Women Host Penn on Saturday in First Game of Bucknell Basketball Doubleheader

What: Bucknell Bison (4-4) vs. Penn Quakers (2-2)
Where: Sojka Pavilion, Lewisburg, Pa.
When: Saturday, Dec. 7, 2013, 4 p.m.
Internet Video: BucknellBison.com
Radio: WVBU 90.5 FM
Internet Radio: BucknellBison.com
Live Stats: BucknellBison.com

With a Victory Over Penn, Bucknell Would...

• Improve to 5-4 and lift itself above .500 for the first time this season.

• Remain undefeated in Sojka Pavilion in 2013-14, improving to 4-0, and extend its winning streak at home to five games.

• Tie the series with Penn at 4-4 and earn its first win over the Quakers since Jan. 5, 1989.

• Give head coach Aaron Roussell his 20th win at the helm of the program.

• Improve to 80-59 all-time at Sojka Pavilion.

Last Meeting with Penn - Dec. 3, 2012

• Penn 58, Bucknell 53 in overtime (The Palestra)

• After struggling offensively in the first half, Bucknelll nearly pulled off the comeback but fell in overtime 58-53 at The Palestra in the last meeting between the two teams.

• Shelby Romine did the late damage in regulation to send the game into extra minutes, hitting two shots in the final 1:37, including a left-handed jumper in the paint to knot things up at 48 all. She then had a trio of free throws in overtime and, while that led Bucknell, it was not enough to put her team in front.

• Romine finished the day with 11 points, all of which came in the game's final 25 minutes. Audrey Dotson finished with 10 points, eight rebounds and four blocked shots, while Lindsay Horbatuck had the game-high in boards with 11.

• Bucknell, which had a 26-18 advantage in rebounds at the half, finished the night with a 45-41 edge. The Bison shot .357 (20-of-56), and held Penn to .288 (19-of-66), but the Quakers gained the edge in long-range shooting and free throws.

• Three Quakers finished in double figures, led by Keiera Ray with 13. Ray also had eight rebounds.

About the Quakers

Penn has only played four games thus far, earning a 2-2 record with wins over La Salle (64-54) and LIU Brooklyn (70-57) and losses to St. Francis Brooklyn (56-51) and No. 5/6 Notre Dame (76-54). The Quakers most recently saw action against LIU Brooklyn, defeating the Blackbirds at The Palestra with a strong second half.

Alyssa Baron, who led Penn against LIU Brooklyn with 15 points, is currently the team's most prolific scorer, averaging 14.3 ppg, but Sydney Stipanovich, buoyed by a .625 shooting percentage, is also averaging in double figures with 10.0 ppg. Kara Bonenberger leads the team on the glass, collecting 6.5 rebounds per contest.

History vs. Penn

• Penn earned a one-game advantage in the series between the two teams with an overtime victory last season. The Bison won the first three meetings and the Quakers have won the last four.

• Prior to last season's contest, the two squads had not met for almost 13 years. The match-up last year also marked the first time that a game between Bucknell and Penn went into overtime.

History vs. the Ivy League

Bucknell has played at least one game against seven of the eight Ivy League schools, and has experienced considerable success against the Ancient Eight, compiling a 28-23 (.549) record since 1982. Bucknell has seen the most success against Cornell with a .783 (18-5) winning percentage, but the team has also won all three of its games against Columbia.

Last Time Out

The Bucknell women's basketball team shot 51.1 percent from the field on Wednesday night, propelling it to a 78-62 win over Towson at Sojka Pavilion. All five Bison starters scored in double-digits in the triumph, preserving a four-game unbeaten streak at home and improving the team's record to 4-4.

All five starters turned in impressive offensive outings, led once again by Audrey Dotson. The junior, who battled through a tough match-up with Towson's LaTorri Hines-Allen for most of the contest, tallied 22 points, collected six rebounds and handed out three assists. Freshman Megan McGurk kept the Bison in the game early, knocking down 4-of-5 from beyond the arc on her way to scoring a career-high 14 points.

