Bucknell University
15-5,8-1Patriot
Army
5-15,1-8Patriot
Women's Basketball Downs Army West Point, 77-46
1/29/2020 8:01:00 PM | Women's Basketball
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Bucknell used a 16-0 second quarter run to open a 32-11 lead and ultimately defeated Army West Point 77-46 Wednesday evening at Sojka Pavilion. Ellie Mack led four Bison in double figures with 18 points and provided five assists.
Bucknell (15-5, 8-1 PL) forced 21 turnovers and led by as many as 39 points in the fourth quarter. All eight of Bucknell's Patriot League wins have been by double digits this season.
The Black Knights (5-15, 1-8 PL) had three players in double figures, led by 14 points from Lindsey Scamman.
"Obviously a good bounce-back game. I think we all had a bad taste in our mouths from the weekend," said head coach Trevor Woodruff. "I thought the ball moved well offensively from inside to out, and when we started making shots, we were able to stretch the lead a bit."
Abby Kapp (12), Taylor O'Brien (11) and Ally Johnson (11) joined Mack in double figures for the Bison. Those four players connected on 20 of 36 field goals. Bucknell was 27-for-57 (47.4%) overall from the field, including 12-of-25 (48%) from 3-point range.
"Defensively, which is what we talked more about than anything else coming into the game, I thought we really locked into some basic concepts. Things that are simple, but not easy," said Woodruff.
The Bison scored 27 points off turnovers in the game and added 20 points from the bench. The team also finished with 15 assists.
After a slow first quarter in which Bucknell shot 31 percent and just 25 percent from the arc, the Bison began to find a rhythm in the second. The team shot 58.3 percent and hit 6-of-9 3-pointers to grow the lead to double digits. Bucknell's 16-0 second quarter run spanned six minutes and left the Black Knights trailing by 21 with three minutes left in the half.
Five different Bison scored during the run, including threes from Mack, Kapp, O'Brien and Johnson. Meanwhile, Army hit just 3-of-11 field goals in the second quarter and turned it over a game-high eight times. Bucknell scored 19 of its first half points off turnovers.
Bucknell shot even better in the third quarter, making a season-best 76.9 percent (10-of-13) of its attempts and shooting a perfect 4-for-4 from 3-point range. Mack scored seven points in the third and registered her 900th career point with her third made triple of the game. Bucknell went on a 12-0 scoring run over a 2:26 stretch that pushed the lead to 33 with 2:32 left in the third, and the deficit grew to 36 before the quarter was over. There's the 900th point in the career of Ellie Mack! The senior is 7-for-12 this game with three triples and 18 points. A 7-0 run forced an Army timeout. Bison up 55-27 with 3:41 left in the third. pic.twitter.com/4hPXim3Zc7
All Bison registered minutes by the 4:58 mark in the final quarter. Army played its best over the final 10 minutes, going 7-for-15 and adding 16 points. Freshman Carly Krsul, who totaled six points and five rebounds in the game, scored four in the fourth, and Emma Shaffer grabbed three boards. Tai Johnson finished the game with seven points, an assist and a steal.
Kapp's 12 points came from a team-high four made 3-pointers, and the junior added four rebounds, two steals, a block and an assist. All four Bison that scored in double figures shot better than 50 percent.
"All in all, a great team win. Looking forward to getting back to work tomorrow," said Woodruff.
Up next, the Bison prepare to face Boston U. on the road on Saturday, Feb. 1. The Terriers are the only Patriot League team Bucknell has yet to face this season. Saturday's game tips off at 2 p.m. and will be broadcast on the Patriot League Network.
