Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Boston University
Women's Basketball Hosts Boston U. on Senior Day, Fan Appreciation Day
2/28/2020 12:32:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Bucknell women's basketball is set to host Boston U. at Sojka Pavilion on Saturday, and the Bison will be celebrating both Senior Day and Fan Appreciation Day. The Bison, who secured the Patriot League regular season title on Wednesday, have defeated every league opponent outside of the Terriers.
Bucknell fell at Boston on Feb. 1 after failing to get the offense going, and the Terriers have won five out of six since then to climb to second place in league standings. A win on Saturday would also give the Terriers their first 12-win season since joining the Patriot League in 2013.
Bucknell hopes to keep its home winning streak of nine straight alive and is looking to avoid its first series sweep since the 2015 season. Bucknell and Boston are the only two teams that have yet to be swept this season.
What: Boston U. (16-11, 11-5 PL) at Bucknell (21-6, 14-2)
When:Â Saturday, Feb. 29 at 2 p.m.
Where: Sojka Pavilion - Lewisburg, Pa.
Live Video:Â Patriot League Network
Radio:Â 90.5 WVBU
Internet Radio:Â BucknellBison.com
Live Statistics: BucknellBison.com
Game Notes
What's Happening
• Saturday is Fan Appreciation Day at Sojka Pavilion.
• The first 500 fans at Saturday's game will receive a raffle ticket for the opportunity to win prizes throughout the game.
• Saturday is also Senior Day for the Bison, and Bucknell will be celebrating the careers of seniors Gia Hayes and Ellie Mack prior to tip-off.
• Playoff tickets for the women's quarterfinal game will go on sale in person at halftime of Saturday's game. Tickets will also be sold online starting at 3 p.m.Â
Bucknell Probable Starters
G: Ally Johnson (8.6 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 2.2 apg)
G: Taylor O'Brien (8.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.6 apg)
G: Abby Kapp (11.0 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1.4 apg)
F: Tessa Brugler (9.8 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.1 apg)
F: Ellie Mack (15.3 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 2.4 apg)
With a win over Boston U., Bucknell would...
• improve to 22-6 overall and 15-2 in the Patriot League.
• win its seventh straight game.
• collect its second seven-game win streak of the season.
• improve to 12-1 in Sojka Pavilion.
• improve to 11-3 all-time against the Terriers
• win its 10th straight home game.
• avoid its first series sweep since 2015.
About Bucknell
• With Wednesday's win over Colgate, Bucknell claimed its fourth regular season title in five years and has secured a No. 1 seed in the Patriot League Tournament with two games still to play.
• Head coach Trevor Woodruff became the fourth head coach to win the regular season in his first attempt.Â
• Bucknell has won six games in a row and nine straight at home. With a win on Saturday, the Bison will have strung together two seven-game winning streaks this season.
• Bucknell put together one of its best games offensively against the Raiders on Wednesday, scoring a season-high 40 first half points and finishing one point shy of its season high for a game (77). The Bison also shot better than 50 percent for a seventh time this season.
• Wednesday was just the second time a Patriot League opponent has scored more than 60 points against Bucknell this season. Bucknell has won both of those games by double digits.
• Bucknell remains in the country's top 10 for scoring defense (53.6) and is ninth in 3-point percentage (.377).
• Ellie Mack, who now ranks 24th in program history with 1,021 career points, is making a strong case for Patriot League Player of the year. The senior has scored in double figures in 13 straight games and is in the league's top five for scoring, field goal percentage, 3-point percentage, blocks, and defensive rebounds.
• Abby Kapp and Ally Johnson have been lighting it up from beyond the arc for Bucknell all season. Kapp's 69 made threes are the third most in a single season by a Bucknell player (Kapp's 74 made threes last season are second), and Ally Johnson's 47 are two shy of 10th all-time.Â
 • Bucknell was ranked 23rd in the latest College Insider Mid-Major Poll, and the team is up to 50 in RPI.
About Boston U.
• After beginning the Patriot League schedule 3-4, the Terriers have won eight out of their last nine games to reach second in the Patriot League standings. The Terriers clinched a first round bye and a quarterfinal home game with a narrow 48-47 win over Lehigh on Wednesday.
• Boston's scoring defense ranks third in the league at 58.3 points allowed per game, and since beginning conference play the Terriers have allowed just 52.6.Â
• Boston is second in the Patriot League with a +1.8 rebounding margin. Boston outrebounded the Bison 34-28 in the last meeting.
• Boston has three freshman in its regular starting rotation. The trio has dominated the league's Rookie of the Week awards, and guard Maggie Pina has made a strong case for Patriot League Rookie of the Year.
• Pina is second in the league in 3-pointers made per game this season (2.3), trailing only Abby Kapp. The West Chester, Pa. native is also sixth in 3-point percentage (.382). Pina scored 15 points with 11 boards in the last meeting with Buknell.
• Another strong candidate for Rookie of the Year is forward Maren Durant. Durant is second in the league in blocks per game (1.5) and has scored in double figures in the last two games.
• Boston's leading scorer is junior guard Katie Nelson. Nelson is averaging 12.4 points per game and is fifth in the league with 3.5 assists per contest. She's scored in double figures in four of the last five games, but was limited to just two on 1-of-8 shooting in the last meeting with the Bison.
• The Terriers are led by 2019 Coach of the Year selection Marisa Moseley. In two years at the helm, Moseley has compiled a 22-12 Patriot League record.
Series History with Boston U.
• Bucknell leads 10-3 in the all-time series with the Terriers.
• Bucknell is 5-1 at home against the Terriers.
• Boston has claimed two of the last three meetings.
• Bucknell fell 52-48 at Boston back on Feb. 1, which was the last loss for the Bison.
• Bucknell was limited to 32.6 percent shooting.
• Bucknell outscored the Terriers in the final three quarters after falling behind 16-4 in the first.
• Bucknell held a brief two-point lead with under three minutes to play in the game.
Last Time Out
• Bucknell defeated Colgate 76-65 to collect its fourth regular season title in five years. The Bison secured a No. 1 seed in the Patriot League tournament with the win.
• Four Bison scored in double figures, including a game-high 20 points by Ellie Mack.
• Bucknell shot 53 percent and was one point shy of matching its season high. The Bison scored a season-high 40 points in the first half.
• The game featured 15 lead changes, and neither team led by more than five until the Bison began to gain separation with under five minutes to play.Â
• Bucknell outrebounded the Raiders 35-26 and allowed just two makes from beyond the arc.
• Bucknell matched its season high with 19 assists, including a career-high seven by Mack.
• Abby Kapp, Tessa Brugler, and Taylor O'Brien all scored in double figures as well.
Up Next
Bucknell plays its final game of the regular season at Lafayette on Wednesday, March 4. Bucknell defeated the Leopards 50-36 in Lewisburg back on Jan. 5. Wednesday's game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on the Patriot League Network. For Bucknell , the playoffs begin with a quarterfinal round home game on Monday, March 9.
