Wednesday, February 28
Lewisburg, Pa.
6 p.m.
Bucknell University
11-16,8-8Patriot
74
vs
56
Loyola (Md.)
14-13,9-7Patriot
1
2
3
4
F
Loyola Maryland
9
13
22
12
56
Bucknell
20
12
16
26
74
Photo by: Lauren Medeiros
Women's Basketball Closes with Strong Fourth Quarter to Defeat Loyola 74-56
2/28/2024 7:46:00 PM | Women's Basketball
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Grace Sullivan recorded her first career double-double with career highs in points (28) and rebounds (10), and the Bucknell women's basketball team opened the fourth quarter on an 11-0 run to turn a close contest into a 74-56 victory over Loyola (Md.) Wednesday evening at Sojka Pavilion. The Bison outscored the Greyhounds 26-12 in the final period to improve to 11-16 on the season and even their Patriot League record at 8-8 to claim sole possession of sixth place in the standings, one game behind a four-team logjam in second place at 9-7.
"I'm thrilled with the win," said head coach Trevor Woodruff. "That is a good basketball team. They are second in the league for a reason. I expected it to be a grinding type of game and it was. I'm excited about the direction that we are headed."
A 15-0 run in the first quarter helped Bucknell hold a 20-9 advantage after 10 minutes of play. The Bison led by as many as 15 points in the second quarter and were up 32-22 at halftime.
Loyola (14-13, 9-7 PL) closed the gap to four points (48-44) by scoring the final eight points of the third stanza. Bucknell answered with its 11-0 run, capped by a short jumper by Emma Theodorsson midway through the quarter before the Greyhounds got on the board. The Bison extended their lead to 22 points in the final minutes.
Sullivan's career-high point total surpassed her previous best by 11. It marked her fifth straight contest in double figures.Â
Blake Matthews had a solid all-around contest for Bucknell with 12 points, five rebounds, and seven assists, while Ashley O'Connor tallied 10 points, eight of which came in the second half.Â
Laura Salmeron led Loyola with 18 points, while Meliah Van-Otoo added 15 off the bench.
Bucknell turned the ball over a season-low six times and scored 20 points off 16 Greyhound miscues. Â
The Greyhounds started the game matching the Bison point for point and owned a 6-3 lead. The Bison eliminated that deficit with a 15-0 run, and the Baltimore school never led again. The 15-0 stretch was powered by five points from Sullivan, six from Sullivan, and a single basket from Matthews and Theodorsson. Loyola broke the streak with a Salmeron three-pointer, but the quarter ended with an O'Connor jump shot for the 20-9 Bison lead.Â
Bucknell broke away in the second quarter, consistently scoring buckets and preventing any attempts at Loyola making a run. Sullivan tallied nine of Bucknell's 12 points in the frame, with Kulesza scoring the other three on a beautiful trey. The Greyhounds cut the deficit to 32-22 as the clock expired for halftime.Â
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Loyola made the game exciting in the third quarter before constantly chipping away at the Bison's lead. Bucknell extended its lead to 11 points on O'Connor's three-pointer, answering every Greyhound tally with a basket. Loyola cut the lead to 43-36 before Bucknell unleashed a 5-0 run courtesy of O'Connor's jumper and King's three-pointer. Then, the Greyhounds took over, ending the quarter on an 8-0 run. The Orange & Blue still had the 48-44 lead, but Loyola had the momentum.Â
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That momentum proved to be vapor. The Bison regrouped and launched an 11-0 run to essentially ice the game. Sullivan started the stretch with four points, King added two on a slashing drive, O'Connor drained a three-pointer off a fast break, and Theodorsson deposited a hook shot. Loyola tallied a basket, but the Bison continued to add more points, going on a 12-3 run to seal the win. Matthews scored six of the 12 points, thus scoring a career-high 12.
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With the score 71-49, Woodruff cleared the bench, and the game ended 74-56, with Kulesza adding two free throws and Sophia Sabino making 1-of-2.Â
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Up Next
Bucknell heads to Lafayette on March 2 for its final conference road game. The contest starts at 2 p.m.
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"I'm thrilled with the win," said head coach Trevor Woodruff. "That is a good basketball team. They are second in the league for a reason. I expected it to be a grinding type of game and it was. I'm excited about the direction that we are headed."
