Bucknell Hosts Lehigh in Midweek Matchup

LEWISBURG, Pa.- The Bucknell Bison women's basketball team (3-10, 0-2 Patriot League) returns to Sojka Pavilion for the first time in nearly a month to play its league and Pennsylvanian rival the Lehigh Mountain Hawks (8-5, 0-2 Patriot League) on Wednesday night. Both teams look to break losing streaks and earn their first Patriot League of the 2023-24 season. Lehigh won all three games versus Bucknell in the 2022-23 season, but the Bison still hold a 51-47 series advantage. The tip is scheduled for 6 p.m.

Game Notes

What: Bucknell vs. Lehigh
When: Wednesday, January 10 at 6 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 (11.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.3 apg)
Jr. G/F: Isabella King (7.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.5 apg)
So. F: Grace Sullivan (5.9 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 0.6 apg)
Fr. F: Ashley Sofilkanich (10.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 0.6 apg)
So. G: Ashley O'Connor (4.5 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 1.4 apg)

WITH A WIN OVER LEHIGH, BUCKNELL WOULD...
• ... improve to 4-10 on the season
• ... improve to 4-2 at home
• ... improve to 52-47 all-time against the Mountain Hawks
• ... improve to 10-4 against the Mountain Hawks under Woodruff
• ... improve to 74-44 overall under Woodruff
• ... improve to 41-14 at home under Woodruff

HEADLINES
• Bucknell played its second Patriot League game of 2023-24 against American University and fell 58-47. The Bison led 12-6 after the first quarter and continued to hold the advantage through halftime by remaining ahead 22-19. The tide turned in the third quarter when American outscored Bucknell 21-7. The Bison attempted to rally in the final period, but American kept the comeback effort. Bucknell scored 18 points, as did American, to seal the game. The Orange & Blue fell to 3-10 overall and 0-2 in PL play. Emma Theodorsson led Bucknell with 13 points to continue her steady ascension. Ashley O'Connor scored eight points. The freshman forward Ashley Sofilkanich tallied seven points. Grace Sullivan scored four points and notched nine rebounds. Bailey Grabee scored 13 points to lead the Eagles.
• 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 for December.
• 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 LEHIGH
• The Mountain Hawks went 17-14 overall and 12-6 in Patriot League play during the 2022-23 season. The Mountain Hawks earned the #3 seed in the Patriot League Tournament, defeating #6 Bucknell in the Quarterfinals before losing 71-54 to the No. 2 Seed and eventual champion Holy Cross in the Semifinals. This season, Lehigh has gone 8-5 with wins over East Stroudsburg, Stonehill, Delaware, Yale, Marist, Drexel, Hofstra, and La Salle. The Mountain Hawks have been grounded by Bowling Green, Pitt, Rider, American, and Loyola (Md.). Lehigh has lost four straight games.
• The Bison and Mountain Hawks share zero opponents outside the Patriot League schedule.
• Lehigh was picked to finish fourth in the Patriot League. No Mountain Hawks were named to the preseason All-Patriot League Team.
• Addie Micir is 25-19 in her two seasons at Lehigh.

SERIES HISTORY with THE MOUNTAIN HAWKS
• This is the 99th meeting between the Bison and the Mountain Hawks
• Lehigh went 3-0 against Bucknell last season.
• Trevor Woodruff is 9-4 against the Bethlehem program.

Series History with Lehigh (Last Six Meetings)
1/12/22   at Lehigh W, 56-45
2/16/22   Lehigh W, 56-54
3/7/22      Lehigh (PLT) W, 56-53
1/5/23 at Lehigh L, 51-64
2/22/23   Lehigh L, 72-84
3/6/23 at Lehigh (PLT)       L, 55-63

Series Record: 51-46
Record at Home: 27-19
Record at Lehigh: 22-26
Neutral Site Record: 2-2
Trevor Woodruff Record: 9-3
Current Streak: Lehigh W3
Longest Winning Streak: 9 games

Last Time Out
• Bucknell played American on Saturday in Washington D.C. and lost 58-47. The Bison held the early advantage, leading 12-6 over the first quarter of play. By halftime, Bucknell still led 22-19. The hooves detached from the Bison in the third quarter when the Eagles outscored Bucknell 21-7. Both teams tallied 18 points in the final stanza, but playing even only ensured the American victory. Bucknell fell to 3-10 overall and 0-2 in PL play.
• The Bison were held to 30.8% shooting, while the Eagles were considerably better at 41.7%. Bucknell hit 7-of-18 shots from three-point land. American only went 3-of-12 from the same domain. Both teams were similar from the free throw line. Bucknell was 8-of-11, and American was 5-of-7.
• Emma Theodorsson led Bucknell with 13 points to continue her stretch of games with double-digit scoring. Ashley O'Connor added eight points, and Ashley Sofilkanich notched seven points. Grace Sullivan grabbed nine rebounds to helm the Bison effort. American had three double-digit scorers, with Bailey Grabee leading the way with 13 points.

Notable CAREER HIGHS SET Vs. AMERICAN
Grace Sullivan - Minutes (30) & Rebounds (9)
Emma Theodorsson - Made Three-Point Shots (3)

STREAKS OF NOTE
Ashley Sofilkanich - Starts (10)
Emma Theodorsson - Double-Digit Scoring Games (5) & Starts (11)

Up Next

The Bison resume their road travels with a Saturday showdown on Jan. 13 at Colgate.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Cecelia Collins

Caroline Dingler

Tai Johnson

Isabella King

Ashley O'Connor

Emma Shaffer

Ashley Sofilkanich

Grace Sullivan

Emma Theodorsson