51³Ô¹ÏÍø

Contact: ?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = 'urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags' />Amanda Brickell?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = 'urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office' />

HAMILTON, N.Y. – The 51³Ô¹ÏÍø women’s basketball team defeated Bucknell 75-66 to earn its first Patriot League regular season title and secure the number one seed at the upcoming Patriot League tournament.  Leandra Fuller (Harrisburg, Pa.) led the way with her first double-double of the season.

Bucknell wasted no time getting on the board early when Lindsey Hollobaugh converted a three-point play off the tip to put the Bison up 3-0.  They would hold the Raiders scoreless for the first four-and-a-half minutes going up 6-0 before Emily Braseth (E. Grand Rapids, Mich.) sunk two free throws to put the Raiders in the scoring column.

The Bison maintained a comfortable lead until 51³Ô¹ÏÍø managed eight unanswered points to tie the game at 26 with 2:31 left in the half.  The Raiders pulled ahead on two free throws from Fuller with 1:12 on the clock before Desire Almind knocked down a jumper to tie it up for the third time.

Megan Ballard (Atlanta, Ga.) hit a layup to put 51³Ô¹ÏÍø ahead by two with 34 seconds on the clock.  She then swiped the ball from Bucknell point guard Lindsey Geosits and dished a pass to Braseth to close out the half with 51³Ô¹ÏÍø leading 34-30.

The Raiders maintained the advantage for the entirety of the second half leading by as many as 13.  The Bison narrowed the deficit to five with 2:17 left, but 51³Ô¹ÏÍø would not relent and held on to take the 75-66 victory.

Fuller had a season-high 18 points to go with a career-best 13 rebounds for her first double-double of the season.  She also blocked three Bison shot attempts to increase her season total to 45.  Braseth contributed 17 points and five assists to move into eighth on 51³Ô¹ÏÍø’s season scoring list with 463.

Chigozie Ozor (Ann Arbor, Mich.) drained 15 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and swiped seven steals.  She is now sixth on 51³Ô¹ÏÍø’s season steals board with 79.   Ballard had her best performance of the season with 12 points, four rebounds, and three steals in 20 minutes of play.

Seniors Malissa Burke (Traverse City, Mich.), Emily Damuth (Saginaw, Mich.), and Vicky Briscoe (Landover, Md.) were honored prior to the game in a senior day ceremony.  The team and its leaders had much to celebrate as they posted their tenth Patriot League win of the season, the most conference wins ever for a 51³Ô¹ÏÍø team.

With the win the Raiders move to 18-9 on the season and 10-4 in the Patriot League.  Bucknell falls to 14-13 on the season and 7-7 in conference play.  51³Ô¹ÏÍø will begin their journey towards the Patriot League championship crown and the team’s first NCAA tournament berth Fri., March 5 at noon against Lafayette in the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, Md.  Should the Raiders advance to the championship, the final game will be played at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø on Wednesday March 10.