A 15-0 run in the first quarter helped Bucknell hold a 20-9 advantage after 10 minutes of play. The Bison led by as many as 15 points in the second quarter and were up 32-22 at halftime.
Loyola (14-13, 9-7 PL) closed the gap to four points (48-44) by scoring the final eight points of the third stanza. Bucknell answered with its 11-0 run, capped by a short jumper by Emma Theodorsson midway through the quarter before the Greyhounds got on the board. The Bison extended their lead to 22 points in the final minutes.
Sullivan's career-high point total surpassed her previous best by 11. It marked her fifth straight contest in double figures.Â
Blake Matthews had a solid all-around contest for Bucknell with 12 points, five rebounds, and seven assists, while Ashley O'Connor tallied 10 points, eight of which came in the second half.Â
Laura Salmeron led Loyola with 18 points, while Meliah Van-Otoo added 15 off the bench.
Bucknell turned the ball over a season-low six times and scored 20 points off 16 Greyhound miscues. Â
The Greyhounds started the game matching the Bison point for point and owned a 6-3 lead. The Bison eliminated that deficit with a 15-0 run, and the Baltimore school never led again. The 15-0 stretch was powered by five points from Sullivan, six from Sullivan, and a single basket from Matthews and Theodorsson. Loyola broke the streak with a Salmeron three-pointer, but the quarter ended with an O'Connor jump shot for the 20-9 Bison lead.Â
Bucknell broke away in the second quarter, consistently scoring buckets and preventing any attempts at Loyola making a run. Sullivan tallied nine of Bucknell's 12 points in the frame, with Kulesza scoring the other three on a beautiful trey. The Greyhounds cut the deficit to 32-22 as the clock expired for halftime.Â
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Kulesza was KOOL on that trey!
— Bucknell WBB (@Bucknell_WBB) February 28, 2024
Watch: https://t.co/7cfJAZlMfR@PatriotLeagueTV |@ESPN#rayBucknell | #tst pic.twitter.com/w8b1ahADGw
Loyola made the game exciting in the third quarter before constantly chipping away at the Bison's lead. Bucknell extended its lead to 11 points on O'Connor's three-pointer, answering every Greyhound tally with a basket. Loyola cut the lead to 43-36 before Bucknell unleashed a 5-0 run courtesy of O'Connor's jumper and King's three-pointer. Then, the Greyhounds took over, ending the quarter on an 8-0 run. The Orange & Blue still had the 48-44 lead, but Loyola had the momentum.Â
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King decrees a three!
— Bucknell WBB (@Bucknell_WBB) February 29, 2024
Watch: https://t.co/7cfJAZlMfR@PatriotLeagueTV |@ESPN#rayBucknell | #tst pic.twitter.com/GfkOXPBQzy
That momentum proved to be vapor. The Bison regrouped and launched an 11-0 run to essentially ice the game. Sullivan started the stretch with four points, King added two on a slashing drive, O'Connor drained a three-pointer off a fast break, and Theodorsson deposited a hook shot. Loyola tallied a basket, but the Bison continued to add more points, going on a 12-3 run to seal the win. Matthews scored six of the 12 points, thus scoring a career-high 12.
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A career-high 12 points for Blake!
— Bucknell WBB (@Bucknell_WBB) February 29, 2024
Watch: https://t.co/7cfJAZlMfR@PatriotLeagueTV |@ESPN#rayBucknell | #tst pic.twitter.com/JcHpaBclYu
With the score 71-49, Woodruff cleared the bench, and the game ended 74-56, with Kulesza adding two free throws and Sophia Sabino making 1-of-2.Â
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That rebound gives Sully her first-ever double-double!
— Bucknell WBB (@Bucknell_WBB) February 29, 2024
Watch: https://t.co/7cfJAZlMfR@PatriotLeagueTV |@ESPN#rayBucknell | #tst pic.twitter.com/7IjuX9pElS
Up Next
Bucknell heads to Lafayette on March 2 for its final conference road game. The contest starts at 2 p.m.
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Team Stats
Loyola
Buck
FG%
.434
.450
3FG%
.200
.417
FT%
.778
.882
RB
32
31
TO
16
6
STL
3
6
Game Leaders
Pts
28
FGM
10
3FGM
0
FTM
8
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
7
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
PG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballF/G
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