March 23, 2008
Box Score
Bucknell Postgame Quotes 
Bucknell Postgame Notes
Norfolk, Va. - Bucknell fell to top-seeded North Carolina, 85-50, in the New Orleans Regional of the 2008 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament in the first round on Sunday at the Ted Constant Convocation Center. The Bison were making their second NCAA Tournament appearance in school history, also playing in the national tourney in 2002.
"I am proud of how the kids played to the final buzzer," said Bucknell Head Coach Kathy Fedorjaka. "The team represented Bucknell and the Patriot League very well."
Bucknell (16-16) produced the same amount of points in both halves with 25 in the first and second stanza. Down 48-25 heading into the second half, Bucknell first scored at the 18:43 mark on a basket by junior Amanda Brown, who put in another about two minutes later to make it 57-29. Bucknell added five points on a Lauren Schober three-pointer and a two-point bucket by senior Kristina Collymore at the 13:36 mark, bringing the game to 63-34. Freshman Cosima Higham sunk a free throw at both the 12:01 and 11:26 marks to make it 74-38. Higham scored the next two points for the Bison as well with a tip-in at 9:36.
The Bison ended the half with points from freshman Taylor Phillips, senior Kesha Champion and sophomore Le'Le' LeSeur. Collymore hit the last Bison bucket of the game with 1:18 remaining to bring it to the game's final score, 85-50.
Bucknell allowed North Carolina (31-2) to open the game on a 16-0 run, before junior Amanda Brown broke the scoreless span for the Bison with a bucket at the 14:44 mark. Baskets by Champion, freshman Joyce Novacek and senior Hope Foster made it 23-8 with 10:29 to go in the first stanza. Schober hit back-to-back three-pointers to put the Bison in double digits and make it a 21-14 game at the 8:22 mark.
The Bison tacked on 11 more points before the end of the first half, with North Carolina leading, 48-25. The Bison would last score at the 2:43 mark on a Novacek basket.
Champion, the Patriot League's Tournament MVP, is from nearby Chesapeake, Va., and finished the game with eight points, three rebounds and three assists.
"It was good to play near home before I graduated and to have my family and friends be able to watch me play again" said Champion.
Schober led the Bison with 13 points, including sinking three three-pointers. Collymore added eight points. Foster pulled down a team-high eight rebounds.
Bucknell earned the Patriot League's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament with its 57-45 win over Holy Cross in the League's tournament championship game on March 12. The Bison were the No. 5 seed and became the lowest seed in League history to be crowned conference tournament champion.
Game Notes
- The Patriot League drops to 1-16 all-time in NCAA Tournament games.
- The Patriot League falls to 0-3 in NCAA Tournament games played in Norfolk, Va.
- Bucknell is the only Patriot League team besides Holy Cross to make multiple NCAA appearances. Holy Cross has made 10 trips to the national tourney, while this year marked the second for Bucknell (2002 and 2008).
- Bucknell fell to Baylor in the 2002 NCAA Tournament First Round.
- Bucknell senior Hope Foster ended her career ranked first in Patriot League history in blocks (344), seventh in rebounds (904) and 33rd in points (1,256).
