LEWISBURG, Pa. – Colgate offered a glimpse of the future with its best showing of the season.
 
The Raiders went toe-to-toe for three quarters against defending Patriot League champion and preseason 2018 pick Bucknell before succumbing 77-57 Sunday. The Bison closed the game on a 31-11 run after Colgate tied it at 46-all on a 3-point play by Keelah Dixon with 1:45 left in the third quarter.
 
The Raiders had matched buckets throughout the first half and more, twice rallying from seven-point deficits and scoring the final six points of the half to carry a 31-31 tie into intermission.
 
Colgate grabbed a 40-39 lead on Abby Schubiger's free throw line jumper with 4:48 left in the third, and then the teams traded baskets until Dixon's 3-point play made it 46-46.
 
Bucknell then scored the final four points of the third quarter to kick-start an 18-0 run that boosted their lead to 64-46 with 3:55 remaining. Colgate during that stretch missed 11 field goal attempts and two free throws.
 
No doubt the key to Colgate's strong showing Sunday was committing just six turnovers, including one in the opening 20 minutes. This from a team that entered Sunday's play averaging 19.6 turnovers for the season and 22.2 in five Patriot League games.
 
No Raider had more than one turnover in the game.
 
Schubiger led Colgate with a career-high 14 points on 7-of-12 shooting. Dixon and Summer King scored 11 points apiece, while Mylah Chandler was the rebounding leader with four.
 
Bottom Line
Bucknell 77, Colgate 57
 
Won-Lost Records
• Colgate dropped to 4-13 overall and 0-6 in the Patriot League.
• Bucknell improved to 10-7 and 4-2, moving into a tie for second place.
 
Facts & Figures
• Colgate in the first halves of its five Patriot League games before Sunday had committed 16, 11, 16, 15 and 16 turnovers.
• Sunday against Bucknell, the Raiders committed one in the opening 20 minutes. And they were tied 31-31 with the defending Patriot League champs.
• Colgate's first turnover of the game didn't occur until 4:19 left in the second quarter.
• Colgate's turnover total of six was its best of the season by far. The previous low was 14 against Brown.
• It's also the fewest miscues by a Colgate team since the Raiders committed six in a December 2013 win over Drexel.
• The team's season low last year was 10 in a February home win over Loyola.
• The 31-31 score was Colgate first halftime tie of the season.
• Schubiger's previous scoring high was 10 in last year's road win over Navy.
• Sunday marked Colgate's 12th different starting lineup in 17 games.
• The Raiders played just nine players – their fewest in a game this season.
• Haley Greer played a career-high 28 minutes, while Chelsey Koren (33), Chandler (30) and Schubiger (27) all saw season highs.
• Bucknell's 27 points were the most scored by a Colgate opponent in the fourth quarter this season.
• The Bison improved to 36-3 at home over the last three seasons, with the losses coming to Youngstown State, St. Bonaventure and St. Joseph's.

From the Source
• Head coach Bill Cleary (On the game) "I'm proud of them. Bucknell is a championship team and they you saw them raise their game in the fourth quarter. Had had some defensive lapses that we didn't have in the first three quarters, and Bucknell took advantage. We just lost our focus there in the fourth quarter.

"But we got better today. You saw what our team is going to look like next year, plus you add in four new recruits and also getting Rachel Thompson back. There's progress being shown."

(On the six turnovers) "That kept us in the game, taking care of the ball like that. It allowed us to play with energy and build momentum. We really played like a team today."

(On Schubiger) "I'm loving the progress she is showing. She's starting to string these games together and it just shows what a difference-maker she is for us when she's out there playing and having a good time. I couldn't be happier for her and for us."

Gate Grab Bag
• Attendance at Sojka Pavilion was 790.
 
Up Next
• Colgate is home Wednesday against Lehigh.
• The Mountain Hawks are 10-7 overall and 4-2 in the Patriot League after Sunday's 82-64 loss at first-place American.
• Tipoff is 7 p.m. from Cotterell Court, with the Patriot League Network and 94 WKXZ-FM carrying all the action.