Bucknell Women's Basketball Takes 61-40 Loss at Navy - BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE

Bucknell Women's Basketball Takes 61-40 Loss at Navy

Horbatuck Registers 13th Career Double-Double

Lindsay Horbatuck

Feb. 2, 2013

Box Score

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Lindsay Horbatuck (Avon, Conn./Avon) registered a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds but turnovers slowed Bucknell women's basketball's offense in a 61-40 loss to Navy at Alumni Hall on Saturday night. The Bison wrap up the first round of Patriot League play with a 13-9 record overall and at 4-3 in conference play.

As has been their curse in recent games, the Bison struggled to put together a clean offensive effort in the opening minutes. Bucknell turned the ball over six times in the first 10 minutes of play. That number totaled 10 at halftime, and Navy took advantage with eight points off those turnovers. Turnovers continued to plague the Bison throughout the game and they totaled 21 at the final buzzer.

Navy's 36-27 lead at the break was also thanks in part to its ability to work the ball in the paint. Whereas the Midshipmen's defense kept the Bison out of the interior and forced them into long jumpers, the reverse did not hold true, hurting Bucknell's scoring. Navy had more than twice as many points in the paint as Bucknell at halftime, many of those coming from Patriot League Preseason Player of the Year Jade Geif. Geif went into the break leading all players with 11 points.

Much of Bucknell's scoring came from farther out. Audrey Dotson (Vienna, Va./Flint Hill School) got the offense going with a jumper just inside the 3-point arc. Her next bucket, which gave the Bison a 5-4 lead, came from nearly the same spot but from one step back. Even Horbatuck got in on the action, hitting her first career 3-pointer, and Katherine Harris (Derry, N.H./Pinkerton Academy) had a pair of threes before halftime.

At the break, Bucknell was 11-for-25 (.440) overall and 5-for-11 (.455) from 3-point range. It did not have a free throw attempt.

Bucknell's fortune did not turn after halftime. The Bison were able to get the Mids' lead down to four at one point, but each time Navy was able to respond, often with a three. Navy used that long-range shooting to give it its first comfortable lead of the night just under the eight-minute mark. After Bucknell clawed its way to within 44-37, the Mids hit three consecutive 3-pointers. That took them Navy's lead to 50-38 with 7:51 left in the game.

Kara Pollinger had a pair of threes in that mini-run. The Navy guard finished with 16 points on the night, including 10 in the second half.

Bucknell began to get a few more looks in the paint after the break and Horbatuck benefited from the extra opportunities. The senior claimed her 13th career double-double and 30th career game with a double-figure rebounding total.

Despite Bucknell's progress earlier in the half, turnovers began to wreak havoc yet again as the game wore on. That kept Bucknell to just five made field goals in the second and held it scoreless over the final 7:28 of play.

Bucknell shot 5-for-25 (.200) in the second half and 16-for-50 (.320) for the game. Its 3-point field goal percentage dropped in the second half as well, blanking on 10 attempts and ending the night at 5-for-21 (.238).

Bucknell will have a full week off before it returns to the court. The Bison will host Army at 7 p.m. at Sojka Pavilion on Saturday, Feb. 9.