Box Score LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell outscored Fairleigh Dickinson 45-26 in the second half to erase the Knights (1-5) nine point halftime advantage to earn the 72-62 win.
The Bison (5-3) were plus-10 in the third quarter, including opening the period on an 8-0 run to get within a point, and were plus-nine in the fourth quarter keep the Knights at bay.
"We did such a great job in the first half of controlling the tempo [of the game] and defending", said head coach
Peter Cinella afterwards. "We have to find a way to slow down the game when a team speeds up the pace as much as Bucknell did in the third."
Kelsey Cruz (Chester, Va./Lloyd C. Bird) led all scorers with 23 points (7-of-21). The senior guard added two assists and a steal before fouling out.
Erika Livermore (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth Area) and
Brianna Thomas (Baldwin, N.Y./St. John the Baptist Diocesan) were also in double figures, 12 and 10 respectively, for the Knights.
Jacquie Klotz led the Bison with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Kyi English and Catherine Romaine scored 13 and 14 each for Bucknell.
Kaitlyn Slagus hit two free throws to give the Bison their first lead since the opening quarter at 46-44 in the third. Two free throws by Cruz tied the score at 49 before Claire DeBoer made one-of-two free throws with less than a second to play and gave Bucknell a 50-49 lead at the end of three.
The Bison then opened the fourth quarter on another 8-0 run to take a nine-point lead at 58-49. The Knights fought back to get within five at 60-55 after a Thomas jumperbut got no closer.
Fairleigh Dickinson shot 44-percent from the field (13-of-29) to take the nine-point lead into the break. In the second half, however, the Knights shot 29-percent (9-or-31). Off the bench,
Anastasia Williams (Central Islip, N.Y./St. John the Baptist Diocesan) had seven points and 10 rebounds.
The Knights return to action on Sunday at 4 p.m. when they visit West Virginia in Morgantown, West Virginia.
