as Bucknell head coach on Nov. 17 at Canisius. The Bison defeated the Golden Griffins 59-50 in Buffalo.
• Aaron Roussell was hired as Bucknell's ninth head coach in April 2012. Roussell spent eight years at the University of Chicago where he amassed a 161-50 record and led the Maroons to three Sweet Sixteens and one Elite Eight.
• Shelby Romine (21 at Xavier) and Alyssa Dunn (22 at Canisius) became the first Bison to hit the 20-point mark this season. Dunn's total was a career high.
• Although still very early in the season, Bucknell leads the Patriot League in defensive rebounds (31.7) and is second in overall boards (43.7). Lindsay Horbatuck sits atop the individual rebounding list with 13.0 rebounds per game.
• Bucknell tied with Colgate for seventh in the 2012-13 Patriot League Preseason Poll. Defending champions Navy were voted to the first-place spot.
• Lindsay Horbatuck and Shelby Romine were chosen as Bucknell's co-captains ahead of the 2012-13 campaign. It is their second consecutive season in the leadership position.
• Lindsay Horbatuck grabbed 251 rebounds last winter, placing her 10th at Bucknell in single-season boards. Her 9.4 rebounding average during conference play ranked her first in the Patriot League.
• The Bison return four starters and 10 letterwinners from a year ago. Bucknell's only loss from the starting five was guard Christina Chukwuedo, who led the Patriot League in assist/turnover ratio last season.
• Felicia Mgbada finished her junior year ranked seventh at Bucknell in single-season blocked shots (39). She is now tied for ninth in career blocks (72).
LAST MEETING WITH NIAGARA - NOV. 25, 2011
• Niagara 61, Bucknell 55 (Gallagher Center)
• Shelby Romine scored a then-season-best 20 points, but Bucknell could not fight off Niagara at the Gallagher Center, falling 61-55 on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Despite several near comebacks, turnovers told the story for the Bison who fell to 1-5 on the year. Bucknell finished with 28 miscues, resulting in 24 points off turnovers for Niagara.
• Bucknell's field goal shooting came in at 23-for-48 (.479) for the game, a percentage that included 12-for-24 (.500) shooting through the first half. It was the second time that season in which the Bison shot better than .400 in game but still suffered a loss. Bucknell was 3-8 last season in games in which it posted a field goal percentage of better than .400.
• Romine's 20-point offensive performance came on 9 of 16 shooting. It was the then-sophomore's first 20-point game of the season and the seventh of her career.
• Bucknell out-rebounded Niagara by 12 boards, 36-24. It was the second consecutive game for the Bison in which they out-rebounded their opponent by double figures. They also topped Morgan State by 15 boards in the previous contest.
ABOUT THE PURPLE EAGLES
Niagara defeated Robert Morris 63-59 in its season opener but has since lost each of its last two games, 51-49 to St. Bonaventure and 79-74 to Bowling Green. Lauren Gatto posted a double-double (12 pts.-11 reb.) against the Bonnies and is now leading the Purple Eagles in scoring (11.3) and rebounding (8.3).
Niagara was 13-19 overall and 9-9 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference last season. The Purple Eagles' postseason run ended in the MAAC semifinals when they fell to top-seeded Marist 68-54 in overtime but not before Gatto could be named to the All-Tournament Team. Other postseason honors included a Second Team All-MAAC citation for Kayla Stroman and a Third Team nod for Meghan McGuinness. Four of Niagara's starters from the 2011-12 squad return this winter.
HISTORY VS. NIAGARA
• Bucknell leads the all-time series with Niagara, 5-4, and has a 3-0 advantage when playing in Lewisburg. Only one of those games came at Sojka Pavilion, however, with the Bison winning 69-62 on Nov. 28, 2010. Bucknell's other home victories were on Jan. 4, 1988 (W, 80-66), which was also the first game in the series, and Dec. 2, 1998 (W, 76-97).
