Bucknell Travels to Massachusetts for First Meeting with Boston University

What: Bucknell Bison (10-7, 5-2 PL) vs. Boston University Terriers (7-13, 2-5 PL)
Where: Case Gym, Boston, Mass.
When: Saturday, Jan. 25, 2014, 1 p.m.
Internet Video: Patriot League Network
Internet Radio: BucknellBison.com
Radio: WVBU 90.5 FM
Live Stats: goterriers.com

With a Victory Over Boston University, Bucknell Would...
• Improve to 11-7 overall and 6-2 in the Patriot League, surpassing its conference wins total from 2012-13.
• Improve to 6-5 overall and 4-1 in league action on the road this season.
• Improve to 70-91 in Patriot League road games.
• Take a 1-0 advantage in the series with Boston University.
• Improve Aaron Roussell's Patriot League record to 11-11.

Last Time Out
Audrey Dotson scored 28 points, 24 of which came in the second half, and collected 10 rebounds for her eighth double-double of the season, leading Bucknell to a 67-60 win over Loyola on Wednesday night at Reitz Arena. The Bison improve to 10-7 overall and 5-2 in Patriot League action with the win, matching their conference wins total from last season and achieving their best league record through seven games since 2007. The Greyhounds fall to 4-14 overall and 1-6 in conference play with the loss.

Dotson, who matched her career-high with 28 points, shot 8-of-12 (.667) from the field and 11-of-13 (.846) from the line in the contest, and added three assists, two blocks and a steal to her stuffed stat line. Shelby Romine also scored in double digits for the Bison, tallying 17 points to go along with her seven rebounds and five assists, while freshman Claire DeBoer contributed eight points, five rebounds and four assists.

The Bison struggled to find their groove in the first half of the contest, as the opening 20 minutes featured a flurry of fouls and miscues for both sides. Back-to-back threes from Claire Maree O'Bryan and Romine sparked the Bison offense, and Micki Impellizeri fed on the momentum, increasing the team's lead to 18-13 on a beautiful feed from Dotson. The Greyhounds answered with a 6-0 run, giving them a one-point edge, but Tyler Craig responded with a well-executed lay-up, taking the lead right back for the Bison with just over six minutes remaining.

Pressure in the post and a full-court press resulted in a frustrating end to the stanza for the Bucknell offense, and it was held to just two points down the stretch. The defense kept the game close, limiting and pressuring Loyola's shots, but the Greyhounds took a 26-22 lead into the locker room at the half.

A determined Bucknell squad took to the court for the second half, and Dotson scored four straight to pull the Bison even after just one minute of action. The contest remained close, with Loyola managing to tie the score on two more occasions down the stretch, but the feisty Bucknell squad continued to fight the Greyhounds off with gutsy plays and firm control of the rebounding game.

With the scored knotted 53-53 and 2:25 left on the clock, Dotson converted a three-point play to snap the tie and then the Bison relied on the strength of their pinpoint shooting to pull away from the scrambling Greyhounds. The team went 9-for-10 from the line in the final minutes of the contest, with Dotson hitting both of her shots and Romine capitalizing on seven of her eight opportunities to clinch the 67-60 win.

Loyola held a slight edge from the field in the contest, hitting 46.2 percent (24-of-52) of its shots, while Bucknell finished at 45.5 percent (20-of-44). The Bison were an impressive 79.3 percent (23-of-29) from the line, and they also held a 33-23 advantage on the boards.

About the Terriers
Conference newcomer Boston University, which currently sits in a tie with Lehigh and Lafayette for sixth place in the Patriot League, has played to a 7-13 record thus far, earning victories over Rhode Island (52-49), Monmouth (52-43), Massachusetts (66-63), New Hampshire (69-58), Vermont (80-62), Lehigh (71-64) and Loyola (70-60). The team is 2-5 in conference play in its first season in the Patriot League, having fallen to Holy Cross (69-59), Navy (70-50), Lafayette (68-63), Colgate (81-64) and, most recently, American (63-56). The Terriers have only won two of their four home contests this season.

Rashidat Agboola currently leads the team in scoring, averaging 11.8 points per game, including 13.3 in BU's first seven league match-ups, and is also contributing a team-high 7.3 rebounds in each game. Danielle Callahan is also averaging in double-digits, putting up 10.4 points per game, while Clodagh Scannell has stepped up her game in conference play, averaging 10.7 points per game. Molly McKendrick and Whitney Turner help the Terriers on the board, collecting 6.6 and 5.9 rebounds, respectively.

History vs. Boston University
• The Bison and the Terriers will meet for the first time on Saturday, as Boston University joined the Patriot League at the start of the 2013-14 school year. The two teams have never met in non-conference action.

Bison in the Patriot League
• Bucknell is 160-156 (.506) all-time in Patriot League games.
• Bucknell has registered 16 Patriot League seasons at .500 or better. The last was in 2010-11 when the Bison finished with a 7-7 record. The last season at better than .500 was 2008-09 when they went 8-6 in conference action.
• Bucknell has won two Patriot League regular-season titles (1995-96, 2006-07) and two tournament titles (2001-02, 2007-08).
• Bucknell is 91-65 (.583) in Patriot League regular-season games played at home. It is 43-36 (.544) in league games at Sojka Pavilion.
• The Bison hold a 69-91 (.431) record when playing conference games on the road.

Looking Ahead
Bucknell will close out the first half of the Patriot League season on Wednesday, Jan. 29, welcoming Lehigh to Sojka Pavilion for a 7 p.m. match-up. All those in attendance will be invited to play Basketball Bingo for some great prizes. The contest will be streamed by Bison Vision, and will be available free of charge on the Patriot League Network.