Women's Basketball Tours The Garden State to Face FDU

Wednesday, November 13

Teaneck, N.J.

7 p.m.

Bucknell University

FDU

Photo by: Adam Evanko

Women's Basketball Tours The Garden State to Face FDU

11/11/2024 5:28:00 PM | Women's Basketball

LEWISBURG, Pa.- The Bucknell Bison women's basketball team (0-2) remains road bound with a midweek match-up this Wednesday against NEC powerhouse and preseason FDU Knights (3-0). The Bison are coming off a heartbreaking 64-61 defeat to ACC foe Pitt where the Orange & Blue had the ball with a chance to tie. Bucknell leads the FDU series, 6-1, and won last year's meeting in Sojka Pavilion, 49-44. FDU has already defeated Patriot League foe American, Dominican, and future Bison opponent Mount St. Mary's. The tip is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Game Notes

What: Bucknell at FDU
When: Wednesday, November 13 at 7 p.m.
Where: Hackensack, N.J.- Bogota Savings Bank Center
Streaming: NEC Front Row
Radio: 90.5 WVBU
Live Statistics: fduknights.com

Last Game's Starters:
R-Jr. G: Sophia Sabino (7.0 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 5.5 apg)
Sr. F/G: Isabella King (8.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 3.0 apg)
So. F: Ashley Sofilkanich (12.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.0 apg)
So. F: Tuana Coskun (7.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.0 apg)
Jr. G: Ashley O'Connor (1.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.0 apg)

WITH A WIN OVER FDU, BUCKNELL WOULD...
• ... improve to 1-2 on the season
• ... improve to 1-2 on the road
• ... improve to 8-1 all-time against the Knights
• ... improve to 3-1 against the Knights under Woodruff
• ... improve to 84-54 overall under Woodruff
• ... improve to 38-33 on the road under Woodruff

HEADLINES
• Bucknell fought ACC foe Pitt to the bitter end in a 64-61 defeat on Saturday afternoon. The game started promisingly with the Bison leading 21-18 after the first quarter. Pitt countered with a massive second period taking the 44-35 advantage at halftime. The Panthers hit a half-court buzzer beater to further their advantage. Pitt extended its lead to 52-35 before the Bison mounted a comeback and cut the deficit to 54-51. An Ashley O'Connor three-pointer went in and out and Pitt grabbed a 64-51 separation. Bucknell refused to quit and got within 64-61 and had a chance to send the game to overtime but Reese Zemitis's three-pointer went wide. Ashley Sofilkanich recorded a double-double (20 points & 10 rebounds) in 21 minutes, despite obtaining four fouls and sitting out most of the second half. Pitt had three players scoring in double digits.
• Ashley Sofilkanich earned three slots on the 2023-24 All-Patriot Defensive, Rookie, and Third Teams. She is the first Bison to do so.
• The Orange & Blue have nine newcomers (six freshmen & three transfers) on the roster. Only four players return from the 2023-24 team.
• Bucknell finished 13-18 overall and 9-9 in Patriot League play last season. The Bison reached the 2024 Patriot League Quarterfinals, playing as the No. 8 seed in the tournament, but they fell 61-56 to No. 1 seed Holy Cross.
• Bucknell graduated four seniors in the spring: Nicole Davis, Caroline Dingler, Julie Kulesza, and Kaylee Reinbeau. Dingler served as the 2023-24 captain and Kulesza was a three-point threat off the bench.
• Bucknell was picked eighth in the 2024-25 Patriot League Preseason Poll. The Bison were picked sixth last season and finished eighth in the conference.
• Sofilkanich received two preseason honors. She was named Preseason Defender of the Year and notched a spot on the Patriot League's Preseason Five. Her 60 blocks ranked eighth on the Bucknell single-season list.
• Senior Isabella King was named captain ahead of the 2024-25 season.
• This summer, Bucknell graduate Taylor O'Brien signed with the Essex Rebels of the Women's British Basketball League. O'Brien dominated the circuit with the Leicester Riders having won Player of the Month for December and a spot on the All-League Team.
• Head coach Trevor Woodruff is in his sixth season at Bucknell. He was named PL Coach of the Year in his first two seasons.
• Sherill Baker was recently promoted to associate head coach. Baker came to Lewisburg after a stint at George Washington University. Baker played in the WNBA and overseas professional leagues. She was dubbed "The Queens of Steals" for her defensive prowess at Georgia.
• Two new coaches joined the staff. Owen Brown left the University of San Francisco to join the Bison community and Shelby Case was hired as an assistant coach/director of operation combo. Case played at the University of Illinois-Chicago.

