Monday, March 6
Bethlehem, PA
6 p.m.
Bucknell University
at
Lehigh University
Tournament Time: Women's Basketball Plays Lehigh in PL Quarterfinals
3/5/2023 8:27:00 PM | Women's Basketball
LEWISBURG, Pa.- The Bucknell Bison women's basketball team (13-16, 9-9 PL) opens the Patriot League Tournament with a quarterfinals showdown at Lehigh (16-13, 12-6 PL). The Mountain Hawks won both regular season matchups. Last year, Bucknell defeated Lehigh 56-53 in the Patriot League Tournament quarterfinals.Â
Game Notes
What: Bucknell (13-16, 9-9 PL) vs. Lehigh (16-13, 12-6 PL)
When:Â Monday, March 6 at 6 p.m.
Where:Â Bethlehem, Pa.-Stabler Arena
Streaming:Â ESPN+
Radio:Â 90.5 WVBU
Live Statistics:Â BucknellBison.com
Last Game's Starters:
So./G: Cecelia Collins (13.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.0 apg)
Fr./G/F: Emma Theodorsson (7.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 0.8 apg)
So. F/G: Isabella King (7.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 1.1 apg)
Sr./G: Tai Johnson (8.4 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.6 apg)
Sr./F: Emma Shaffer (10.5 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 2.3 apg)
WITH A WIN OVER LEHIGH, BUCKNELL WOULD ...
• ... improve to 14-16 on the season
• ... improve to 7-9 on the road
• ... move to 52-46 all-time against the Mountain Hawks
• ... improve to 10-3 against the Mountain Hawks under Woodruff
• ... move to 71-33 overall under Woodruff
• ... improve to 31-21 on the road under Woodruff
• ...improve to 5-2 in the Patriot League Tournament under Woodruff
HEADLINES
• Bucknell won 69-66 over American, which cemented the Bison as the sixth seed and ensured the Orange & Blue skipped the first round. The first half was a high-scoring affair, with the Bison notching 39 points and the Eagles scoring 37. The pace cooled off in the third period as Bucknell scored 14 and American deposited 10 points. The final quarter was tight, but the Bison held onto the lead to win by three points. The Bison are now 13-16 and 9-9 in the Patriot League this season following the victory.Â
• The Bison relied on youth through their first thirteen games. The starting combo of Dingler, Johnson, King, Shaffer, and Theodorsson stepped up to win five of their eight games while Cecelia Collins was out with an injury. Since her return, the Bison are 4-3.
• Cecelia Collins was named to the Patriot League Second Team, and Emma Theodorsson earned All-Patriot League Rookie Team honors.
• 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.Â
• Bucknell finished 24-10 overall and 12-6 in Patriot League play last season. The Bison reached the 2022 Patriot League Championship game playing as the No. 4 seed in the tournament, but they fell 65-54 to the No. 2 seed American.
• Bucknell received an at-large bid to the 2022 WNIT and defeated Fordham in the first round before falling to Drexel in the second. Bucknell is the only Patriot League team with two all-time WNIT victories.Â
• Bucknell graduated two seniors in the spring, including two-time First Team All-Patriot League guard Taylor O'Brien and 2022 PL All-Defensive Team member Marly Walls. O'Brien led the Bison in scoring over the past two seasons, scored the fifth-most single-season point in program history as a senior (567), and graduated ranking 21st on Bucknell's all-time scoring list (1,125).
• Bucknell sophomore Cecelia Collins was voted to the 2022 Preseason All-Patriot League Team. She was a Second Team All-League selection last year. This is the first time since 2011 Bucknell has not returned a junior or senior All-League player.
• Bucknell was picked fourth in the Patriot League Preseason Poll. It's the first time since 2015-16 Bucknell was not in the top three. The Bison have gone 109-25 in league play since the start of the 2015-16 season.Â
• Senior Emma Shaffer, junior Caroline Dingler, and sophomore Cecelia Collins were named captains ahead of the 2022-23 season.
• Head coach Trevor Woodruff is in his fourth season at Bucknell. He was named PL Coach of the Year in his first two seasons.
• Following the retirement of assistant coach Jim Reed during the offseason, Kelly Mazzante was elevated to associate head coach, and former manager of basketball operations LaSashia Connelly was named an assistant coach. Molly Gillis joined the staff during the offseason as the program's new manager of ops.
