TEANECK, N.J. – They needed that extra session to decide the game. Bucknell outlasted Fairleigh Dickinson in women’s basketball 61-60 in overtime Saturday at the Rothman Center.
We start by looking at the numbers of note:
| Bucknell | FDU | |
| Possessions | 76 | 78 |
| Offensive efficiency | 80 | 77 |
| eFG percentage | 32 | 32 |
| Free throw rate | 44 | 50 |
| Off. rebound percentage | 38 | 27 |
| Turnover rate | 24 | 22 |
Both teams struggled shooting from the floor. The major discernible difference was Bucknell’s size allowing for the advantage in offensive rebounding percentage. That size also helped afford the Bison a 28-10 edge in points in the paint.
FDU utilized athleticism and quickness to pressure and force Bucknell into 18 turnovers, which translated into a 24 percent TO rate. The FDU press sets up after scores, so that aforementioned difficulty in scoring negated a number of pressing opportunities. FDU scored the game’s first field goal, but did not hit their second until 11:30 remained in the first half as Kelsey Cruz drained a three-pointer.
The game-high scorer was Cruz of FDU with 16 points, while Tyler Craig paced Bucknell with 14 points.
One third (20) of FDU’s 60 field goal attempts were from three-point range. Still, the Knights were successful at getting to the free throw line. Interestingly, FDU shot 40 percent on three-pointers (8 of 20) and 25 percent (15 of 60) overall. Bucknell struggled from deep going 1 of 15 (7 percent).
FDU’s excellent post player Erika Livermore struggled, scoring 11 points on 3 of 13 shooting. The good news for the Knights was a 29-6 advantage in bench scoring.
FDU has dropped two straight games to fall to 1-2. Coach Aaron Roussell’s Bucknell club, playing their third consecutive game on the road to start the season, is now 2-1.
