Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Cornell
Second-Half Run Carries Women's Basketball to 59-51 Win in Home Opener
11/29/2014 6:20:00 PM | Women's Basketball
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Sophomore Claire DeBoer recorded a double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Bucknell women's basketball team to a 59-51 win over Cornell in the team's home opener at Sojka Pavilion on Saturday. The Bison never trailed in the game on their way to improving to 3-2.
Leading 32-31 with 12:13 left in the game, the Bison pulled away with a 16-2 run over a span of four-and-a-half minutes that coincided with a lineup change and a switch to a zone defense. DeBoer and junior Tyler Craig scored five points apiece during the run and each had a three-point play on driving layups.
“It was a tough team that we played against. I thought they executed very well,” Bucknell head coach Aaron Roussell said. “They really controlled the pace outside of that stretch where we got going in transition. We got some stops, especially going with the zone and going with the bigger lineup. We put out a bigger lineup and all of a sudden we got faster. It was a good stretch for our players but obviously we have to try to put it together for the entire game next time.”
Megan McGurk scored four points during the second-half run and also keyed the defensive effort that helped Bucknell get points at the other end – the Bison shot 67 percent from the floor in the second half. She finished the game with nine points and had three of the team's seven steals.
DeBoer's double-double was the seventh of her career and her second of the season. She matched a career high with 15 rebounds for the second straight game. She also led yet another great night of foul shooting for the Bison, shooting a perfect 7-for-7 from the charity stripe. The team, which ranks first in the Patriot League, was 11-for-13 from the line.
The Bison led 28-21 at halftime thanks to seven points from junior Claire Maree O'Bryan and six points and seven rebounds from DeBoer. Freshman Jacquie Klotz made her collegiate debut in the first quarter and scored her first career points with a 3-pointer.
Ten different players scored for Bucknell, including four with at least seven points. Senior Audrey Dotson tallied 10 points, while O'Bryan finished with seven. Both players had a block in the game. Dotson moves into seventh on the program's career list with 95 and is just three back of Joyce Novacek (2007-11) for sixth. O'Bryan has four blocks in the past two games.
Cornell, which had won three straight games and held its last three opponents under 50 points, dropped to 3-3 on the season. The Big Red were paced by Christine Kline with 10 points. They forced 24 turnovers by the Bison and had 13 steals, led by Kline with three.
With three straight wins with Roussell at the helm, Bucknell now holds a commanding 19-5 lead in the all-time series with Cornell, including a perfect 13-0 record at home.
Bucknell will look to make it two in a row on its home floor when it hosts Morgan State on Wednesday. The non-conference game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. tip-off.