SCOUTING FDU
• FDU went 14-17 overall and 11-5 in the NEC during the 2023-24 season in Stephanie Gaitley's first season. The Knights defeated the LIU Sharks in the NEC Quarterfinals before falling 52-38 against Le Moyne in the semifinals. It was Le Moyne's first season in Division I.
• The Knights have galloped to a 3-0 start defeating Dominican, American, and Mount St. Mary's.
• FDU has a large roster with 16 players, but contrary to the new collegiate world, only one player is a transfer.
• The Knights have three upcoming games against top-tier foes: Rutgers, Syracuse, and UConn. They will also host the FDU Christmas Classic versus Bryant and Maine.
• The Bison and Knights share three common opponents (American, Lafayette, and Mount St. Mary's) this season.
• FDU was unanimously picked to finish first in the nine-team NEC. It is the first time in program history that FDU has been voted as the number one team in the conference. The NEC welcomed Chicago State to the circuit this summer.
• Stephanie Gaitley is 17-17 in her two seasons at FDU. She had coached 38 years.

SERIES HISTORY with THE KNIGHTS
• This is the ninth meeting between the Bison and the Knights. The series started in 1987.
• Bucknell leads the series, 6-1, and had a six-game winning streak before FDU won the 2022-23 match-up.
• Trevor Woodruff is 2-1 against FDU.

Series History with FDU (Last Six Meetings)
1/5/04        at FDU       W, 67-65
1/17/05      FDU            W, 80-64
12/4/15 FDU            W, 72-62
11/17/21   FDU            W, 66-56
11/16/22   at FDU       L, 49-62
11/15/23   FDU            W, 49-44

Series Record: 6-1
Record at Home: 4-0
Record at FDU: 1-1
Neutral Site Record: 1-0
Trevor Woodruff Record: 2-1
Current Streak: Bucknell W1
Longest Bucknell Winning Streak: W6

Last Time Out
• Bucknell dropped a 64-61 heart-breaker to the Pitt Panthers. The Bison had chances but were harmed by foul trouble and an inability to stop Pitt runs. The Bison led 21-18 but fall behind 44-35 by halftime. Pitt led 52-35 before Bucknell crept within 54-51. A three-pointer went in and out and Pitt went on a 10-0 run. The Orange & Blue used a 10-0 run to regain momentum. Pitt missed two free throws and Bucknell had a shot. However, Zemitis's three went wide and Pitt escaped.
• Both teams shot decently. Bucknell shot 23-of-54 (42.6%) from the court while Pitt went 24-of-64 (37.5%). The squads did well from three-point land: Bucknell hit 7-of-18 (38.9%) and Pitt went 8-of-15 (53.3%). The Panthers had 18 free throw attempts but only hit eight. Bucknell had 14 chances and deposited eight. The Bison out-rebounded Pitt, 42-38.
• Ashley Sofilkanich recorded her fifth career double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds in 21 minutes. The sophomore was nearly unstoppable and was only hindered by foul trouble. Pitt had three players in double-digits with Amiya Jenkins's 19 points leading the way.

Notable CAREER HIGHS SET Vs. Pitt
Isabella King - Assists (6)
Sophia Sabino - Assists (6) & Minutes (34)

STREAKS OF NOTE
Ashley O'Connor- Starts (26)
Ashley Sofilkanich - Starts (30)