Bucknell University
Colgate
Women's Basketball to Host Colgate for Back-to-Back Home Games This Weekend
1/20/2021 1:34:00 PM | Women's Basketball
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell women's basketball team is gearing up to host Colgate at Sojka Pavilion for back-to-back home games this weekend as the Bison approach the midway point of the regular season. A win on Saturday would give Bucknell a 7-0 record, matching the best start to a season in program history.
Through six games Bucknell once again leads the Patriot League in scoring defense, and with six different Bison scoring in double figures at least once this season Bucknell has proven it can find solid offensive production from an array of players on the roster. Tessa Brugler, Taylor O'Brien and Abby Kapp have each taken turns as Bucknell's leading scorer and all three are averaging double figures.
The key this weekend will be slowing down Colgate's four starting guards, including top scorers Alexa Brodie and Keelah Dixon. Bucknell's league-leading 3-point percentage defense will be charged with stopping two of the Patriot League's top 3-point shooters in Katlyn Ghavidel and Brodie.
The last time the two teams faced, Bucknell came away victorious in a back-and-forth affair at Colgate to clinch the 2019-20 Patriot League regular season title.
Week 3 Digital Program
Game Notes
2020-21 Media Guide
SERIES GAME ONE
What: Colgate (1-5, 1-5 PL North) at Bucknell (6-0, 4-0 PL Central)
When:Â Saturday, Jan. 23Â at 4Â p.m.
Where: Sojka Pavilion - Lewisburg, Pa.Â
TV: SECV8
Internet Stream (US):Â ESPN+Â |Â Internet Stream (International):Â SIDEARM Sports
Radio:Â 90.5 WVBU
Internet Radio:Â BucknellBison.com
Live Statistics: BucknellBison.com
SERIES GAME TWO
What: Colgate at Bucknell
When:Â Sunday, Jan. 24Â at 4 p.m.
Where: Sojka Pavilion - Lewisburg, Pa. |Â VIRTUAL SEASON TICKETSÂ
Internet Stream (US):Â ESPN+Â |Â Internet Stream (International):Â SIDEARM Sports
Radio:Â 90.5 WVBU
Internet Radio:Â BucknellBison.com
Live Statistics:Â BucknellBison.com
Bucknell Probable Starters
G: Ally Johnson (7.5 ppg, 0.8 rpg, 2.5 apg)
G: Taylor O'Brien (16.5 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.3 spg)
G: Abby Kapp (11.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.0 apg)
F: Tessa Brugler (12.5 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 2.2 apg)
F: Autumn Ceppi (7.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 4.2 apg)
With a Win over Colgate, Bucknell Would...
• ... improve to 7-0 for the first time since 1986.
• ... improve to 7-0 in Patriot League play for a second consecutive season.
• ... improve to 3-0 against the Raiders under Woodruff.
• ... win its 16th straight game, dating back to last season.
• ... improve to 52-22 in all-time meetings with the Raiders.
• ... win its 11th consecutive game against the Raiders, dating back to Jan. 16, 2016.
• ... win its 16th straight game over a PL opponent, dating back to last season.
• ... win its 15th consecutive home game.
Headlines
• Bucknell looks to match its best start in program history when it hosts Colgate at Sojka Pavilion on Saturday. With two wins this weekend, the Bison will open the season 8-0 for the first time in program history. Bucknell last opened the season 7-0 in 1986.
• Bucknell sits as the last remaining unbeaten team in the Patriot League and took a two-game lead within the PL Central Division with its victories over Lehigh last weekend.
• Bucknell has won 15 consecutive games, dating back to Feb. 8 of last season. It's the longest winning streak in program history and is the sixth-longest active streak in NCAA women's basketball.
• Bucknell moved from No. 22 to No. 20 in this week's College Insider Mid-Major Top 25 poll. The Bison ranked No. 23 at the end of last season and reached No. 11 before the season finale in 2018-19.
• Bucknell ranks No. 1 in the country in assist/turnover ratio. The Bison registered 24 assists against just seven turnovers in Sunday's game and are averaging 16.7 assists per game on the season. Bucknell also sports the fewest turnovers per game in Division I (9.2).Â
• Senior forward Autumn Ceppi leads the team in assists and ranks third in the Patriot League with 4.2 per game. In Sunday's win Ceppi posted a career-high 11 assists vs. the Mountain Hawks. She's the first Bison with double-digit assists in a game since 2013.
• The Bison rank third in the country in 3-point field goal percentage (.417). Bucknell has shot better than 50 percent from beyond the arc twice this season, and seniors Ally Johnson (.450) and Abby Kapp (.382) both rank in the Patriot League's top six in the category.
• Abby Kapp enters the weekend needing six 3-pointers to tie Bucknell's all-time record for career threes. She's seven shy of passing Molly Creamer's all-time mark of 195. Kapp hit a career-high seven threes in Bucknell's win at Lafayette. She also ranks fourth in career 3-point field goal attempts.
