Women's Basketball Finishes Nonconference Play on Thursday Versus #19 Marquette

LEWISBURG, Pa.- The Bucknell Bison women's basketball team (3-7), fresh off a 64-44 victory over Merrimack, travels to Wisconsin on Thursday to face #19 Marquette for a 1 p.m. game. This will be the second time the Bison face a ranked foe in 2023-24. Bucknell played #15 Louisville in November. This game will conclude the Orange and Blue's nonconference slate and Bucknell's final game until Holy Cross on Jan. 3.

Game Notes

What: Bucknell at #19 Marquette
When: Thursday, December 21 at 1 p.m.
Where: Milwaukee, Wi.-Al McGuire Center
Streaming: FloSports
Radio: 90.5 WVBU
Live Statistics: bucknellbison.com

Last Game's Starters:
So. G/F: Emma Theodorsson (10.7 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.5 apg)
So. F: Grace Sullivan (5.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 0.2 apg)
So. G: Blake Matthews (3.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.2 apg)
Fr. F: Ashley Sofilkanich (11.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 0.7 apg)
So. G: Ashley O'Connor (3.7 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 1.3 apg)

WITH A WIN OVER Marquette, BUCKNELL WOULD...
• ... improve to 4-7 on the season
• ... improve to 1-5 on the road
• ... improve to 1-0 all-time against the Golden Eagles
• ... improve to 1-0 against the Golden Eagles under Woodruff
• ... improve to 74-41 overall under Woodruff
• ... improve to 33-25 on the road under Woodruff

HEADLINES
• Bucknell finished up the home portion of the non-conference schedule with a 64-44 win over Merrimack. The Bison only trailed for 24 seconds in the game while leading for over 39 minutes of gameplay. The Orange & Blue led 31-15 at halftime. Merrimack cut the deficit to 40-33 as the third quarter was winding down before a Warrior was called for a technical foul. Bucknell converted two free throws and hit a three-pointer to go up 45-33. The fourth quarter sealed the Bison win. Emma Theodorsson had a career game, scoring 22 points and collecting 13 rebounds. Ashley O'Connor tallied 12 points, and Isabella King totaled 10. Bucknell is now 1-0 all-time in the series against Merrimack.
• The Orange & Blue have four newcomers on the roster. All four players hail from New Jersey. The Garden State has been fruitful for the Lewisburg team.
• Against American, on Feb. 11, 2023, Emma Shaffer earned her seventh career double-double by scoring 12 points and obtaining 21 rebounds. Her 21 rebounds were two away from the Patriot League record.
• Bucknell finished 13-17 overall and 9-9 in Patriot League play last season. The Bison reached the 2022 Patriot League Quarterfinals, playing as the No. 6 seed in the tournament, but they fell 63-55 to No. 3 seed Lehigh.
• Bucknell graduated two seniors in the spring, Tai Johnson and Emma Shaffer. Tai Johnson stepped up for the Bison after Second Team All-Patriot League member Cecelia Collins was injured. Shaffer was a constant double-double member and led the Bison attack in the paint.
• Bucknell was picked sixth in the 2023 Patriot League Preseason Poll. It's the first time since 2015-16 Bucknell was not picked in the top four. The Bison have gone 109-25 in league play since the start of the 2015-16 season.
• Senior Caroline Dingler was named captain ahead of the 2023-24 season.
• Emma Theodorsson spent the summer playing for the U20 Icelandic National Team as they competed in the U20 Nordic Championships and FIBA U20 European Championships. Theodorsson powered the Icelandic attack, averaging 8.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg, and 1.6 apg. All three marks were in the top 70 in the FIBA competition. Theodorsson finished third in points and second in rebounds for Iceland.
• This summer, Bucknell graduate Taylor O'Brien signed with the Leicester Riders of the Women's British Basketball League. O'Brien has dominated the circuit and recently won Player of the Month.
• Head coach Trevor Woodruff is in his fifth season at Bucknell. He was named PL Coach of the Year in his first two seasons.
• Following the departure of associate head coach Kelly Mazzante to Georgetown, Sherill Baker was hired as the newest assistant coach. Baker comes to Lewisburg from a stint at George Washington University. Baker played in the WNBA and overseas professional leagues. Dubbed "The Queens of Steals" for her defensive prowess at Georgia, Baker joins a staff of continuity. Taylor Coleman has been enrolled for five years at Bucknell, and LaSashia Connelly marks her fourth season in Lewisburg. Molly Gillis enters her second season as the program's manager of operations.