• The series scoring averages could hardly be closer. The Bison are putting up 67.4 points per game, while the Purple Eagles have scored 67.2 per game in the teams' nine meetings. The difference grows in games played in Lewisburg, however, with Bucknell averaging 75.0 and Niagara 65.0.
• The largest margin of victory for each team came in back-to-back games. Bucknell won by 23 on Dec. 1, 2000, defeating Niagara 75-52 at a neutral site. The Purple Eagles got their revenge the next time they met the Bison, but that was nearly a decade later. Niagara won by 25, a score of 66-41, on its home court on Dec. 2, 2009.
• Niagara won the last meeting with Bucknell, 61-55. The Purple Eagles have won back-to-back games against the Bison just once in series history, claiming victories on Dec. 30, 1994 (73-68) and Dec. 29, 1996 (82-63).
• Bucknell has recorded only three double-doubles against Niagara. The most recent came just last year when Cosima Higham finished with 11 points and 10 boards. Vicki Quimby finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds in Bucknell's 77-76 overtime win on Nov. 23, 1999, while Stacey Spitko earned hers in a more unusual fashion, dishing out 11 assists to go with 10 points on Jan. 4, 1988. It was the only double-double of Spitko's career.
• Recent Results:
Nov. 23, 1999 Bucknell, 77-76 (OT)
Dec. 1, 2000 Bucknell, 75-52 (at Cornell)
Dec. 2, 2009 Niagara, 66-41
Nov. 28, 2010 Bucknell, 69-62
Nov. 25, 2011 Niagara, 61-55
MEANINGFUL WINS
Bucknell hit a number of milestones and more than one Bison registered a career best when it defeated Canisius 59-50 on Saturday.
• Head coach Aaron Roussell earned his first win at Bucknell.
• The victory was Bucknell's first non-conference win since defeating Fordham (49-39) on Dec. 6, 2011. It was also the team's first non-conference road victory since beating Cornell (69-55) in Ithaca, N.Y., on Jan. 6, 2010.
• Alyssa Dunn posted career highs in points (22) and field goals made (8).
• Shelby Romine registered a career-high eight assists. That put her over 200 for her career (206).
• Katherine Harris tied her career high in assists, dishing out two in 13 minutes of play.
• Lindsay Horbatuck hit double digits in rebounding for the third consecutive game. The senior grabbed 13 boards against the Golden Griffins.
• Felicia Mgbada had one of her best free throw shooting performances, setting career highs by going 5-for-7 from the line.
WINNING ON THE ROAD
Since the start of the 2011-12 season, the Bison are just 3-15 when playing away from Sojka Pavilion and 6-27 overall. Bucknell's last three wins, however, have all come on the road - at Lafayette (65-54) on Feb. 11, 2012, Lehigh (62-56) on Feb. 15, 2012 and Canisius (59-50) last Saturday.
BIG SCORES FROM DUNN
With her second career 20-point game at Canisius on Saturday, Alyssa Dunn became the second Bison this season to hit 20 points in a single game. Dunn finished with a career-best 22 points in 35 minutes of play. That total came on 8 of 13 (.615) field goal shooting and 6 of 6 shooting from the free throw line.
• In two career games vs. Canisius, Dunn is averaging 17.5 points. She also had 13 (FG: 6-13, FT: 1-2) in 2011.
• Since entering the starting lineup on a regular basis on Feb. 22, 2012 against American, Dunn is averaging 12.3 points. Both of her 20-point games have come during that six-game stretch.
• Dunn is averaging 11.2 points per game in her 10 career starts overall. She is also shooting 38-for-104 (.365) from the field and 32-for-43 (.744) in those contests.
• Dunn also had 20 points against American on Feb. 22, 2012. Then a junior, she shot 6-for-9 from the floor and 8-for-8 from the free throw line. In two 20-point games, Dunn's shooting percentages come in at .636 (14-22) from the field and 1.000 (14-14) from the free throw line.
• Of Dunn's 22 points at Canisius, 14 came in the first half. Ten of her 20 points vs. American last season also came in the first half.
