Women's Basketball Hosts Second Place Loyola on Wednesday Night

LEWISBURG, Pa.- The Bucknell Bison women's basketball team (10-16, 7-8 Patriot League) plays a pivotal match-up for conference tournament seeding when the Orange & Blue hosts second-place Loyola (Md.) Greyhounds (14-12, 9-6 Patriot League) on Wednesday night. The Patriot League is tighter than a copper wire as only two games separate the second and eighth-placed teams. Bucknell currently ranks tied for sixth. The Bison are coming off a 65-53 victory over Army, where Bucknell overcame a 15-point deficit. The Orange & Blue defeated Loyola, 61-59, in Baltimore on Jan. 31. Last season, Bucknell dominated Loyola 73-37 at Sojka.
The Lewisburg squad owns the 27-8 series lead. The tip is scheduled for 6 p.m. It is Community Day and Bison Nation Night.

Game Notes

What: Bucknell vs. Loyola (Md.)
When: Wednesday, Feb. 28 at 6 p.m.
Where: Lewisburg, Pa.-Sojka Pavilion
Streaming: ESPN+
Radio: 90.5 WVBU
Live Statistics: bucknellbison.com

Last Game's Starters:
So. F: Grace Sullivan (8.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 0.6 apg)
So. G/F: Emma Theodorsson (13.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.9 apg)
So. G: Blake Matthews (5.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.4 apg)
Fr. F: Ashley Sofilkanich (12.7 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.1 apg)
So. G: Ashley O'Connor (5.7 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 1.7 apg)

WITH A WIN OVER LOYOLA, BUCKNELL WOULD...
• ... improve to 11-16 on the season
• ... improve to 7-6 at home
• ... improve to 28-8 all-time against the Greyhounds
• ... improve to 10-1 against the Greyhounds under Woodruff
• ... improve to 81-50 overall under Woodruff
• ... improve to 44-18 at home under Woodruff

HEADLINES
• Bucknell overcame a 15-point deficit to stun the Army Black Knights, 65-63 on Saturday. Bucknell trailed for 32 minutes and only led for 4:44 but found a way to win. The Bison were able to overcome Army's 12-of-28 three-point shooting. Bucknell trailed 21-13 after the first quarter and were behind 40-29 at halftime. Bucknell stampeded ahead on a 15-0 run in the third quarter before Army retook the lead. The Orange & Blue seized the late lead and survived when an open Army shooter dropped a pass. Bucknell improved to 10-16 overall and 7-8 in Patriot League play. Grace Sullivan tallied her fifth-straight double-digit scoring game with 17 points. Emma Theodorsson scored 11 second-half points, and Ashley Sofilkanich deposited 10 points. Reese Ericson led Army with 18 points.
• Ashley Sofilkanich won her fifth PL Rookie of the Week award on 2/19 for her games against Lehigh & Colgate.
• 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.
• 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 currently up for All-Star honors. Fans can vote at the Women's British Basketball League website.
• 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 LOYOLA (MD.)
• Loyola went 10-21 overall and 4-14 in Patriot League play during the 2022-23 season. Loyola received the #9 seed and defeated #8 seed Lafayette 61-52 in the First Round of the Patriot League Tournament. Loyola lost 66-52 to #1 seed Boston in the Quarterfinals. Loyola is 14-12 overall and 9-6 in the PL. They have defeated Binghamton, UMBC, Saint Francis, Mount St. Mary's, Delaware State, Lehigh, American, Lafayette, Navy, Holy Cross, Colgate, Lafayette, Lehigh, and Boston. Loyola has been collared by West Virginia, St. Bonaventure, St. John's, Bryant, Toledo, Monmouth, Colgate, Army, Boston, Holy Cross, Bucknell, and Navy.
• The Bison and Greyhounds shared one opponent (Mount St. Mary's) outside the Patriot League schedule. Loyola won while the Bison fell to the Mountaineers.
• Loyola was picked to finish ninth in the Patriot League. No Greyhounds were named to the preseason All-Patriot League Team.
• Danielle O'Banion is 29-57 in her three seasons at Loyola.

SERIES HISTORY with THE GREYHOUNDS
• This is the 36th meeting between the Bison and the Greyhounds.
• The Bison won the first game of the 2023-24 pair at Loyola.
• Trevor Woodruff is 9-1 against Loyola (Md.).

Series History with Loyola (Md.) (Last Six Meetings)
3/7/21 Loyola (Md.) (PLT)   W, 65-50
1/8/22 Loyola (Md.)          W, 62-42
1/29/22    at Loyola (Md.) W, 65-40
1/11/23    at Loyola (Md.) W, 56-50
1/28/23    Loyola (Md.)          W, 73-37
1/31/24 at Loyola (Md.) W, 61-59

Series Record: 27-8
Record at Home: 16-2
Record at Loyola (Md.): 11-5
Neutral Site Record: 0-1
Trevor Woodruff Record: 9-1
Current Streak: Bucknell W9
Longest Bucknell Winning Streak: 9 games

Last Time Out
• The Bison stopped its two-game losing streak by overcoming a 15-point deficit to beat Army, 65-63 on Saturday. Bucknell trailed 21-13 after one quarter and was behind 40-29 at halftime. The Orange & Blue stormed ahead 44-43 during the third quarter before Army retook the 49-44 lead. The Bison grabbed a late lead (59-58) and hit their free throws to seal the win. Bucknell improved to 10-16 overall and 7-8 in Patriot League competition.
• Bucknell shot 24-of-49 (49.0%) from the field. Army hit 23-of-64 shots but went 12-of-28 (42.9%) from three-point land. The Bison shot 18 free throw attempts to Army's five. Bucknell made 14, while Army hit all five.
• Grace Sullivan continued her hot stretch, scoring 17 points to lead Bucknell. Emma Theodorsson overcame illness to score 11 points and grab seven rebounds. Ashley Sofilkanich provided ten points. Army's Reese Ericson led all scorers with 18 points.

Notable CAREER HIGHS SET vs. ARMY
Sophia Sabino - Assists (3)
Grace Sullivan - Free Throws Made (5) & Free Throws Attempted (7)

STREAKS OF NOTE
Blake Matthews - Starts (13)
Ashley O'Connor- Starts (19)
Ashley Sofilkanich - Double-Digit Scoring Games (5) & Starts (23)
Grace Sullivan - Double-Digit Scoring Games (5)

Up Next

Bucknell heads to Easton to play Lafayette on March 2.

Women's Basketball Hosts Second Place Loyola on Wednesday Night

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Cecelia Collins

Caroline Dingler

Tai Johnson

Blake Matthews

Blake Matthews

Ashley O'Connor

Emma Shaffer

Ashley Sofilkanich

Grace Sullivan

Emma Theodorsson