SCOUTING LEHIGH
• The Mountain Hawks are 16-13 overall and 12-6 in Patriot League play earning victories over Stonehill, Bloomsburg, Rider, Yale, Army, Bucknell, Navy, American, Loyola, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Loyola, Navy, American, Bucknell, and Army. They were defeated by South Dakota State, Minnesota, Drexel, Southern Illinois, Quinnipiac, La Salle, Delaware, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Boston U., Colgate, and Boston U.
• This season, Bucknell and Lehigh share zero common opponents outside of the conference foes.
• Lehigh was selected to finish second in the Patriot League. The Mountain Hawks tallied two first-place votes. They lost last year in the quarterfinals of the Patriot League Tournament to Bucknell.
• Lehigh boasts the Patriot League Player of the Year in Frannie Hottinger. Hottinger leads the team in scoring (20.4) and rebounds (9.6).
• Lehigh is led by first-year head coach Addie Micir, who owns a 16-13 career record with the team.
SERIES HISTORY with THE MOUNTAIN HAWKS
• Bucknell leads 51-46 in the all-time series, which dates back to 1977.
• Lehigh's last win over Bucknell came in 2023.
• Bucknell is 9-3 against Lehigh during the Trevor Woodruff era.Â
Series History with Lehigh (Last Six Games)Â
Â
Series Record: 51-46
Record at Home: 27-19
Record at Lehigh: 22-25
Neutral Site Record: 2-2
Trevor Woodruff Record: 9-3
Current Streak: 2 losses
Longest Winning Streak: 9 Â games
Last Time Out
• Bucknell beat American 69-66. Bucknell started fast in the first quarter leading 19-17 at the conclusion. The Bison were up 39-37 by halftime. The Bison trailed after the third quarter by two points. Bucknell grabbed the lead in the fourth quarter and held on for the win.
• Bucknell's offense shot 51.0% compared to 46.4% for American, which made the difference in the game.
• Emma Shaffer led Bucknell with 24 points to set a new career high. The senior forward also pulled down 11 rebounds to earn her tenth career double-double. Senior Tai Johnson poured in 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting. Ivy Bales led American with 17 points.Â
Notable CAREER HIGHS SET vs. AMERICAN
Emma Shaffer-points (24)
Tai Johnson-assists (5)
STREAKS OF NOTE
Emma Shaffer — starts (63)
Â
Game Notes
What: Bucknell (13-16, 9-9 PL) vs. Lehigh (16-13, 12-6 PL)
When:Â Monday, March 6 at 6 p.m.
Where:Â Bethlehem, Pa.-Stabler Arena
Streaming:Â ESPN+
Radio:Â 90.5 WVBU
Live Statistics:Â BucknellBison.com
Last Game's Starters:
So./G: Cecelia Collins (13.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.0 apg)
Fr./G/F: Emma Theodorsson (7.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 0.8 apg)
So. F/G: Isabella King (7.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 1.1 apg)
Sr./G: Tai Johnson (8.4 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.6 apg)
Sr./F: Emma Shaffer (10.5 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 2.3 apg)
WITH A WIN OVER LEHIGH, BUCKNELL WOULD ...
• ... improve to 14-16 on the season
• ... improve to 7-9 on the road
• ... move to 52-46 all-time against the Mountain Hawks
• ... improve to 10-3 against the Mountain Hawks under Woodruff
• ... move to 71-33 overall under Woodruff
• ... improve to 31-21 on the road under Woodruff
• ...improve to 5-2 in the Patriot League Tournament under Woodruff
HEADLINES
• Bucknell won 69-66 over American, which cemented the Bison as the sixth seed and ensured the Orange & Blue skipped the first round. The first half was a high-scoring affair, with the Bison notching 39 points and the Eagles scoring 37. The pace cooled off in the third period as Bucknell scored 14 and American deposited 10 points. The final quarter was tight, but the Bison held onto the lead to win by three points. The Bison are now 13-16 and 9-9 in the Patriot League this season following the victory.Â
• The Bison relied on youth through their first thirteen games. The starting combo of Dingler, Johnson, King, Shaffer, and Theodorsson stepped up to win five of their eight games while Cecelia Collins was out with an injury. Since her return, the Bison are 4-3.
• Cecelia Collins was named to the Patriot League Second Team, and Emma Theodorsson earned All-Patriot League Rookie Team honors.
• 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.Â
• Bucknell finished 24-10 overall and 12-6 in Patriot League play last season. The Bison reached the 2022 Patriot League Championship game playing as the No. 4 seed in the tournament, but they fell 65-54 to the No. 2 seed American.
