Women's Basketball Invites Lafayette for Saturday Showdown in Sojka

LEWISBURG, Pa.- The Bucknell Bison women's basketball team (4-12, 1-4 Patriot League) seeks to keep the momentum going after its 61-52 upset of Boston University on Wednesday. The Bison welcome their Pennsylvania rival, the Lafayette Leopards (6-10, 1-4 Patriot League), to Sojka. Lafayette is battling a four-game losing streak, while Bucknell shattered its five-game losing run with the victory over Boston. Bucknell and Lafayette split the two-game series in 2022-23. The Orange & Blue own the all-time series record, 52-39. The tip is scheduled for 2 p.m.

Game Notes

What: Bucknell vs. Lafayette
When: Saturday, January 20 at 2 p.m.
Where: Lewisburg, Pa.- Sojka Pavilion
Streaming: ESPN+
Radio: 90.5 WVBU
Live Statistics: bucknellbison.com

Last Game's Starters:
So. G/F: Emma Theodorsson (13.0 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.6 apg)
So. F: Grace Sullivan (5.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 0.6 apg)
So. G: Blake Matthews (5.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.7 apg)
Fr. F: Ashley Sofilkanich (10.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 0.9 apg)
So. G: Ashley O'Connor (4.6 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 1.3 apg)

WITH A WIN OVER LAFAYETTE, BUCKNELL WOULD...
• ... improve to 5-12 on the season
• ... improve to 5-3 at home
• ... improve to 53-39 all-time against the Leopards
• ... improve to 8-1 against the Leopards under Woodruff
• ... improve to 75-46 overall under Woodruff
• ... improve to 42-15 at home under Woodruff

HEADLINES
• Bucknell upset high-flying Boston, 61-52, on Wednesday night to earn its first Patriot League win. The Bison led 16-11 after the first quarter. Boston counterattacked in the second quarter and had the 33-30 halftime advantage. The Orange & Blue was undaunted and scratched within 45-43, entering the final stanza. Bucknell owned the fourth quarter, outscoring the Terriers 18-7 to win comfortably. The Bison improved to 4-12 overall and 1-4 in PL competition. Emma Theodorsson had a career outing, scoring 31 points on 10-of-18 shooting from the field and 8-of-10 from the charity stripe. Ashley Sofilkanich added seven points, ten rebounds, and five blocks. Ashley O'Connor dropped eight points, including two crucial three-pointers. Blake Matthews scored seven points and swiped four passes. Caitlin Weimar tallied 16 points for Boston but was 6-of-18 from the field and a rough 4-of-11 from the free throw line.
• 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.
• 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 selected 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 for December. She is up for All-Star honors. Bison fans can vote for her on the Women's British Basketball League website. O'Brien holds second place in the voting.
• 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 Lafayette
• Lafayette went 10-19 overall and 7-11 in Patriot League play during the 2022-23 season. The Leopards earned the eighth seed in the Patriot League Tournament. They were defeated 61-52 by the #9 seed Loyola (Md.) Greyhounds in the Opening Round. Lafayette is 6-10 overall and 1-4 in PL competition this season. They have beaten LIU, NJIT, Saint Francis University, UMBC, Dartmouth, and Army. Lafayette has been defeated by Syracuse, East Tennessee State, Marist, Rutgers, #14 Notre Dame, Monmouth, Boston, Colgate, Navy, and Holy Cross.
• The Bison and Leopards shared zero opponents outside the Patriot League schedule. Both teams did play ranked opponents (Bucknell: #15 Louisville and #19 Marquette. Lafayette: #14 Notre Dame) and tasted defeat.
• Lafayette was picked to finish eighth in the Patriot League. No Leopards were named to the preseason All-Patriot League Team.
• Kia Damon-Olson is 67-111 in her seven seasons at Lafayette.

SERIES HISTORY with THE LEOPARDS
• This is the 92nd meeting between the Bison and the Leopards.
• The teams split the 2022-23 series, with each squad successfully defending its home court.
• Trevor Woodruff is 7-1 against the Easton program.

Series History with Lafayette (Last Six Meetings)
1/9/21        at Lafayette       W, 80-51
1/10/21      Lafayette            W, 79-45
2/6/22        Lafayette       W, 68-40
2/19/22 at Lafayette       W, 68-60 (OT)
1/8/23        Lafayette W, 56-44
2/25/23      at Lafayette       L, 61-69

Series Record: 52-39
Record at Home: 31-13
Record at Lafayette: 21-23
Neutral Site Record: 0-3
Trevor Woodruff Record: 7-1
Current Streak: Lafayette W1
Longest Bucknell Winning Streak: 17 games

Last Time Out
• Bucknell defeated league powerhouse Boston U., 61-52 on Wednesday night in Sojka Pavilion. The Bison led 16-11 after one quarter. Boston rebounded to lead 33-30 at halftime. The Bison never panicked and cut the deficit to 45-43 entering the final quarter. Bucknell rolled over Boston 18-7 in the fourth period to win.
• Bucknell shot 37.7% on 20-of-53 shooting. Boston was held to 18-of-58 (31.0%). The difference in the game resided at the three-point line. The Bison were 8-of-15 (53.3%), while the Terriers went 5-of-17 (29.4%). Bucknell also performed well at the free throw line (72.2%) to Boston's (55.0%).
• Emma Theodorsson owned the court, leading all players with a career-high 31 points. Ashley Sofilkanich supplied seven points, ten rebounds, and five blocks. Blake Matthews scored seven points and collected four steals. Caitlin Weimar led Boston with 16 points but shot 6-of-18 from the field and 4-of-11 from free throw land.

Notable CAREER HIGHS SET Vs. Boston U.
Blake Matthews - Steals (4)
Ashley Sofilkanich - Assists (4) & Blocks (5)
Emma Theodorsson - Field Goals Made (10), Field Goals Attempted (18) & Points (31)

STREAKS OF NOTE
Ashley Sofilkanich - Starts (13)
Emma Theodorsson - Double-Digit Scoring Games (8) & Starts (14)

Up Next

The Bison travel to Annapolis to face Navy on Jan. 24.

Women's Basketball Invites Lafayette for Saturday Showdown in Sojka

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Players Mentioned

Cecelia Collins

Caroline Dingler

Tai Johnson

Blake Matthews

Ashley O'Connor

Emma Shaffer

Ashley Sofilkanich

Grace Sullivan

Emma Theodorsson