700-200 CLUB
With her personal-best eight assists at Canisius last Saturday, Shelby Romine became the 19th player in program history to reach career 200 assists. She is also the 15th Bison to have both 700 points and 200 assists in her career.
SECOND CHANCES
When Bucknell gets a second look on the offensive glass, it does not waste it. The Bison are outscoring opponents 33-15 in second-chance points. Oddly enough, however, trails opponents in offensive rebounds this season, 36-39.
BACK IN TIME
Bucknell will return to historic Davis Gym for a regular-season game for the first time since the 2002-03 season when it hosts Buffalo on Dec. 1. The Bison began play at Davis Gym in 1974 and registered a 169-118 (.589) record in 29 years on that court.
• Bucknell finished at .500 or better 22 times when playing at Davis Gym.
• The Bison had one perfect season at home, going 12-0 in 1995-96.
• In its last full season playing at Davis Gym (2001-02), Bucknell went 9-4. The Bison were 3-2 at Davis the following season before moving to Sojka Pavilion midway through the campaign.
• Buffalo is 1-0 when playing Bucknell at Davis Gym. The Bulls won 84-69 on Jan. 18, 1993.
TAKE A KID TO THE GAME - NOV. 28 VS. MOUNT ST. MARY'S
Bucknell will host its next major promotion when it returns to Sojka Pavilion on Nov. 28. The 7 p.m. game against Mount St. Mary's has been designated Take A Kid to the Game Night. For each adult ticket purchased, fans will receive one free child ticket for that night.
REPEAT PERFORMANCE
Lindsay Horbatuck's 15 rebounds against Saint Francis (Pa.) on Nov. 14 should not have come as much a surprise to the Red Flash. The Bison senior is averaging 13.0 boards in two games with Saint Francis having also grabbed 11 in the meeting in Loretto, Pa., last November. Horbatuck also has a 12.0 points per game mark when facing the Red Flash.
BACK-TO-BACK IN BOARDS
With 11 boards at Xavier on Nov. 10, 15 more against Saint Francis (Pa.) on Nov. 14 and 13 rebounds at Canisius on Nov. 17, Lindsay Horbatuck has reached double-figure rebounding totals in each of the season's first three contests. It is the fourth time the senior has hit double digits in consecutive games and the first time since finishing with 10 or more rebounds in four consecutive games during the end of Patriot League play last season.
COACHING DEBUTS
Aaron Roussell became Bucknell's ninth head coach when he was hired in April 2012. He inherits a team that is coming off a season in which it went 5-25 overall and 3-11 in the Patriot League and returns all but two of its letterwinners.
Of the eight previous Bucknell head coaches, only one – Rebecca Carr – registered a winning season in her debut campaign. The second coach in program history, Carr went 6-4 in 1976-77 before ultimately finishing her four-year tenure with the Bison with a 31-30 record. Two coaches – Cindy Connelley (1983-84) and Juliene Simpson (1991-97) – improved Bucknell's wins totals in their first seasons. Connelley's nine wins was a one-game improvement, while Simpson had a five-win improvement with her debut record of 7-20.
MORE FRESH FACES
Joining head coach Aaron Roussell in their first season with the Bison are assistant coaches Christian Stefanopoulos and Mike Lane, manager of basketball operations Brittany Pinkney and three freshmen, Tyler Craig, Sheaira Jones and Claire Maree O'Bryan. Stefanopoulos comes to Bucknell after her most recent turn as an assistant at Morehead State University. Lane, who previously served on Roussell's staff at the University of Chicago, was most recently the head coach at Division III Dominican University.
On the player side, Craig and Jones come to Bucknell after successful high school careers in Ohio, while O'Bryan brings experience both from The Hill School (Pa.) and several runs with under-18 and club teams in her native Australia.
