Feb. 20, 2008

Box Score
Box Score (PDF)

EASTON, Pa. - Four Bucknell starters netted double figures, including Hope Foster, who posted her 16th career double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, and the Bison used a 40-point first half to defeat Lafayette 68-45 in women's basketball action Wednesday night at Kirby Sports Center. Lauren Schober led Bucknell with 15 points, while Cristin Zavocki paced the Leopards with 13.

Bucknell ended a two-game losing streak and won a game by more than 20 points for the fourth time this year thanks to a 47-32 rebound advantage. Cosima Higham grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds in just 15 minutes off the bench, while Schober added seven. Bucknell's starting backcourt of Kesha Champion and Amanda Brown pulled down five apiece. No Lafayette player hauled in more than Vanessa Van De Venter's six boards.

A 12-0 run early in the first half was the key to the game for the Bison. They went from a 15-9 lead to 27-9 in a span of six minutes. A pair of 3-pointers by Schober keyed the run. Four of the five Bucknell starters contributed points during the spurt.

Lafayette drew no closer than 11 points the rest of the game, and could draw no closer than 12 in the first half. Bucknell ended the first half on a 7-1 run to bring a 40-22 advantage into halftime. The 18-point halftime cushion equaled the largest of the first half for the Bison, who tallied 40 points in the first half for the first time since netting 42 against Navy in the Patriot League opener.

Bucknell shot a sparkling 17 of 29 (58.6 percent) in the first half. All five starters connected on at least two field goals in the opening 20 minutes of play, including Brown, who was making her first start since Jan. 2 at Buffalo, and finished with 12 points in the contest. Lafayette was just 8 of 29 (29.6 percent) as Bucknell held a comfortable lead the entire game after taking a 6-0 lead in the first 1:17 of play.

The closest the Leopards could cut the lead to was 44-33 early in the second half. They did have numerous chances to pull to within 10, but Bucknell's defense that was led by Champion's three steals stopped them each time.

The final 23-point margin was the largest of the game as the Bison finished the contest on a 9-0 run. Lafayette did not manage a field goal in the final 4:47 of play.

Bucknell finished the game shooting a season-high 48.3 percent, while it held Lafayette to 26.8 percent.

Champion had a solid all-around game with 12 points and six assists to go with her five rebounds and three steals. She moved into third place on Bucknell's career assist list with 338.

Schober scored nine of her game-high 15 points on 3-pointers, including two during that important 12-0 run in the first half.

Lafayette's loss was its fifth in the last six games as it fell to 13-13 (5-6 Patriot League). Van De Venter joined Zavocki in double figures with 11 points. No other Lafayette player managed more than six.

With the win, Bucknell moved into fifth place in the Patriot League standings with a 6-5 league mark. It is now 11-14 overall.

The Bison will wrap up their three-game road trip Saturday at Colgate. Bucknell has won five consecutive regular-season games against the Raiders.