Final Shot Falls Short in Bucknell's 49-47 Loss to Navy

ANNAPOLIS, Md.- Bucknell's double-digit comeback fell short of fulfillment against the Navy Midshipmen (13-4, 5-1 Patriot League) in a 49-47 defeat on Saturday afternoon. The Bison (8-9, 3-3 Patriot League) rallied from down 13 points at halftime to tie the contest at 47-47 but Navy's Zanai Barnett Gay scored a driving layup with 6.5 seconds left and Ashley Sofilkanich's attempted answer slid off to the left allowing Navy to pull out the conference win and maintain its tie for first place in the conference.

Both teams struggled from the field. Bucknell shot 21-of-58 (36.2%) and Navy hit 18-of-60 (30.0%).

The Bison only hit one three-pointer when Sophia Sabino drained a trey cutting the deficit to 47-41 with 2:40 remaining. The Bison were 1-of-10 (10%) overall while Navy went 6-of-21 (28.6%) including several critical answers when Bucknell repeatedly tried to move within one basket.

Sofilkanich supplied the Bison offense with 21 points on 10-of-24 shooting. She collected 15 rebounds, one short of a career-high, for her 11th double-double. Sophia Sabino scored nine points, including five in the decisive fourth quarter.

Barnett-Gay was held to single-digits (nine points) for the first time in 47 games but scored the game-winning basket. Julianna Almedia and Kyah Smith led Navy with 11 points apiece.

Bucknell led 2-0 in the first quarter and it would prove the first and only Bison lead. Navy grabbed the advantage on two three-pointers and never trailed again. The Bison tied the game at 6-6 on a Sofilkanich jump shot.

Navy unleashed a 12-2 run to push their lead to double-digits. Bucknell scored a basket to make it 18-10 but the Mids proved unflappable and continued to keep up their scoring stint posting a 29-16 halftime lead.

The Bison rallied out of the locker room with a 7-0 run but, as the second half would prove, Navy answered nearly Bison stretch. Bucknell cut the score to 37-33 on an Isabella Casey jump shot right before the quarter ended.

Neither team scored in the fourth period until Smith drained a three-pointer with seven minutes left. Bucknell replied with a 4-0 run on two Sofilkanich baskets. Navy answered with a 5-0 stretch and then increased its lead to 47-38 on two free throws with 3:28 left.

Bucknell refused to yield tying the game on a 9-0 run. Sabino hit a three-pointer, Sofilkanich provided a jump shot, Sabino scored on a beautiful driving layup, and Reese Zemitis deposited two free throws to tie the game despite a riotous Navy crowd attempting to intimidate the freshman.

Barnett-Gay struggled on the afternoon shooting 4-of-15 but Navy trusted the star sophomore. She dribbled for ten seconds and then drove for the basket and converted the contested shot. Coach Trevor Woodruff called timeout to advance the ball. Sofilkanich received the ball, dribbled, and went up for the layup but the roll was not kind and Bucknell dropped its second straight game.

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The Bison return to Sojka Pavilion for two consecutive home games against Colgate (Jan. 22) and Boston U. (Jan. 25).

Final Shot Falls Short in Bucknell's 49-47 Loss to Navy

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Team Stats

Ashley Sofilkanich

Sophia Sabino

Reese Zemitis

Tuana Coskun

Players Mentioned

Isabella Casey

Sophia Sabino

Ashley Sofilkanich

Reese Zemitis