Romine chipped in with her second double-double of the season, contributing 14 points on 4-of-6 (.667) shooting and collecting a game-high 11 rebounds, and freshman Claire DeBoer and sophomore Sheaira Jones notched 13 and 10 points, respectively.

Bucknell hit 23-of-45 (.551) from the field in the contest, including 5-of-10 (.500) from beyond the arc and 25-of-32 (.781) from the line, in a well-rounded offensive effort. Defensively, the squad held Towson to 35.7 percent (25-of-70) shooting.

Rookie of the Week

Claire DeBoer was named Patriot League Rookie of the Week on Monday, earning her first career weekly award and becoming the first Bison to receive the honor since Shelby Romine garnered the accolade six times in the 2010-11 season. The forward scored a career-high 15 points on 7-of-11(.636) shooting, collecting eight rebounds and adding a pair of assists, blocks and steals in Bucknell's 66-41 win over Youngstown State. The game was her second double-digit effort in a row, as she became the first Bison freshman in almost six years to register a double-double when she turned in 11 points and 10 rebounds in the team's 72-59 win at Cornell on Saturday, Nov. 23. DeBoer also shot .500 (3-of-6) against NJIT last Saturday, contributing eight points to the Bison offense in a close game with the Highlanders, and came alive in the second half of Wednesday's win over Towson, finishing with a 13-point performance. She currently leads all Patriot League freshmen in both scoring (8.9 ppg) and rebounding (5.9 rpg).

Hot at Home

Bucknell has played three games in Sojka Pavilion this season, earning wins in each, and every time the team has taken to the court at home, at least three different Bison have scored in double-digits. Shelby Romine (25), Audrey Dotson (22), Claire Maree O'Bryan (12) and Sheaira Jones (10) each turned in a 10+ point performance in the Bison's 89-48 win over Binghamton, while Dotson (22), DeBoer (15) and Romine (11) all scored in double-figures to lead Bucknell to a 66-41 win over Youngstown State. In Wednesday's 78-62 win over Towson, Dotson (22), Romine (14), Megan McGurk (14), DeBoer (13) and Jones (10) each reached the magic number, marking the first time that five Bison have scored 10+ points since Jan. 11, 2012 at Colgate.

Double Threat

After opening her junior campaign with a bang against Pittsburgh, leading all players with 23 points and 14 rebounds to record the fifth double-double and the fourth 20+ point performance of her career, Audrey Dotson continues to put up impressive numbers on both ends of the court. The forward tallied 22 points and made four blocks against Binghamton, and recorded her second double-double of the season with 13 points and 12 rebounds against No. 15/14 Penn State. She continued her dominance against Youngstown State last Tuesday, recording her seventh career double-double and sixth career 20+ point game with 22 points and 10 rebounds, before turning around to tally a game-high 16 points against NJIT on Saturday. Dotson, who led the Bison with 22 points against Towson, is currently ranked first in the Patriot League in scoring (18.3 ppg) and third in rebounding (8.5 rpg).

Making History

Shelby Romine, who stuffed the stat sheet with 25 points, a career-high 10 assists, six rebounds and four steals in the Bison's home opener, continues to surpass many of Bucknell's top performers in the program's record book. She is currently 26 points shy of becoming the 14th all-time scorer and four three-pointers away from moving into fourth in all-time shots from long-range. Her four helpers against Towson moved her into fourth-place in career assists (344), and she has already found her way into the top ten in field goal attempts this season, currently sitting in ninth place with 1,140.

Bison Online

Now there are more ways than ever to follow the Bison. In addition to the Bucknell women's basketball account (@BucknellWBB), head coach Aaron Roussell (@CoachRous), assistant coach Christian Stefanopoulos (@CStef23), assistant coach Katie Adams (@CoachKAdams12) and assistant coach Mike Lane (@MLane417) are all 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 play its last contest before taking a break for exams on Tuesday, welcoming UMBC to Lewisburg for a 7 p.m. tip-off. Fans who attend the contest will be able to take advantage of $1 popcorn and pretzel night at Sojka Pavilion.