Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Michigan (Second Round)
Michigan Pulls Away Late, Knocks Bucknell Out of the WNIT in Second Round
3/19/2016 4:01:00 PM | Women's Basketball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Bucknell women's basketball threatened to add yet another first in a season full of them, but Michigan pulled away in the fourth quarter of an otherwise close game, eliminating the Bison from the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) with a 95-72 win Saturday at the Crisler Center. The Wolverines improved to 19-13 and advanced to the third round of the tournament, while the Bison closed their record-setting season at 25-8 overall.
Bucknell, which was looking for its first win over a Big Ten team in 18 tries, trailed 62-58 after three quarters. Michigan's single-season record holder in points, Katelynn Flaherty, hit a 3-pointer in the opening minute, sparking the Wolverines' to a 33-14 advantage in the fourth quarter.
“It was a tough last few minutes of the game; they were great and we maybe ran out of gas a bit,” said Aaron Roussell, the Coach of the Year in the Patriot League this season. “They have such an explosive offense, but we hung with them blow for blow until the last six or seven minutes.”
Jacquie Klotz scored 21 points for the Bison, while Sune Swart wasn't far behind with 16. Hallie Thome and Siera Thompson led Michigan with 24 and 20 points, respectively. Both teams had four players score in double-figures.
The Bison just wouldn't give in through the first three quarters, responding to Michigan runs with runs of their own. They were as close as two, 60-58, after DeBoer knocked down a 3-pointer with 1:10 remaining in the third quarter.
Michigan took a slim 44-42 lead into the break, but it needed a 3-pointer in the final minute to do so. Craig drove for a tough layup to give Bucknell a 42-41 edge with 1:05 showing on the clock, but the Wolverines responded with a trey by Thompson on the ensuing possession.
The first half saw a lot of offensive highlights from both teams, as Michigan shot 57 percent and Bucknell shot 53 percent. Klotz was a perfect 4-for-4 from long range on her way to 16 points through the first two quarters. The Wolverines countered with 15 points from Thompson, who went 3-for-3 from beyond the arc.
The first quarter was especially fast paced, with Michigan coming out ahead 29-24. Klotz had 13 points in the quarter, including eight straight during one stretch to help the Bison take an 11-10 lead with 6:52 left on the clock.
Swart, who scored in double-figures for the second straight game, had numerous key buckets for Bucknell, keeping Michigan from pulling away earlier than it did. She had a 3-pointer to cut the Wolverines' lead to six in the second quarter and another trey to bring the Bison within single-digits, 54-47 midway through the third quarter. Even early in the fourth quarter she seemed to come through when the team needed it most, cutting the team's deficit to six with a layup with 8:35 left in the game, and then brought it back to six again with two free throws with 7:19 remaining.
Bucknell shot 47 percent for the game and was 53 percent from beyond the arc. Klotz made five of her seven attempts from long range, upping her program single-season record to 79 3-pointers. The Bison finished with a school-record 202 3-pointers, smashing the previous record of 151 last season.
The Bison were outrebounded for just the second time in 33 games, struggling to get the long rebounds on Michigan's missed 3-pointers. The Wolverines finished with 15 offensive boards and 19 second-chance points.
Both teams found success in the paint, with Michigan scoring 42 points and Bucknell tallying 34. Thome's footwork proved to be a problem for the Bison. She worked her way to numerous layups while going 11-for-15 from the field.
Tasked with guarding a player averaging more than 22 points for the second straight game, Craig proved to be up to the challenge. Flaherty scored 15 points on 5-of-16 shooting and turned the ball over three times. Craig also contributed offensively with four assists.
Freshman point guard Kyi English carved her way through the Michigan defense for much of the game, finishing with 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting and five assists. DeBoer reached double-figures for the 13th straight game with 10 points.
The 25 wins are a program record for the Bison, as are the 17 games they won during league play. They also set the school's 3-point record, had the longest winning streak (10 games) in program history, won the program's first ever national postseason game, and had the Patriot League's first ever win in the WNIT. The three-player senior class of Craig, Claire Maree O'Bryan and Sheaira Jones finished their careers with 74 wins, the most of any class in program history.
“I am incredibly proud of the fight and effort today, and really all season.” Roussell said. “It was a special year. This group truly rewrote the record book in so many ways and did it in an enjoyable manner. They were fun to watch, fun to be around, and they always gave great effort. I am incredibly honored to be a part of this team and to be their coach.”