• Bucknell received an at-large bid to the 2022 WNIT and defeated Fordham in the first round before falling to Drexel in the second. Bucknell is the only Patriot League team with two all-time WNIT victories.Â
• Bucknell graduated two seniors in the spring, including two-time First Team All-Patriot League guard Taylor O'Brien and 2022 PL All-Defensive Team member Marly Walls. O'Brien led the Bison in scoring over the past two seasons, scored the fifth-most single-season point in program history as a senior (567), and graduated ranking 21st on Bucknell's all-time scoring list (1,125).
• Bucknell sophomore Cecelia Collins was voted to the 2022 Preseason All-Patriot League Team. She was a Second Team All-League selection last year. This is the first time since 2011 Bucknell has not returned a junior or senior All-League player.
• Bucknell was picked fourth in the Patriot League Preseason Poll. It's the first time since 2015-16 Bucknell was not in the top three. The Bison have gone 109-25 in league play since the start of the 2015-16 season.Â
• Senior Emma Shaffer, junior Caroline Dingler, and sophomore Cecelia Collins were named captains ahead of the 2022-23 season.
• Head coach Trevor Woodruff is in his fourth season at Bucknell. He was named PL Coach of the Year in his first two seasons.
• Following the retirement of assistant coach Jim Reed during the offseason, Kelly Mazzante was elevated to associate head coach, and former manager of basketball operations LaSashia Connelly was named an assistant coach. Molly Gillis joined the staff during the offseason as the program's new manager of ops.
SCOUTING LEHIGH
• The Mountain Hawks are 16-13 overall and 12-6 in Patriot League play earning victories over Stonehill, Bloomsburg, Rider, Yale, Army, Bucknell, Navy, American, Loyola, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Loyola, Navy, American, Bucknell, and Army. They were defeated by South Dakota State, Minnesota, Drexel, Southern Illinois, Quinnipiac, La Salle, Delaware, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Boston U., Colgate, and Boston U.
• This season, Bucknell and Lehigh share zero common opponents outside of the conference foes.
• Lehigh was selected to finish second in the Patriot League. The Mountain Hawks tallied two first-place votes. They lost last year in the quarterfinals of the Patriot League Tournament to Bucknell.
• Lehigh boasts the Patriot League Player of the Year in Frannie Hottinger. Hottinger leads the team in scoring (20.4) and rebounds (9.6).
• Lehigh is led by first-year head coach Addie Micir, who owns a 16-13 career record with the team.
SERIES HISTORY with THE MOUNTAIN HAWKS
• Bucknell leads 51-46 in the all-time series, which dates back to 1977.
• Lehigh's last win over Bucknell came in 2023.
• Bucknell is 9-3 against Lehigh during the Trevor Woodruff era.Â
Series History with Lehigh (Last Six Games)Â
Â
| Date | Home/Away | W/L | Score |
| 3/11/21 | Lehigh (PLT) | L | 63-54 |
| 1/12/22 | at Lehigh | W | 56-45 |
| 2/16/22 | Lehigh | W | 56-54 |
| 3/7/22 | Lehigh | W | 56-53 |
| 1/5/23 | at Lehigh | L | 64-51 |
| 2/22/23 | Lehigh | L | 84-72 |
Series Record: 51-46
Record at Home: 27-19
Record at Lehigh: 22-25
Neutral Site Record: 2-2
Trevor Woodruff Record: 9-3
Current Streak: 2 losses
Longest Winning Streak: 9 Â games
Last Time Out
• Bucknell beat American 69-66. Bucknell started fast in the first quarter leading 19-17 at the conclusion. The Bison were up 39-37 by halftime. The Bison trailed after the third quarter by two points. Bucknell grabbed the lead in the fourth quarter and held on for the win.
• Bucknell's offense shot 51.0% compared to 46.4% for American, which made the difference in the game.
• Emma Shaffer led Bucknell with 24 points to set a new career high. The senior forward also pulled down 11 rebounds to earn her tenth career double-double. Senior Tai Johnson poured in 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting. Ivy Bales led American with 17 points.Â
Notable CAREER HIGHS SET vs. AMERICAN
Emma Shaffer-points (24)
Tai Johnson-assists (5)
STREAKS OF NOTE
Emma Shaffer — starts (63)
Â
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F/G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
F/G
/ Women's Basketball
G
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