REBOUNDING BREAKTHROUGH
Audrey Dotson led all players in rebounds at Xavier on Nov. 10 with 12 boards. The sophomore, who had entered the game with a then-career-best eight rebounds, needed six games to reach 12 boards last season. Dotson averaged 2.1 rebounds during her rookie campaign. She is now scond on the team with 8.7 rebounds per game.
MOVING UP THE LIST
Shelby Romine's 718 career points ranks her 30th in program history. Next on the list is Shannon McGowan (1993-97) at 744. Rachel Voss is also moving up the list. The senior's 576 points ranks 37th in program history and is just two shy of Bucknell Athletics Hall of Famer Bobbi Castens' 578.
20-POINT NOTES
• Shelby Romine leads all current Bison with 10 career 20-point games. Those scoring outputs have not necessarily spelled success for Bucknell, however. The Bison are 3-7 when Romine hits the 20-point mark, but that record was 2-1 last year during her sophomore campaign.
• Romine has twice recorded 20 points in back-to-back games. The first set came in January 2011 when she put up 22 against Yale and 20 against Navy six days later. Romine then scored 26 points against Lafayette on Feb. 11, 2012, followed by 23 against Lehigh on Feb. 15.
• In games in which she scores 20 points, Romine is shooting .526 (70-133) from the field, including .564 (31-55) from 3-point range, and .833 (55-66) from the free throw line.
• Rachel Voss has two career 20-point games as does Alyssa Dunn. Three of those have come in Patriot League play. The lone exception was Dunn's 22-point performance at Canisius last Saturday.
EYEING MILESTONES
Despite having played just three games this season, several Bison are already staring down some career milestones. Shelby Romine hit 700 points against Xavier and 200 assists at Canisius one week later. The junior registered a personal-best eight assists against the Golden Griffins, taking her career total to 206.
Felicia Mgbada grabbed her 300th career rebound at Xavier. That is the second-highest total among current Bison trailing only Lindsay Horbatuck, who stands at 519 career boards.
SOJKA PAVILION RECORDS - PART I
Several Sojka Pavilion records were tied or fell during the 2011-12 season. Among them were the team steals and blocked shots marks. The Bison had 16 steals against Canisius on Nov. 30, 2011 and 10 blocks opposite Youngstown State on Nov. 16. It was the third time in facility history that Bucknell had 10 blocks in a single game. The 16 steals also tied the mark, equaling that set against Maryland-Eastern Shore in 2004.
SOJKA PAVILION RECORDS - PART II
Four Bison enter the 2012-13 season ranked among the Sojka Pavilion individual leaders. Shelby Romine is now fifth in the facility record book in both 3-point field goals made (29) and fourth in 3-point field goals attempted (94), while Lindsay Horbatuck is fourth in rebounds (246) and Rachel Voss is fifth in games started (35). Felicia Mgbada has inked her name to the No. 4 slot on the blocks list with 37 rejections in her first three seasons.
NON-CONFERENCE MARKS
Bucknell has struggled in recent years with its non-conference schedule. Since 2009-10, the Bison have earned a 10-36 record against non-Patriot League opponents with two wins apiece over Fordham and Cornell. Their other non-league victories have come at the expense of Loyola (Md.), Lycoming, Niagara, Rider, St. Peter's and most recently Canisius.
BISON ONLINE
Now there are more ways than ever to follow the Bison. Head coach Aaron Roussell (@CoachRous) and assistant coach Christian Stefanopoulos (@CStef23) are both on Twitter. Bucknell Women's Basketball is also on Facebook.
For up-to-date information, videos and more for all of Bucknell's teams, don't forget @BisonSports on Twitter, facebook.com/BuckyBison and youtube.com/BucknellAthletics.
LOOKING AHEAD
Bucknell will continue to flip-flop between home and away games. The next time the Bison take to the court will be on Sunday, Nov. 25 when they travel to Baltimore, Md., to meet with Morgan State. The Bears snuck out of Sojka Pavilion with a two-point win, 54-52, last November. Tipoff for the revenge contest on Sunday is set for 2 p.m.
