Bucknell University Athletics
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18-6,11-2Patriot
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9-14,5-8Patriot
Women's Basketball Holds on to Defeat American 60-57 For Third Win in a Row
2/15/2020 4:18:00 PM | Women's Basketball
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Autumn Ceppi scored a career-high 20 points to lead Bucknell women's basketball to a thrilling 60-57 victory over American at Bender Arena in Washington, D.C. Saturday afternoon. Ellie Mack also scored in double figures with 12, and both Ally Johnson and Taylor O'Brien added nine apiece.
Bucknell (18-6, 11-2 PL) shot 44.6 percent and limited the Eagles to 37.7 percent. Bucknell recorded 15 assists for a second straight game, and both teams were even at 12 turnovers each.
American, which trailed by as many as 11 in the third quarter, had a chance to tie the game with a 3-pointer at the buzzer, but the shot bounced off the rim as Bucknell collected its third straight win. It was also the third series sweep of the season for the Bison. Kaitlyn Marenyi led the Eagles with 20 points.
The game featured four lead changes, beginning in the first quarter when American erased a 7-2 Bucknell lead and wound up taking a 12-9 lead when Bucknell's shooting went cold. The Bison still shot 57.1 percent in the first quarter and carried an 18-14 lead into the second.
The Eagles took another lead in the second as Bucknell shot a game-low 30 percent. The Bison began the quarter 1-for-7 and American went on a 6-0 run to jump in front. The Bison fought back, however, and Emma Shaffer put an end to the scoring drought and sparked a 7-0 Bucknell run that spanned the final 3:14 of the half. Bucknell carried a 29-24 lead into the locker rooms.
Bucknell finally grew some separation in the third quarter when an 8-0 run put Bucknell up by double digits for the first time in the game. The third quarter was also the best defensively for Bucknell, which held American to just two makes. Five of American's 11 third quarter points came at the foul line. Ceppi began to come on in the third and more than doubled her total for the game with seven points on 3-of-4 shooting.
End of 3rd | Bison lead 44-35. Autumn Ceppi is playing a heck of a game for the Bison. She has a career-high 13 points with 6 rebounds and a block. Bucknell held the Eagles to 2 makes in the third.#rayBucknell pic.twitter.com/bzHGIh6orO
— Bucknell WBB (@Bucknell_WBB) February 15, 2020
Ceppi's dominance continued into the fourth, where she scored seven of Bucknell's 16 points on 3-of-3 shooting. American refused to let the game go and started the fourth quarter 5-for-6. The Eagles shot 57.1 percent in the final quarter and outscored Bucknell 22-16.
American worked the deficit down to three on five different occasions in the last quarter, but the Bison continued to score on their possessions and hold onto the lead. With 16 seconds to play, Bucknell missed both of its free throws and gave American a chance to tie the game on the final possession, but the shot missed.
Johnson provided a career-high six assists, and both Mack and O'Brien grabbed five boards. Mack also provided a career-high four blocks. Abby Kapp finished with eight points and six rebounds.
Bucknell returns to Sojka Pavilion next week to take on Holy Cross on Wednesday, Feb. 19. Bucknell took down the Crusaders 51-40 in Worcester back on Jan. 11. Wednesday's game is scheduled for 6 p.m. and will be broadcast on the Patriot League Network.