SCOUTING Marquette
• The Golden Eagles went 21-11 overall and 13-7 in the Big East during the 2022-23 season. They defeated St. John's in the Big East quarterfinals before falling 81-52 to UConn in the semifinals. Marquette received a ninth-seed in the NCAA Tournament and lost a 67-65 overtime heartbreaker to the eighth-seed South Florida Bulls. Marquette has been perfect in 2023-24, going 11-0 with wins over UT Martin, #23 Illinois, IUPUI, Saint Peter's, Boston College, Arkansas, Memphis, Penn, Illinois State, #20 Creighton, and Appalachian State.
• The Bison and Golden Eagles share zero common opponents.
• Marquette was picked to finish third out of the 11 teams in the Big East. Jordan King was named unanimous preseason All-Big East, while Liza Karlen earned an honorable mention.
• Megan Duffy is 98-37 in her five seasons at Marquette.

SERIES HISTORY with THE GOLDEN EAGLES
• This is the first meeting between the Bison and the Golden Eagles.
• Marquette is the third P6 squad and second-ranked team on Bucknell's schedule this season.
• Trevor Woodruff has never faced the Golden Eagles.

Series History with Marquette
12/21/23 at Marquette First Meeting

Series Record: 0-0
Record at Home: 0-0
Record at Marquette: 0-0
Neutral Site Record: 0-0
Trevor Woodruff Record: 0-0
Current Streak: First Meeting
Longest Winning Streak: First Meeting

Last Time Out
• Bucknell defeated Merrimack, 64-44, on Sunday, Dec. 17 at Sojka Pavilion. The Bison led for over 39 minutes and only trailed for 24 seconds. Bucknell had the advantage 17-11 after the first quarter and led 31-15 by halftime. Merrimack crept within 40-33 in the third quarter, but a technical foul by the Warriors gave Bucknell a five-point swing. Bucknell won the final quarter 19-11 to seal the victory and gain a 3-2 home record in non-conference play.
• Bucknell's offense shot 35.2%, while Merrimack shot 28.8%. The Bison hit a season-high eight three-pointers and dominated the charity stripe, going 18-for-26. Merrimack went 5-for-24 from three-point land but only had ten free shoot attempts, making five.
• Emma Theodorsson had her second-straight double-double of the season by scoring 22 points and gathering 13 rebounds. Theo went 8-for-14 from the field and converted four free throws. Ashley O'Connor scored 12 points and went 3-of-5 from three-point territory. Isabella King tallied ten points, powered by her 7-of-8 mark from the charity stripe. Ashley Sofilkanich scored seven points, which earned her Patriot League Rookie of the Week. Paloma Garcia led Merrimack with 19 points.

Notable CAREER HIGHS SET vs. MERRIMACK
Blake Matthews - minutes (35)
Ashley O'Connor - points (12)
Ashley Sofilkanich - minutes (34)

STREAKS OF NOTE
Emma Theodorsson - Double-Double (2)

Up Next

The Bison will enjoy a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year before opening conference play at Holy Cross on Jan. 3.

Women's Basketball Finishes Nonconference Play on Thursday Versus #19 Marquette

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Players Mentioned

Cecelia Collins

Caroline Dingler

Tai Johnson

Isabella King

Blake Matthews

Ashley O'Connor

Emma Shaffer

Ashley Sofilkanich

Grace Sullivan

Emma Theodorsson