Bucknell University
2-2,0-0Patriot
Iona
2-3,0-0MAAC
Women's Basketball Wins Back-and-Forth Affair at Iona, 55-48
11/23/2021 9:17:00 PM | Women's Basketball
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. – The Bucknell women's basketball team defeated Iona on the road Tuesday evening to even its season record at 2-2. The game featured 11 lead changes, and the Bucknell defense limited Iona to 2-of-17 from beyond the arc. Bucknell also forced 14 Iona turnovers in the victory.
The Bison trailed by as many as seven points in the first quarter and saw a number of extended scoring droughts, but the team continued to respond and allowed just 34.5 percent shooting (10-for-29) in the second half. Bucknell shot 44.1 percent for the game, including going 5-for-7 (71.4%) in the first quarter and 5-for-10 in the final 10 minutes.
Rookie Cecelia Collins led all scorers with 16 points, and she was joined in double figures by Taylor O'Brien (15) and Marly Walls (12). Walls also led the Bison with six rebounds.
22 of Bucknell's points came at the free throw line, where they shot 81.5 percent. O'Brien knocked down 11-of-13 at the charity stripe, while the Gaels were just 2-for-6 as a team.
After Iona scored the first four points of the game in the first quarter, Bucknell responded with a 12-2 run to grab its largest lead of the first half at 12-6. The momentum was slowed, however, as Bucknell committed seven turnovers in the first 10 minutes, and Iona ended the first on a 6-0 run.
The run continued into the second, and 13 unanswered points by the Gaels turned into a 19-12 deficit for the Bison. Bucknell responded with its own 7-0 run that included free throws from Julie Kulesza and the first of two 3-pointers by Collins. The Gaels scored the final seven points of the half to carry a 26-23 lead into the locker rooms. It was the lowest scoring first half the Bison have played this season, and 13 of Bucknell's 17 turnovers occurred over the first 20 minutes.
Both teams came out strong offensively in the third quarter, and the lead changed four times in the first three minutes and seven times throughout the frame. Bucknell ended up outscoring the Gaels 14-9 in the third by going 7-of-8 at the foul line. Bucknell led 37-35 heading into the final 10 minutes.
Iona opened the fourth on a 7-0 run to grab a 42-37 lead, but the scoring continued to go back-and-forth. Bucknell scored six unanswered in the middle portions of the quarter to gain the lead for good. The Bison sank eight more free throws on 11 attempts in the final stanza, with O'Brien and Walls combining for all of them. The two seniors and Collins accounted for all 18 fourth-quarter points. Leading by three with 19 seconds left, Walls stole the inbound pass to all but seal the victory.
Other notable performances included three blocks and six rebounds from Carly Krsul, and five points, an assist and a block from Kulesza.
Bucknell heads to Burlington, Vt. this weekend to compete at the annual TD Bank Classic. The Bison take on North Dakota on Saturday, Nov. 27 and will play either Brown or Vermont on Sunday, Nov. 28.
