Bucknell University
9-1,8-0Patriot
Lehigh (PL Semifinals)
9-5,7-5Patriot
Women's Basketball Falls to Lehigh in PL Semifinals, 63-54
3/11/2021 9:18:00 PM | Women's Basketball
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Four Bison starters recorded double figures in points, led by 14 from Tessa Brugler, but the Bucknell women's basketball team lost to Lehigh 63-54 in the Patriot League semifinal Thursday evening at Sojka Pavilion. The Mountain Hawks led for more than 35 minutes as they held the Bison to 35.6 percent shooting in the contest.
Bucknell (9-1) was the No. 1 seed and had defeated fourth-seeded Lehigh (9-5) in all four regular-season meetings.
The Bison starters contributed all 54 points and attempted all but two of the team's field goals. Brugler pulled in 10 rebounds to go along with her 14 points, while Taylor O'Brien also posted a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Autumn Ceppi (13) and Abby Kapp (12) also scored double figures for Bucknell.
Bucknell trailed 34-22 at halftime and proceeded to score the first seven points in the second half. The Bison still trailed by five (41-36) late in the third quarter, and trailed 47-44 midway through the fourth following an O'Brien basket. The Mountain Hawks scored the next five points and Bucknell didn't get closer than five points the rest of the way.
Brugler and Ceppi combined to shoot 12-for-17 from the field, while the rest of the Bison combined to shoot 9-for-42.
Lehigh had five players in double figure points, led by 13 off the bench by Mary Clougherty. Emma Grothaus totaled 12 points and 14 rebounds.
Both teams had slow starts to the game, but Bucknell saw its only lead of the contest in the first 10 minutes after putting together a 9-0 scoring run. Bucknell knocked down two of its four 3-pointers in the first quarter and would trail by just one heading into the second.
The second quarter is where Lehigh made its move. While the Bison missed on their first 10 shots, Lehigh shot 60 percent from the field and built a 12-point lead. Bucknell also turned it over eight times in the first half.
Bucknell looked better in the third quarter and hit on 54.5 percent (6-of-11) of their field goal attempts. Bucknell outscored Lehigh 14-9 in the frame and entered the final quarter trailing 43-36. Bucknell got within three of tying in the fourth quarter, but could slow down the Mountain Hawks as they shot 54.5 percent and sank 7-of-11 from the charity stripe.
"I thought we had a bunch of good looks. They didn't go in," said head coach Trevor Woodruff. "It's just one of those nights that you deal with. Considering the offensive struggles to score, they worked so hard defensively that they kept themselves in it for the most part."
Kapp finished with three makes from beyond the arc in the game. Her third of the night, which came with under a minute to go in the final quarter, was her 196th and broke Molly Creamer's 18-year-old record for career 3-pointers made.
