Box Score

LEWISBURG, Pa. – Colgate turned in not one but a pair of double-digit comebacks here Wednesday night.

Yet those efforts weren't quite enough to produce the first Patriot League road victory of the Nicci Hays Fort coaching era. Bucknell's Audrey Dotson scored the final two of her game-high 14 points as the buzzer sounded to edge the Raiders, 53-51.

“It's disappointing because we had opportunities,” said Hays Fort, whose debut team was 5-9 in conference last year but 0-7 away from home. “We fought back; we didn't quit. It's just that we have to be able to make plays.”

Colgate made enough of them to rally from 10 points down in the first half and 11 behind in the second. The Raiders trailed 47-36 with 13:28 remaining before holding the Bison to just six points the rest of the way.

And still that wasn't enough because Colgate shot just 21.6 percent from the field for the second half and 26.6 percent for the game.

For Hays Fort, the questions keep piling up.

“What are we? What are we going to be known for? How are we going to make baskets? We're still trying to find that, still going through our identity right now,” she said.

3-Pointer Ties It
A game of extreme runs resulted in just two lead changes and three ties. The last of those knots came at 51-all when Jhazmine Lynch nailed a 3-pointer from the top of the key with exactly 1 minute remaining. Lynch was one of four Colgate players to finish with 10 points in the game.

After the teams exchanged empty possessions, Bucknell's winning play came in the final 7.3 seconds. Shelby Romine took an inbounds pass and dribbled right of the lane, where she stopped and found Dotson inside the free-throw stripe. Dotson let it fly immediately and the horn sounded just before the ball swished through the net.

Officials reviewed the play to make sure the shot beat the buzzer, but the play correctly stood and Colgate dropped to 0-2 in the Patriot League and 6-10 overall. Bucknell improved 1-1 and 10-7.

“We did a good job on defense on that last possession,” Hays Fort said. “We knew Romine was going to make a play and we cut her off. We just didn't rotate.”

Kelly Reid and Josie Stockill both scored six of their 10 points in the second half to rally the Raiders, who trailed 33-32 at intermission. Missy Repoli also had 10 for Colgate, including her first made 3-point baskets since Dec. 16 at Niagara.

The Raiders trailed 24-14 in the first half before putting together an 18-2 run for a 32-26 advantage. Five different Colgaters found the net during that stretch, with Repoli scoring five, Stockill and Lauryn Kobiela four apiece, Carole Harris three and Reid two.

But Bucknell answered with the half's final seven points over the last two minutes, and then scored the first four after the break for a combined 11-0 spurt of its own that made it 37-32.

The Bison lead increased to 47-36 before Colgate mounted its comeback. Reid scored twice on the inside, as did Stockill, to make it 47-44 with 7:23 left. Bucknell pushed the advantage back to 51-46 with 5:27 to play, but Colgate's defense held the hosts scoreless until the final tick. Stockill scored on the inside to draw Colgate within 51-48 with 3:33 showing before the final heroics commenced on both sides.

“We took care of the ball tonight; just 10 turnovers, which was huge for us,” Hays Fort said. “But we've got to find a way to focus, find the rim and make shots.

“It's tough because this would have been a nice road win for our team and our first Patriot League win. It would have been nice.”

Filling the Void, Not the Basket
Baskets were at a premium in the second half, when the teams combined to make just 17 of 73 field goal attempts. Colgate won the rebound column 51-47, led by Reid's 11 for her first career double-double.”

“We really have to step up because Lulu (Brase) was big for us with her scoring and rebounding,” said Reid, who appears to be recovering nicely from a high-ankle sprain to start the season. “We have a void we have to fill, and Josie's doing a great job as well.”

Reid was referencing Brase, who started the first 14 games at center but is out for the season with a knee injury.

“We're still trying to find our way a little bit without Lulu in the game,” Hays Fort said. “Kelly Reid's still not 100 percent and she played so well. She had the double-double along with a couple of steals, a couple of blocks – that's a pretty good line.”

Next for Colgate is the Patriot League home opener Saturday against Lehigh. Start time is 4 p.m. at Cotterell Court. Last year in Hamilton, the Raiders snapped a 13-game overall losing streak to the Mountain Hawks with a 77-71 win.

“Lehigh is really good and there's a reason they've won the league so many times,” Hays Fort said. “This group of players does not have a lot of wins against Lehigh, and our players want to be where they are.”

Reid agreed, adding, “Tonight was a tough loss and we played our hearts out. But Lehigh will be a big game for us and everyone now is really looking forward to that one.”