LEWISBURG, Pa. – No. 10 Colgate shot lights out in the first quarter and maintained the lead for the remainder of the game to secure an upset 57–47 victory over No. 7 Bucknell at Sojka Pavilion in the Patriot League First Round game.
In the first quarter, the Raiders took a commanding 23–4 lead. Colgate shot 71.4 percent (10–14) and 60 percent (3–5) from beyond the arc.
The first-quarter surge was led by Ella Meabon, who scored 10 points, followed by Amarah Streiff, Madison Schiller, and Laila Hankerson, who combined for the additional 13 points.
The Raiders' success was fueled by a strong defensive effort that included 10 steals and forced 16 Bison turnovers. The duo of Streiff and Schiller combined for the team's steals. Each totaled new career highs, with Streiff snagging four and Schiller grabbing six.
Bucknell made a third-quarter run, but Colgate outscored the Bison 16–11 in the final 10 minutes by capitalizing on free-throw shooting to prevail and advance to the Patriot League quarterfinal game.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Colgate set the tempo early, with a dominating 11–0 opening sequence. In the opening six minutes, Meabon scored six points alongside Streiff's trey and Schiller's jumper, which also featured four Bison turnovers.
Bucknell finally got on the board seven minutes into the game with a layup. Undeterred by the basket, Colgate surged on another 10–0 run led by a pair of Meabon's jumpers and a 3-pointer from Hankerson and Schiller to lead 23–4.
To start the second, Meabon scored her 13th point of the game on a 3-pointer to push Colgate's lead to its largest of the game, 26–4. The Raiders went cold on offense for seven and a half minutes as the Bison found their rhythm.
Bucknell strung together an 11–0 run to cut the deficit to 11, but Schiller's late layup gave Colgate a 13-point cushion going into halftime, leading 28–15.
The Bison surged in the third quarter with three successful 3-pointers to trail 41–36 after 30 minutes of play.
Abbey Ferguson's 3-pointer and Schiller's jumper were key in keeping the Raiders' lead, but Bucknell maintained momentum.
The Bison wound down the third quarter with a 6–0 run to trail the game for the first time since the first quarter within a possession, 39–36. In the final seconds, Schiller scored a fast-break layup, ending the quarter with a score of 41–36 in favor of Colgate.
Meabon opened the final quarter with back-to-back jumpers, extending Colgate's lead to 45–38. Ferguson contributed a crucial 3-pointer, pushing the score to 48–43.
Despite Bucknell's efforts, including a 3-pointer, Colgate maintained its momentum with a layup from Grace Klag and solid free-throw shooting, sealing a 57–47 victory for Colgate.
NOTES
- Head coach Shannon Bush captured her first post-season win with the Raiders.
- Both Amarah Streiff and Madison Schiller notched career-highs in steals. Streiff with four as Schiller stole six.
- Ella Meabon shot 50-percent from the floor (9-18).
- The team will travel to No. 2 Holy Cross, head coach Shannon Bush's alma mater to face the Crusaders for the third time this season.
UP NEXT
No. 10 Colgate (7–23, 2–16 Patriot) advances to the Patriot League quarterfinals on a tight turnaround to face the No. 2 Holy Cross Crusaders in Worcester, Mass., for a 6 p.m. tip off at Hart Center Arena.
