Bucknell University
2-0PL, 0-0 CENT
Loyola
0-2PL, 0-0 SOU
Women's Basketball Battles Back to Defeat Loyola 59-44 on the Road
1/3/2021 8:45:00 PM | Women's Basketball
LEWISBURG, Pa. - After trailing by as many as seven in the first half, the Bucknell women's basketball team rallied back and outscored the Loyola Greyhounds 39-23 over the final two quarters to collect a 59-44 victory in Reitz Arena on Sunday. Junior Taylor O'Brien led all scorers with 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting, and senior Autumn Ceppi contributed 10 points and six rebounds.Â
It was a defensive struggle from the early stages of the game, as Bucknell could only muster seven first-quarter points and had just 20 at the halftime break. However, the Bison improved their field goal percentage from 23.8 percent in the first half to 44.7 percent in the second and cut their turnovers in half to slowly take control of the contest.
Bucknell took the lead less than two minutes into the third quarter and was 17-of-38 (44.7%) over the final two frames.
For the game, the Bison were 22-of-59 (37.3%) and knocked down 2-of-9 attempts from beyond the arc. Bucknell also won the battle of the boards, 43-34. The Greyhounds were led by a 14-point effort from Emily McAteer and shot 21.4 percent for the game.
"I felt good about the defense, so we committed to those details," said head coach Trevor Woodruff. "We had way too many turnovers, but defensively, to only give up 20 points in the first half kept us in the game and gave us a chance."
Eight first half turnovers and a 3-for-10 start plagued the Bison early on. Bucknell also missed on four 3-point field goal attempts in the first 10 minutes. Loyola managed to build a 9-2 lead over the first 7:22 of the game before O'Brien got the team back on track by interrupting a six-minute scoring drought with five points over the final two minutes of the quarter.
The offensive woes continued into the second quarter where Bucknell converted just two field goals, but successful trips to the foul line kept the lead within reach. Bucknell sunk 10-of-12 attempts at the charity stripe before halftime and finished the game 13-of-15 (86.7%).
Bucknell did manage to tie the game at 13-apiece with 4:13 left in the second quarter, but Loyola would carry a 21-20 lead into the locker room.
Both teams came out hot in the third quarter, which saw three lead changes in the first two minutes. Ally Johnson connected on Bucknell's first 3-pointer of the game at the 7:30 mark in the third and gave Bucknell a 30-27 lead that it wouldn't surrender throughout the rest of the game.Â
Bucknell held Loyola to 7.14 percent shooting (1-for-14) in the fourth quarter, and the Greyhounds missed on all five attempts from deep.
Big fourth quarters by Carly Krsul and Ceppi helped Bucknell outscore the Greyhounds 19-8 over the final 10 minutes, and the Bison grew the lead to as many as 17.
Krsul finished the game with eight points and eight rebounds, and Ally Johnson posted seven points with a team-high five assists. Brugler led the Bison with nine rebounds to go along with seven points.
"We've got a tough group. There was a stretch of three or four minutes where we were really good in the second half to give us the lead, and that was enough today. They just reaffirmed in my mind that we can be our best when our best is required," said Woodruff.
Up next, Bucknell faces its first Central division opponent in Lafayette next weekend. The Leopards dropped to 0-2 during the opening weekend with losses to Lehigh. Bucknell and Lafayette are scheduled to tip off at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 9.
