Saturday, January 27
Lewisburg, Pa.
3:30 p.m.
Bucknell University
5-14,2-6Patriot
66
vs
75
Army
8-10,5-3Patriot
1
2
3
4
F
Army West Point
21
20
11
23
75
Bucknell
19
18
11
18
66
Women's Basketball Falls to Army West Point, 75-66
1/27/2024 5:18:00 PM | Women's Basketball
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Ashley Sofilkanich scored 20 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and blocked a career-high eight shots but Army West Point defeated the Bucknell women's basketball team 75-66 Saturday afternoon at Sojka Pavilion.Â
Bucknell (5-14, 2-6 PL) trailed 41-37 at halftime, and while the team kept pace with Army (8-10, 5-3 PL), the Bison could not surpass the steady and sure Black Knights' offense. Bucknell shot 25-of-56 (44.6%), while Army was 28-of-62 (45.2%) from the field.Â
Isabella King continued her stretch of resurgence with 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting. The junior displayed extra tenacity by repeatedly driving to the basket for lay-ups. She also contributed five rebounds and four assists.Â
Ashley O'Connor chipped in 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting, including a 3-of-5 mark from three-point territory. She added four rebounds, two assists, and a steal.Â
Army's offense was keyed by two 18-point scorers, Trinity Hardy and Taylor Wilson. Hardy provided her 18 points via a volume output of 5-of-14 shooting from the field and an 8-of-9 day at the charity stripe. Wilson was electric from three-point land, going 5-of-6 from the downtown, despite entering the game 2-of-19 on the year. Kya Smith added a double-double (ten points and ten rebounds) in only 19 minutes.Â
The first quarter was a grease fire, setting the tone for the game. Both teams shot over 50% for the quarter. The Bison trailed 9-2, early in the period, before embarking on a 13-3 run. Eight of those points were provided by Sofilkanich. Army halted the streak with a 6-0 run, with two Wilson's threes. King replied with a rebound before Wilson hit another three-pointer for the 21-19 lead as the quarter ended.Â
The torrid pace continued into the second stanza. This time, the affair was a see-saw one. Bucknell pulled ahead 31-27 on a King three-pointer. Army cut the deficit to two points. Bucknell, again, made it a four-point lead on a Sofilkanich lay-up. Army responded in kind, as did Sofilkanich. Wilson dialed a three-pointer, and Addison Ainsworth contributed a layup for the 36-35 Army lead. Ainsworth added another lay-up for the 38-35. Julie Kulesza deposited two free throws to cut within 38-37. But Wilson struck again. Her fifth three-pointer gave Army a 41-37 halftime lead.Â
The third quarter was more subdued, with both teams only scoring 11 points. Army stretched its lead to 45-37 before Bucknell tied the contest at 45-45. O'Connor scored the first five points, and King hit the tying three-pointer. Bucknell temporarily led, 46-45, on a Sofilkanich free throw. Army retook the advantage and led 52-48, entering the final quarter. The Bison would never lead again.
Army continued to remain in front of the hard-fighting Bucknellians. The Bison did manage to get within two points, 57-55, via a Sofilkanich two-pointer, but Army slipped away again. Each time Bucknell would lurk closer, they were denied by a Black Knight answer. Bucknell's final chance came when O'Connor drained a three-pointer with 1:48 left to make it 69-64. However, the Black Knights would score a lay-up only 19 seconds later. Blake Matthews tallied a jump shot, but Army would hit four free throws to win 75-66.Â
Up Next
The Bison travel to Loyola (Md.) Wednesday for a midweek match-up.Â
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Bucknell (5-14, 2-6 PL) trailed 41-37 at halftime, and while the team kept pace with Army (8-10, 5-3 PL), the Bison could not surpass the steady and sure Black Knights' offense. Bucknell shot 25-of-56 (44.6%), while Army was 28-of-62 (45.2%) from the field.Â
Isabella King continued her stretch of resurgence with 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting. The junior displayed extra tenacity by repeatedly driving to the basket for lay-ups. She also contributed five rebounds and four assists.Â
Ashley O'Connor chipped in 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting, including a 3-of-5 mark from three-point territory. She added four rebounds, two assists, and a steal.Â
Army's offense was keyed by two 18-point scorers, Trinity Hardy and Taylor Wilson. Hardy provided her 18 points via a volume output of 5-of-14 shooting from the field and an 8-of-9 day at the charity stripe. Wilson was electric from three-point land, going 5-of-6 from the downtown, despite entering the game 2-of-19 on the year. Kya Smith added a double-double (ten points and ten rebounds) in only 19 minutes.Â
The first quarter was a grease fire, setting the tone for the game. Both teams shot over 50% for the quarter. The Bison trailed 9-2, early in the period, before embarking on a 13-3 run. Eight of those points were provided by Sofilkanich. Army halted the streak with a 6-0 run, with two Wilson's threes. King replied with a rebound before Wilson hit another three-pointer for the 21-19 lead as the quarter ended.Â
The torrid pace continued into the second stanza. This time, the affair was a see-saw one. Bucknell pulled ahead 31-27 on a King three-pointer. Army cut the deficit to two points. Bucknell, again, made it a four-point lead on a Sofilkanich lay-up. Army responded in kind, as did Sofilkanich. Wilson dialed a three-pointer, and Addison Ainsworth contributed a layup for the 36-35 Army lead. Ainsworth added another lay-up for the 38-35. Julie Kulesza deposited two free throws to cut within 38-37. But Wilson struck again. Her fifth three-pointer gave Army a 41-37 halftime lead.Â
The third quarter was more subdued, with both teams only scoring 11 points. Army stretched its lead to 45-37 before Bucknell tied the contest at 45-45. O'Connor scored the first five points, and King hit the tying three-pointer. Bucknell temporarily led, 46-45, on a Sofilkanich free throw. Army retook the advantage and led 52-48, entering the final quarter. The Bison would never lead again.
Army continued to remain in front of the hard-fighting Bucknellians. The Bison did manage to get within two points, 57-55, via a Sofilkanich two-pointer, but Army slipped away again. Each time Bucknell would lurk closer, they were denied by a Black Knight answer. Bucknell's final chance came when O'Connor drained a three-pointer with 1:48 left to make it 69-64. However, the Black Knights would score a lay-up only 19 seconds later. Blake Matthews tallied a jump shot, but Army would hit four free throws to win 75-66.Â
Up Next
The Bison travel to Loyola (Md.) Wednesday for a midweek match-up.Â
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Team Stats
ARM
Buck
FG%
.452
.446
3FG%
.545
.455
FT%
.684
.647
RB
34
34
TO
12
15
STL
9
6
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
20
FGM
9
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
14
FGM
6
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
11
FGM
4
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
F/G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballPG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballF
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