• Bucknell has not been outrebounded in 15 consecutive games. They're currently second in the Patriot League in rebounding offense/defense and possess the league's best rebounding margin (+7.8).
• Senior forward Tessa Brugler, who ranks second in the conference with 10.8 rebounds per game, took home Patriot League Player of the Week honors for the second time in her career this week after earning her third and fourth double-doubles of the season last weekend. Brugler totaled 33 boards in the two wins over Lehigh, including a career-high 19 on Saturday. She's scored in double figures in five of six games this season as well.
• Bucknell ranks ninth nationally in scoring defense with 51.7 points allowed per game. The Bison have limited opponents to 60 or fewer points in all but one game this season. Bucknell finished with its best scoring defense in program history last season (53.6).
• Bucknell boasts a league-best +21.3 scoring margin through six games. The next best scoring margin in the league is Boston U.'s +12.2. Five of Bucknell's six wins this season have come by double digits.
• Junior guard Taylor O'Brien leads the Bison in scoring through six games and ranks third in the league with 16.5 points per contest. O'Brien has scored in double figures in five of six games, including a season-high 22 vs. Lafayette.
About the Raiders
• Colgate is led by head coach Bill Cleary, who's in his fifth season at the helm of the program.
• Colgate finished last season 19-11 for the most regular season wins and second-most wins overall in program history.Â
• The Raiders are 1-5 to begin the season, collecting their lone win in the season opener at Army. Colgate lost its most recent game to Holy Cross 63-62, surrendering the lead in the final seconds on free throws.
•The Raiders are third in the Patriot League in 3-point percentage (.355). Colgate hit 10-of-16 attempts from beyond the arc in the season-opening win at Army.
• Colgate's leading scorer is sophomore guard Alexa Brodie. Brodie ranks seventh in the league with 13.7 points per game and has two games scoring in the 20s. Brodie is also fourth in the league with 3.8 assists per contest.
• Colgate entered the season without its top five scorers from a year ago due to graduation and preseason injuries.
Series History with Colgate
• Bucknell is 51-22 in the all-time series with Colgate, dating back to 1983.
• The Bison are 29-4 at home and 20-13 in games at Colgate.
• Bucknell has won 10 in a row over the Raiders.
• Bucknell defeated Colgate 66-43 at home before winning 76-65 on the road last season.
• Bucknell clinched the Patriot League regular season title at Colgate last season.
• The last meeting between Bucknell and Colgate featured 15 lead changes. Four Bison scored in double figures, including 18 from Abby Kapp. Bucknell shot 52.5 percent in the win.
• Bucknell held Colgate to 25.4 percent shooting in the first meeting last season, and Tessa Brugler led the Bison with 14 points.
Last Time Out
• Bucknell improved to 6-0 with two wins over Lehigh last weekend.Â
• After trailing by as many as 11 in the first half and six in the fourth quarter, Bucknell outscored Lehigh 21-9 over the final 10 minutes to win 68-60 on the road Saturday. Taylor O'Brien had a game-high 21 points, and Tessa Brugler pulled down a career-high 19 rebounds.
• Bucknell won 80-66 in Sunday's home game vs. the Mountain Hawks. The Bison led by as many as 20 in the game and registered a season-high 24 assists with just seven turnovers.
• Four Bison scored in double figures in Sunday's win, including 18 points apiece from Taylor O'Brien and Abby Kapp. Tessa Brugler had her second double-double of the weekend with 12 points and 14 rebounds, and Autumn Ceppi supplied 11 assists.
Double-Digit Victories
• Bucknell has won by double digits in 25 of its last 30 victories.Â
• Since the start of the 2018-19 season, 47 of Bucknell's 56 wins have come by double digits.
• Bucknell's largest margin of victory this season was 34 vs. Lafayette (1/10/21)
Overall Success in Sojka Pavilion
• The Bison are an incredible 73-7 at Sojka Pavilion dating back to the start of the 2015-16 season.
• Now in its 18th season playing at Sojka Pavilion, Bucknell is 169-74 (.695) on its home court.
• Bucknell finished a perfect 16-0 at Sojka Pavilion in 2016-17, including a 12-0 record against PL opponents. Bucknell has lost just one home game each of the last two seasons.
• The Bison are 3-0 in Sojka this season and have won 14 in a row at home.
Patriot League Success
• The Bison have gone 87-10 vs. Patriot League opponents dating back to the start of the 2015-16 season, which includes two Patriot League Tournament titles and four regular season titles.
• Bucknell also has the best overall record during that span at 132-36.
Up Next
Bucknell plays its second two-game series against Lehigh next weekend. The Mountain Hawks visit Sojka Pavilion on Saturday, Jan. 30 before Bucknell makes the trip back to Bethlehem on Sunday, Jan. 31.
