Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
16-6,9-2Patriot
Loyola
6-16,3-8Patriot
Bison Women's Basketball Defeats Loyola (Md.), 66-42, at Sojka Pavilion
2/8/2020 3:45:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Ellie Mack scores 18 points, Ally Johnson makes 5 three pointers
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell women's basketball team outscored Loyola (Md.) 17-4 in the first quarter and never looked back in a 66-42 victory on Saturday afternoon at Sojka Pavilion. Senior Ellie Mack scored a game-high 18 points, and junior Ally Johnson tied her career high with 17 points, including five made 3-pointers, to lead the Orange and Blue (16-6, 9-2 PL) over the Greyhounds (6-16, 3-8 PL), avenging an earlier season loss in Maryland.
Each team scored on its opening possession, but then Bucknell went on a 15-2 run, including scoring the final 10 points of the opening stanza. The Bison assisted on six of their seven made field goals, while holding Loyola to 2-for-18 (11.1%) shooting for the quarter. Bucknell allowed only three made field goals by the Greyhounds in the second quarter and took a 30-12 lead into halftime. The 12 first half points were the fewest Bucknell has allowed this season. Johnson hit four of her career-high five three pointers in the first half.
Â
End of 1st | Bucknell leads 17-4! The Greyhounds were just 2-for-18 in the quarter! Ally Johnson leads with six points.#rayBucknell pic.twitter.com/OXBk92pZfI
— Bucknell WBB (@Bucknell_WBB) February 8, 2020
Offensively, the best quarter for Bucknell was the third, when it outscored Loyola 24-13, to take a 52-25 lead into the fourth quarter. Mack scored 10 points in the quarter, shooting a perfect 4-for-4 from the field and making both of her free throw attempts. As a team, the Bison made eight of their nine two-point attempts and all five of their foul shots. The Greyhounds outscored the Bison 17-12 in the fourth.
"I especially like that our bench got in the mix," said head coach Trevor Woodruff. "A couple of games recently we haven't been able to get much off of our bench in terms of statistics, scoring, and today we did."
Bucknell added 12 points from the bench, and junior Autumn Ceppi grabbed five rebounds and provided a pair of assists and a steal in 19 minutes of action. Bucknell also outscored the Greyhounds 28-24 in the paint and scored 21 points off turnovers.
Bucknell has now held opponents to single digits in 21 quarters this season, including two today. This game was the 15th time Bucknell, which ranks in the top 10 in the country in scoring defense, has held an opponent to under 60 points.
Mack added eight rebounds and four assists to her 18 points. Taylor O'Brien scored 11 points to go along with four rebounds, three assists and a game-high three steals for the Bison. Abby Kapp scored only three points, but added five rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks. Carly Krsul scored eight points in the final quarter for Bucknell.
Stephanie Karcz, the NCAA Division I leader in steals with an average of 5.8 per game entering play today, came away with just one steal in the contest for the Greyhounds. The Bison took care of the basketball, committing only eight turnovers, while forcing Loyola into coughing up the ball 15 times. Karcz did record a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Emily McAteer grabbed 10 rebounds for Loyola.
"We are really just preaching consistency and trying to trim things down and centralize our focus as we head toward the postseason. That's what all these games are about at this point," said Woodruff. "It was a good day all around, and I'm happy for the ladies."
Up next, Bucknell hosts Navy at Sojka Pavilion on Wednesday, Feb. 12. The Bison defeated the Mids 61-34 on the road back on Jan. 8. Wednesday's game tips off at 6 p.m. and will broadcast on the Patriot League Network.
