Feb. 13, 2008

Box Score
Box Score (PDF)

LEWISBURG, Pa. - Liz Leer equaled her career high with 18 points and Stephanie N'Garsanet grabbed 11 rebounds as American defeated Bucknell 50-46 in women's basketball action at Sojka Pavilion Wednesday night. Hope Foster (Washington, D.C./Dunbar) led the Bison with 17 points, the 10th time in the last 11 games she netted double figures.

Foster was the lone Bucknell player in double figures as the Bison struggled to score much of the night. The 46 points equaled the season low for them and outside of Foster's 7-for-8 performance from the floor, they shot just 12 of 44 from the field.

Bucknell's lone lead of the game came when Lauren Schober (Chicago, Ill./Regina Dominican) knocked down a 3-pointer from the left wing on its first possession. American then went on an 11-0 run, which included a pair of 3-pointers from Liz Hayes and a three-point play by Pam Stanfield, and never trailed again.

While the Eagles led by as many as a game-high nine points in the first half, the Bison were able to cut the halftime deficit to 25-19. They then opened the second half on a 6-0 run as they held American without a field goal for the first four minutes of the stanza.

Another 3-pointer by Hayes, who was 3-for-5 from behind the arc, gave American the lead for good at 28-25. The Eagles stretched their advantage to seven points on two occasions (35-28 and 38-31). Foster scored five consecutive points, including her first career 3-pointer as the shot clock ran down, to narrow the score to 38-36 with 8:25 left. Leer immediately converted a layup on American's next possession, starting a stretch where they scored on four of five trips down the court to open a 48-41 advantage heading into the final 4:45 of play.

Bucknell trailed 50-45 and had possession of the ball with just under two minutes to play. Kesha Champion (Chesapeake, Va./Indian River) missed a jumper and N'Garsanet grabbed the rebound, giving the Eagles the ball with 90 seconds on the clock. Foster proceeded to rebound a Liz Hayes missed layup and her outlet pass found Champion streaking down the court wide open. Talicia Jackson chased her down from behind and was whistled for an intentional foul. Champion, a 77.6 percent free throw shooter, made 1 of 2. On the ensuing possession, the Bison turned the ball over for the 16th time in the game.

Bucknell was still alive as Pam Stanfield missed the front end of a 1-and-1 opportunity with about 30 seconds left, but Schober missed a desperation 3-pointer and a contested jumper in the final 15 seconds of play that would have cut the deficit to one possession.

For the second consecutive game the Bison outrebounded their opponent (35-34), led by a career high-tying 13 from Joyce Novacek (Aliquippa, Pa./Hopewell). She has grabbed 38 rebounds the last three games and also had eight points. Champion added seven rebounds, while Foster totaled five. N'Garsanet was the only Eagle with more than five boards.

Hayes joined Leer in double figures with 13 points for American, which won its sixth straight game to improve to 12-12 (6-3 Patriot League). The Eagles are now in a three-way tie for second place in the league standings.

With its loss, Bucknell fell to 10-13 (5-4 PL). The Bison are tied for fifth with Lafayette, just two games behind first-place Army.

Champion, who played 40 minutes for the Bison, contributed six points and three assists. She moved into fourth place on the Bucknell career assist list with 330 in her four-year career.

The Bison will begin a three-game road trip Saturday at Holy Cross. Tip off for the contest is 1 p.m. at the Hart Center. Bucknell lost 48-46 to the Crusaders at Sojka Pavilion last month. The two teams have split their last five meetings.