Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Michigan
Women's Basketball Held Off by Michigan, 68-61
11/16/2014 4:21:00 PM | Women's Basketball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. � Bucknell fought back from a 22-8 deficit in the first half, but wasn't able to do the same in the second half in a 68-61 loss at Michigan in non-conference women's basketball action on Sunday at Crisler Arena.
Bucknell dropped to 1-1 after its season-opening road trip that also included a game at Bowling Green. The Wolverines, who beat Detroit on Friday, improved to 2-0.
Things looked bleak early for Bucknell as Michigan's Siera Thompson hit her first three 3-pointers and Michigan jumped out to a 14-point lead just over eight minutes into the game. But the Bison fought their way back, and found themselves down just one (35-34) after senior Audrey Dotson grabbed a rebound and hit a buzzer-beating jumper at the end of the half.
Playing in front of a large crowd of family and friends, Michigan native Claire DeBoer hit two free throws in the opening minute of the second half to give Bucknell its first lead of the game, 36-35. Michigan responded with a 13-3 run over the next four minutes to go up 48-39. The Bison would cut the gap to three points, but that's as close as they would get as the Wolverines staved off the comeback.
During their comeback in the first half, Dotson and the Bison did most of their damage in the post, scoring 20 points in the paint. The Preseason All-Patriot League selection had 11 points at the break, and eight Bucknell players in total scored. Juniors Sheaira Jones and Tyler Craig and senior Micki Impellizeri all had buckets in a key 15-6 Bison run midway through the half.
"I'm proud of the effort. I thought our toughness was impressive today," Bucknell head coach Aaron Roussell said. "They're a very good team from a very good conference and they were just a little too much. Every time we made a mistake they hit a shot and made us pay for it."
Dotson recorded her 13th career double-double and the first of the season, leading all players in both points (17) and rebounds (11). Claire Maree O'Bryan finished with 11 points, DeBoer tallied nine and Craig scored eight for the second consecutive game. Craig also matched a career high with six rebounds.
A game after having six players reach double figures in scoring, Michigan had four players in double digits against Bucknell. Katelynn Flaherty was tops with 15 points, while 6-3 forward Cyesha Gordon was right behind her with 14 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double. Thompson and Nicole Elmblad scored 13 and 12, respectively.
"The encouraging thing for us is that in neither one of the first two games did we play our best," Roussell said. "We played hard and played okay, but I don't think this was the best we can play. We have room to improve going forward."
Michigan was the second straight Bucknell opponent that was coming off a 20-plus win season and an appearance in the WNIT.
Up next for Bucknell is a third straight road game to open the season. The Bison will travel to Hackensack, New Jersey to take on Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday at 2 p.m.
