Feb. 15, 2011

Complete Game Notes in PDF

EASTON, Pa. - Both wins in the Lafayette women's basketball team's current two-game streak have been home victories to split a Patriot League home-and-home series. To keep the streak alive on Wednesday night, the Leopards (11-14, 4-6 Patriot) will need to hit the road and avenge last month's loss to in-state foe Bucknell (7-15, 4-6 Patriot). The action from Sojka Pavilion in Lewisburg, Pa. tips off at 7 p.m.

In their last outing, the Leopards found themselves up against a second-half charge from Patriot League-leading Navy. Fueled by a career-high 20 points from senior co-captain Elizabeth Virgin, Lafayette held off the Midshipmen en route to a 58-53 victory. In addition to setting a personal standard, Virgin's 20 points mark the highest scoring output by the Leopard since Lauren Jackson tallied 21 in a win over Bucknell on Feb. 17, 2010.

Looking for back-to-back wins for just the second time this season, the Bucknell Bison enter the week at 7-15 overall and 4-6 in Patriot League play. Freshman Shelby Romine leads the Bison and ranks second in the Patriot League with 14.3 points per game. She is also among the league's top 10 in minutes played (38.4 mpg), assists (3.5 apg), three-point percentage (42.3 percent), three-pointers made (1.9 per game) and free throw percentage (73.5 percent). Joyce Novacek is the league's third-leading rebounder with 8.0 boards per game.

Solid defense and a furious rally in the final 90 seconds were not enough to erase a tough offensive second half for the Leopards on Jan. 19 against Bucknell. Lafayette started the second half shooting just 4-for-23 (17.4 percent) prior to the final charge as the visiting Bison escaped Kirby Sports Center with a 57-49 victory. Senior co-captain Lauren Jackson was the only Leopard in double figures with 10 points.

Lafayette leads 35-31 in a series that dates back to Feb. 19, 1977. Each team has displayed similar dominance at home, with the Leopards leading, 21-11, at Kirby Sports Center and the Bison holding a 20-11 advantage in Lewisburg. The series has been a split in each of the last three seasons, with Bucknell having taken six of the last 10 decisions. Each team has posted an eight-game winning streak at different junctures in the all-time series.

Bucknell is the Leopards' second most-frequent opponent with 66 all-time meetings, trailing only the 77 showdowns between Lafayette and Lehigh. Among non-conference opponents, Princeton is Lafayette's most frequent foe with 39 all-time meetings.

A LEOPARDS' WIN WOULD...
...mark a three-game winning streak
...top last season's Patriot League win total
...potentially move them as high as fourth place in the Patriot League standings