The American University women's basketball team remained tied for first in the Patriot League standings with a 66-58 victory at Bucknell on Wednesday night.

Alexis Dobbs tallied a team-high 17 points, hitting five three-pointers including four in the second half. Stephanie Anya posted a season-high 12 points, going a perfect 6-for-6 from the charity stripe, while Geleisa George scored in double-figures for the seventh straight game with 12 off the bench. Anya led the team with eight rebounds. Dobbs tallied a team-best four assists with four steals. 

"Bucknell is a very good team so for us to come in here and have some success bolsters our confidence and gives us something to feel good about," said Head Coach Matt Corkery. "We just want to try to keep figuring out ways to get better...I'm definitely proud of the effort and proud of the execution of the plays that we made to win the game."

American (12-8, 5-1) jumped out of the gate early, taking a 23-4 lead with 9:38 left in the first half after three straight steals by the Eagles' defense. The Bison responded with an 11-2 run to make it a 10-point game with 5:40 to play and cut it to 27-18 on a bucket from Audrey Dotson. Anya posted four straight points to put the Eagles back on top by double-figures with 2:18 remaining. Bucknell closed out the half outscoring American, 8-5, as the Eagles went into the break up 36-26. 

American outshot Bucknell 46.9 to 36.0 percent from the field with the Bison holding the advantage from beyond the arc, 33.3 to 14.3 percent. The Eagles forced 14 Bucknell turnovers in the first half, coming up with eight steals.

Dobbs opened the scoring in the second half with a triple and added another just a minute and half later for the 44-28 advantage at the 18:05 mark. The Bison used an 11-3 run to make it a six-point contest, 49-43, with 11:48 remaining, but Dobbs hit her fourth trey of the half to put the Eagles on top by nine. 

Bucknell (13-8, 4-2) continued to battle back, tallying seven straight points to cut American's lead to two before tying it at 54 after Lindsay Horbatuck went 1-of-2 from the foul line. Back-to-back buckets from George and Michelle Holmes gave American a four-point cushion, but Horbatuck cut it to a two-point game again from the charity stripe. George drove it in to make it a two possession game and a Bison turnover with 52.0 seconds left gave the Eagles back the ball. American closed out the game going a perfect 6-for-6 from the line on its way to a 66-58 win.

Shelby Romine led all scorers with 23 points, going 3-for-5 from three-point range, while Dotson posted a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Horbatuck registered a game-high 16 rebounds with nine offensive boards. Romine also finished with six assists and Dotson added four steals. 

The Eagles finished the day outshooting Bucknell, 41.4 to 38.2 percent from the field. The Bison outshot American from beyond the arc, 35.7 to 27.8 percent. The Eagles were nearly perfect from the foul line, going 13-for-14 on the day. Bucknell held the 42-29 advantage in rebounds, but its 24 turnovers translated to 21 points for the Eagles.

American continues its road trip when it travels to Lafayette on Saturday, February 2 at 2 p.m. to close out the first half of Patriot League play. The game will be broadcast live on Patriot League All*Access.