Women's Basketball Opens Patriot League Play at Holy Cross on Wednesday

LEWISBURG, Pa.- The Bucknell Bison women's basketball team (3-8) resumes its season after celebrating the Christmas and New Year holidays by opening Patriot League play at reigning champion Holy Cross on Wednesday. The tip is scheduled for 7 p.m. Bucknell last played on Dec. 21 against #19 Marquette. The Bison fell 67-39 to the Big East powerhouse.

Game Notes

What: Bucknell at Holy Cross
When: Wednesday, January 3 at 7 p.m.
Where: Worcester, Mass.- Hart Center Arena
Streaming: ESPN+
Radio: 90.5 WVBU
Live Statistics: bucknellbison.com

Last Game's Starters:
So. G/F: Emma Theodorsson (10.6 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.4 apg)
So. F: Grace Sullivan (5.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 0.2 apg)
So. G: Blake Matthews (4.2 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 1.2 apg)
Fr. F: Ashley Sofilkanich (11.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 0.6 apg)
So. G: Ashley O'Connor (3.6 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 1.3 apg)

WITH A WIN OVER HOLY CROSS, BUCKNELL WOULD...
• ... improve to 4-8 on the season
• ... improve to 1-6 on the road
• ... improve to 27-49 all-time against the Crusaders
• ... improve to 4-3 against the Crusaders under Woodruff
• ... improve to 74-42 overall under Woodruff
• ... improve to 33-26 on the road under Woodruff

HEADLINES
• Bucknell played its second-ranked foe of the 2023-24 season in #19 Marquette on Dec. 21 and lost 67-39. The Golden Eagles led 21-0 before the Bison posted their first points. The score was 23-4 after the first period. The Bison stayed strong throughout the game. Marquette scored 29 points in the second half to Bucknell's 25 ducats. The loss placed Bucknell at 3-8 and ended non-conference play. Ashley Soflikanich continued her sensational freshman season, scoring 12 points to lead the Bison. Emma Theodorsson contributed 10 points. Blake Matthews continued her improvement, scoring eight points and adding six rebounds to lead the Bison. Grace Sullivan scored six points and Ashley O'Connor totaled three points. Liza Karlen paced Marquette with 17 points and 13 rebounds.
• 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 sidelined with an injury. 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 HOLY CROSS
• The Crusaders went 24-9 overall and 13-5 in Patriot League play during the 2022-23 season. Holy Cross went 3-0 in the Patriot League Tournament and defeated #1 seed Boston University in the championship game. Holy Cross received a #15 seed in the NCAA Tournament and lost to #2 Maryland 93-61 in the first round. This season, Holy Cross has gone 6-5 with wins over Brown, UMass-Lowell, Stonehill, Connecticut College, Northeastern, and Merrimack. The Crusaders have been defeated by Boston College, Stony Brook, Villanova, Vermont, and Quinnipiac.
• The Bison and Crusaders share one common opponent (Merrimack) outside of the Patriot League schedule. Both teams defeated Merrimack.
• Holy Cross was picked to finish first in the Patriot League. Bronagh Power-Cassidy was named to the preseason All-Patriot League Team.
• Maureen Magarity is 57-33 in her four seasons at Holy Cross

SERIES HISTORY with THE CRUSADERS
• This is the 76th meeting between the Bison and the Crusaders.
• Holy Cross is the first Patriot League on Bucknell's schedule this season.
• Trevor Woodruff is 3-3 against the Worcester team.

Series History with Holy Cross (Last Six Meetings)
1/11/20   at Holy Cross       W, 51-40
2/19/20   Holy Cross            W, 63-45
1/22/22   Holy Cross            L, 62-63 (OT)
2/12/22   at Holy Cross       W, 66-49
12/30/22 Holy Cross       L, 45-62
1/21/23   at Holy Cross       W, 69-50

Series Record: 26-49
Record at Home: 17-18
Record at Holy Cross: 8-29
Neutral Site Record: 2-5
Trevor Woodruff Record: 3-3
Current Streak: Holy Cross W2
Longest Winning Streak: 4

Last Time Out
• Bucknell traveled to #19 Marquette on Dec. 21 and lost 67-39. The Golden Eagles led 21-0 before the Bison tallied their first points of the contest. The score was 23-4 after the first quarter. The Bison kept fighting despite being down 38-14. In the second half, Marquette only outscored Bucknell 29-25. The Orange & Blue nearly outscored the Golden Eagles in the third quarter and were only edged 11-10 in the department. The loss dropped Bucknell to 3-8, which completed non-conference play.
• Bucknell shot 31.4%, while Marquette went 40.3%. The Golden Eagles had 72 shots to the Bison's 51. Marquette owned the glass, collecting 55 rebounds to Bucknell's 27. The Bison had ten free throw chances to Marquette's five.
• Ashley Soflikanich continued her fine freshman season, leading the Bison in points with 12. Emma Theodorsson added 10 points but did not continue her streak of double-doubles. Blake Matthews continued to improve, scoring eight points. Matthews added six rebounds to lead the Bison. Grace Sullivan scored six points, and Ashley O'Connor totaled three points. Those five players were the only Bison players to score. Liza Karlen led Marquette with 17 points and 13 rebounds.

Notable CAREER HIGHS SET vs. Marquette
None

STREAKS OF NOTE
Emma Theodorsson - Starts (9)

Up Next

Bucknell stays on the road to play American on Jan. 6.

Women's Basketball Opens Patriot League Play at Holy Cross on Wednesday

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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