LEWISBURG, Pa. – A solid second half and a dominant fourth quarter from the Bison had then surpassing the Eagles of the American University women's basketball team 65-50 on the road in Pennsylvania. Freshman Cecilia Kay's double-double wasn't enough to carry the Eagles to the win.
 
Inside the Box Score

• It was Kay's second double-double of conference play and third of her career with 15 rebounds and 16 points. It was a career high in rebounding for Kay, the previous marker being 12 at Holy Cross only one week prior. Her rebounds through the first half (13) were more than the entire opposing team (11).
• Ivy Bales had an impressive afternoon outing for the Eagles. Despite not scoring in double-digits, the graduate student guard tallied two rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two blocks, matching her career-high in blocks that hasn't been hit since the team played Navy in Feb. 2023.
• Bucknell's Ashley Sofilkanich who had just eight points and four rebounds in the first half led the way for the afternoon with an explosive second half that saw the sophomore finish with 29 points on 10-for-16 shooting. She led the Bison with 10 boards. She also had three assists, a steal, and three blocks. Two other Bison scored in double-digits, Reese Zemitis (11) and Sophia Sabino (10).

How it Happened

• The Bison started the game with back-to-back baskets before Ellie Pingree broke through and made a layup over the block, and at the 8:01 mark.
• The home squad went on to outscore the Eagles 8-4 over the next four minutes, taking a 13-6 lead into the media timeout at 4:17 in the first quarter. Bucknell went 3-for-4 from deep to extend their lead with three point baskets.
• American would hold for the last shot of the opening block, it would spin out, but on the rebound and resulting attempt, Kay got fouled and sank both free throws. American was down five, 17-12, through one.
• Kay opened the second quarter with her eighth rebound of the afternoon and then back-to-back-jumpers from Bales would cut into the Bucknell 8-point lead and have them down just four early in the second quarter.
• Freshman guard Madisyn Moore-Nicholson would tie the game at 22-all with 5:21 to go before halftime, but Bucknell would respond quickly with another shot from beyond the arc to reclaim their lead.
• The Eagles squad would come together and outrebound the Bison 25-11 in the first half, led by Kay with 13 of her own. Seven AU players had scored in the first half, led by Bales with 8 points and Kay with 6. Bales worked on stuffing her stat line early with a rebound, an assist, a steal, and a block–her first block of the season.
• The teams would head into the locker room tied 29-all.
• American opened the back half with a three point jumper from Kay but back-to-back triples on the other end saw the home team re-take their lead. And by the 4:57 mark of the penultimate frame, the Bison would be holding that three point lead thanks to small 7-3 run, going 3-for-3, before the media timeout.
• With one frame to play, Bucknell held a two-possession 48-43 lead over American. The Eagles were more efficient from beyond the arc, going 2-for-2 from deep while the Bison went 2-for-7, but the home team took 15 shots to American's 11 and made sure to remain effective.
• Halfway through the fifth, the Bucknell was fighting to maintain its lead. The Eagles were down seven, 52-45, with five minutes to play for it all. AU had only tallied two points at the midway mark of the frame, but Bucknell had only scored four.
• The game slipped away from the Eagles in the fourth quarter. Bucknell surged ahead, going on an 11-4 run through the first seven minutes of the final frame, American giving up four turnovers in that time to Bucknell's nil.
• The Bison would hold off American through the final few minutes as the clock wound down and claim their third conference win over AU, 65-50.

On the Horizon
The Eagles' squad has a quick turnaround and will be playing Loyola Md. on Monday, Jan. 13 in Baltimore, Md. Tip for that game is scheduled for 4 p.m. and will be broadcast nationally on CBS Sports Network.
 
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