Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Loyola (PL Quarterfinals)
No. 1 Seed Women's Basketball to Host No. 8 Greyhounds for Patriot League Quarterfinal Round Sunday
3/5/2021 9:26:00 AM | Women's Basketball
After more than a month since their last game, the Bison are finally scheduled to take the court this Sunday in a Patriot League Tournament quarterfinal round game. Bucknell enters the tournament as the No. 1 seed after going 8-0 in the regular season, securing the best winning percentage in the league. Bucknell's opponent is No. 8 seed Loyola (Md.), which finished 0-12 in the regular season.
Regardless of the long break, Bucknell was represented well in the Patriot League postseason awards. Three Bison were named to the All-League Team, two players were All-Defensive honorees, and Trevor Woodruff was voted the Coach of the Year once again. The Bison have won all but two Patriot League games since Woodruff's arrival last season, and the team will be looking to advance to the Patriot League Semifinal for a sixth consecutive season.
Bucknell defeated the Greyhounds twice in the opening weekend of the season and have won three in a row in the series, however, the matchups have been hard-fought in recent years. While Loyola has struggled to find a win this season, they placed senior Isabella Therien on the All-Patriot League Third Team and pose as a tough opponent for a Bison team that's been limited in recent weeks.
Sunday is also Senior Day for the Bison, and the four members of the class as well as the senior team manager will be recognized for their outstanding contributions to some of the most successful years in Bucknell women's basketball history.
Digital ProgramGame Notes
2020-21 Media Guide
What: Loyola (Md.) (0-12, 0-6 PL South) at Bucknell (8-0, 6-0 PL Central)
When:Â Sunday, March 7 at 4 p.m.
Where: Sojka Pavilion - Lewisburg, Pa. | 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
NOTICE:Â Because Bucknell University's campus is closed to the public, no spectators will be permitted at home events until further notice.
Last Game's Starters
G: Ally Johnson (8.1 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 2.4 apg)
G: Taylor O'Brien (16.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1.4 spg)
G: Abby Kapp (12.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.1 apg)
F: Tessa Brugler (13.4 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 1.8 apg)
F: Autumn Ceppi (7.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.0 apg)
With a Win over Loyola, Bucknell Would...
• ... advance to the Patriot League semifinal round for a sixth straight season.
• ... improve to 9-0 for the first time in program history.
• ... move to 25-25 all-time in the Patriot League Tournament.
• ... improve to 22-8 in all-time meetings with the Greyhounds.
• ... improve to 4-1 against the Greyhounds under Woodruff.
• ... win its fourth consecutive game over the Greyhounds.
• ... win its 18th straight game, dating back to last season.
• ... win its 18th straight game over a PL opponent, dating back to last season.
Headlines
• For a third consecutive season the Bison have earned the No. 1 seed in the Patriot League Tournament. Bucknell secured the best winning percentage in the league with an undefeated 8-0 record.
• Sunday's game will be Bucknell's first in over a month following a string of cancellations. Bucknell was last on the court on Jan. 31.
• It was announced by the Patriot League office on Wednesday that head coach Trevor Woodruff was voted the Coach of the Year for a second consecutive season. Woodruff becomes the first Patriot League women's basketball coach to win the award in each of his first two seasons. He carries a a 24-2 mark in Patriot League play.
• Four other Bison received postseason honors on Wednesday. Senior Tessa Brugler and junior Taylor O'Brien were both named First Team All-Patriot League, senior Abby Kapp earned Third Team, and both senior Autumn Ceppi and Brugler received All-Defensive Team recognition. Senior guard Abby Kapp was named Scholar-Athlete of the Year on Friday.
• Bucknell ended the season T-1st in the league in scoring (73.4 ppg), second in scoring defense (55.2 ppg), first in scoring margin (+18.1), and first in 3-point field goal percentage (39.5%).
• Bucknell ranks No. 29 in the latest women's basketball NET rankings. The Bison are No. 15 in the College Insider Mid-Major Poll.
