Women's Basketball Hosts Navy on Wednesday With PL Tournament Seeding At Stake

LEWISBURG, Pa.- The Bucknell Bison women's basketball team (12-16, 9-8 Patriot League) enters the final regular season game against the Navy Midshipmen (12-16, 8-9 Patriot League) holding to a three-straight game-winning streak and seeking to break into the top four to ensure a home quarterfinal game. The Bison currently sit fifth in the contested Patriot League. Bucknell would secure a bye from the First Round with a win on Wednesday and could conceivably earn up to a third seed if several scenarios break the Bison's way. The Patriot League standings are tight, with eight teams in play for the top six slots. There is a distinct possibility of a six-way tie for first place.

The Orange & Blue were defeated by Navy 59-48 earlier this season in Annapolis. Bucknell beat the Mids, 70-49 last season in the Sojka matchup. The Bison own a 45-31 series lead. The tip is scheduled for 6 p.m.

Game Notes

What: Bucknell vs. Navy
When: Wednesday, March 6 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 (9.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 0.8 apg)
So. G/F: Emma Theodorsson (12.9 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.8 apg)
So. G: Blake Matthews (6.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.6 apg)
Fr. F: Ashley Sofilkanich (12.5 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.2 apg)
So. G: Ashley O'Connor (5.7 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 1.6 apg)

WITH A WIN OVER NAVY, BUCKNELL WOULD...
• ... improve to 13-16 on the season
• ... improve to 9-6 at home
• ... improve to 46-31 all-time against the Midshipmen
• ... improve to 7-2 against the Midshipmen under Woodruff
• ... improve to 83-50 overall under Woodruff
• ... improve to 45-18 at home under Woodruff

HEADLINES
• The Bison won its third-straight game by defeating Lafayette, 56-45 on Saturday. Bucknell never trailed in the contest, leading for 38 minutes, and generally held a firm command. The Orange & Blue led 11-9 after the first quarter and 26-21 at halftime. The Bison seemed poised for a coasting win before Lafayette stormed back to tie the game at 40-40. Bucknell turned on the afterburners with a 12-0 run to seal the victory. The Bison are now 12-16 overall and 9-8 in the Patriot League. If Bucknell beats Navy, they will be anywhere from a third to sixth seed. If the Bison fall, they will be the seventh or eighth seed. Emma Theodorsson led the team with 16 points. Blake Matthews was the star, scoring a career-high 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting. She started the 12-0, with five points. Grace Sullivan tallied another double-digit day with 10 points. Makayla Andrews led the Leopards with 22 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 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 Navy
• Navy went 1-29 overall and 1-17 in Patriot League play during the 2022-23 season. Navy received the #10 seed and was defeated 78-71 by the #7 seed American Eagles in the Opening Round of the Patriot League Tournament. Navy has shown vast improvement this year, going 12-16 overall and 8-9 in the PL. They have defeated Susquehanna, Binghamton, Quinnipiac, Goucher College, Lafayette, Bucknell, Lehigh, Colgate, American, Loyola, Lafayette, and American. Navy has been sunk by Penn State, Mount St. Mary's, Abilene Christian, Wagner, William & Mary, Dartmouth, Albany, Boston, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lehigh, Army, Loyola, Army, Boston, and Holy Cross.
• The Bison and Mids shared two opponents (Mount St. Mary's & Penn State) outside the Patriot League schedule. Both teams lost to Mount St. Mary's and Penn State.
• Navy was picked to finish last (10th place) in the Patriot League. No Midshipmen were named to the preseason All-Patriot League Team.
• Tim Taylor is 28-73 in his four seasons at Navy.

SERIES HISTORY with THE MIDSHIPMEN
• This is the 77th meeting between the Bison and the Mids.
• Navy won the first game of the 2023-24 pair in Annapolis.
• Trevor Woodruff is 6-2 against the Naval Academy.

Series History with Navy (Last Six Meetings)
1/5/22         Navy            L, 55-57
1/26/22 at Navy       W, 53-43
3/10/22       Navy (PLT)  W, 64-44
1/25/23       at Navy      W, 67-49
2/8/23         Navy            W, 70-49
1/24/24       at Navy       L, 48-59

Series Record: 45-31
Record at Home: 23-13
Record at Navy: 19-16
Neutral Site Record: 3-2
Trevor Woodruff Record: 6-2
Current Streak: Navy W1
Longest Bucknell Winning Streak: 12 games

Last Time Out
• Bucknell made it three-straight triumphs by defeating Lafayette, 56-45 on Saturday. The Orange & Blue crew led for 38 minutes and never trailed in the game. Lafayette tied the game at 40-40 before Bucknell used a 12-0 run to break away. The Bison are now 12-16 overall and 9-8 in the Patriot League. Bucknell sits at fifth and can earn the third seed with a win and some luck. If Bucknell loses to Navy, the Bison are the seventh or eighth seed.
• Bucknell shot 23-of-57 (40.4%) from the field. Lafayette hit 20-of-56 (35.7%) shots but went 2-of-13 (15.4%) from three-point land. Both teams struggled at the free throw land. Bucknell went 8-of-12 (66.7%), and Lafayette was 3-of-6 (50.0%).
• Emma Theodorsson scored 16 points to lead the Bison. Blake Matthews tallied a career-high 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting. Grace Sullivan ran her stretch of double-digit scoring games to seven by scoring 10 points. Lafayette's Makayla Andrews scored 22 points to lead her club.

Notable CAREER HIGHS SET vs. NAVY
Blake Matthews - Field Goals Made (7) & Points (15)
Emma Theodorsson - Field Goals Attempted (19)

STREAKS OF NOTE
Blake Matthews - Starts (15)
Ashley O'Connor- Starts (21)
Ashley Sofilkanich - Starts (25)
Grace Sullivan - Double-Digit Scoring Games (7)

Up Next

The Bison will either host a tournament game or hit the road. If Bucknell is the seventh or eighth seed, a tournament game will be played at home on March 9. If the Bison are the 3/4 seed, the home game will be contested at home on March 11. If the Orange & Blue are the 5/6 seed, it will be a road game on March 11.

Women's Basketball Hosts Navy on Wednesday With PL Tournament Seeding At Stake

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Players Mentioned

Cecelia Collins

Caroline Dingler

Tai Johnson

Blake Matthews

Ashley O'Connor

Emma Shaffer

Ashley Sofilkanich

Grace Sullivan

Emma Theodorsson