• Bucknell is currently in the midst of a program-record 17-game winning streak, dating back to February of last year. Bucknell has also won 15 in a row at home. They're one of just two undefeated teams in NCAA Division I.
• It's senior day on Sunday, and Bucknell will recognize the careers of Tessa Brugler, Autumn Ceppi, Ally Johnson, Abby Kapp and manager Sebi Herrera. The families of the seniors will join via Zoom on the Sojka Pavilion video boards in order to take part.
Series History with the Greyhounds
• Bucknell is 21-8 in the all-time series with Loyola, dating back to 1984.
• The Bison are 13-3 at home and 8-5 in games at Loyola.
• Bucknell is 2-1 against Loyola in Patriot League Tournament games. The two teams last met in the 2019 quarterfinal round, where the Bison won 88-63.
• Loyola is one of only two Patriot League teams to beat the Bison over the past two years.
• Bucknell has won three in a row over the Greyhounds, including a pair of wins earlier this season.
• The Bison won 72-44 in the season opener on Jan. 2 before collecting a 59-44 win at Loyola the next day.
Bucknell in the Patriot League Tournament
• Bucknell is 24-25 all-time in the Patriot League Tournament, dating back to 1991.
• Bucknell is 10-3 at home during the Patriot League Tournament.
• Bucknell is 9-2 in the Patriot League Tournament since 2015.
• This is the sixth time Bucknell has earned the No. 1 seed. The Bison are 7-2 when playing in that position.
• Bucknell is 15-14 all-time in Patriot League quarterfinal games.
• Bucknell is 2-1 against the Greyhounds in the Patriot League Tournament.
• Most recently, the Bison won 87-61 against Army in last year's Patriot League quarterfinal.
Bucknell's Senior Class
• Bucknell's senior class has seen some of the most successful seasons in program history. Since Abby Kapp, Tessa Brugler, Autumn Ceppi and Ally Johnson joined the Orange & Blue, the Bison have gone 55-7 (.887) in Patriot League play and sport an 82-22 (.788) overall record. The group is also 44-6 (.880) on their home court in their careers.
• The Bison seniors have finished atop the Patriot League in the regular season three times, captured one Patriot League Tournament title, and have made appearances in both the NCAA and WNIT tournaments.
Bucknell's Postseason Awards
• Trevor Woodruff - Patriot League Coach of the Year
• Tessa Brugler - First Team All-League, All-Defensive Team
• Taylor O'Brien - First Team All-League
• Abby Kapp - Third Team All-League, Scholar Athlete of the Year, Academic All-League
• Autumn Ceppi - All-Defensive Team
Patriot League Success
• The Bison have gone 89-10 vs. Patriot League opponents dating back to the start of the 2015-16 season, which includes two Patriot League Tournament titles and four top regular season finishes. Bucknell also has the best overall record during that span at 134-36.Â
Last Time Out
• The Bison last competed on Jan. 31.Â
• Bucknell improved to 8-0 with a 73-68 come-from-behind victory at Lehigh on Sunday, Jan 31. The Bison trailed by 18 points near the end of the third quarter before using a 32-9 run over the last 11:22 to come back and defeat the Mountain Hawks.Â
• Abby Kapp led four Bison in double figures with 20 points, and Tessa Brugler recorded her fifth double-double of the season in the victory.
• The comeback was Bucknell's largest deficit overcome since erasing a 19-point Navy lead in February of 2017.
• Bucknell defeated Lehigh 76-64 at home on Saturday, Jan. 30, again placing four Bison in double figures. Bucknell led wire-to-wire, with Taylor O'Brien scoring a team-high 19 points and Autumn Ceppi capturing her first career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Up Next
• With a win on Sunday, Bucknell would host a Patriot League Semifinal game at Sojka Pavilion on Thursday, March 11. Bucknell would play the winner of No. 4 Lehigh and No. 5 Holy Cross.
