Big Green Come Up Short at Bucknell

Friday, December 6

Lewisburg, Pa. / Sojka Pavilion

6:00 PM

Dartmouth College

3-4,0-0Ivy League

Bucknell

5-4,0-0Patriot

Dartmouth

Bucknell

12/6/2024 9:42:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Zeynep Ozel leads the Big Green with 15 points

By: Justin Lafleur

LEWISBURG, Pa. — For the second time in three days, the Dartmouth women's basketball team played a game that came down to the final seconds, but this time, the Big Green couldn't get over the hump in a 53-50 loss at Bucknell on Friday evening inside Sojka Pavilion. Trailing by six entering the fourth quarter, Dartmouth got as close as one, but the Bison wouldn't relinquish the lead.

Zeynep Ozel led the Big Green with 16 points, 13 coming in the first half. Victoria Page finished with 15 points, 10 coming after halftime. Ashley Sofilkanich led Bucknell with 17 points and 15 rebounds, but was held to 7-of-22 shooting by the Dartmouth defense.

Friday marked the first-ever meeting between Dartmouth and Bucknell, but it was the Big Green's second consecutive road game against a Patriot League opponent. The Bison victory was their fifth in a row.

Score: Bucknell 53, Dartmouth 50
Records: Dartmouth (3-4, 0-0 Ivy League), Bucknell (5-4, 0-0 Patriot League)
Location: Lewisburg, Pennsylvania (Sojka Pavilion)
Date: Friday, December 6, 2024
Attendance: 258

UP NEXT:

The Big Green continue a busy stretch when they return home to host UMass on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. in a game that will also be televised on NESN and ESPN+.

FIRST QUARTER: 

Big Green out to a quick 7-0 lead!! Five straight points from Zeynep Ozel forcing a quick Bucknell timeout.

Gameday Central ➡️ https://t.co/pBSWtSOzWG #GoBigGreen | #TheFutureIsGreen | #YOURFutureIsGREEN pic.twitter.com/iwaREpBA13
— Dartmouth Women's Basketball (@DartmouthWBB) December 6, 2024

It took just 2:30 of game action for the Big Green to open a 7-0 lead, as an Ozel 3-pointer forced a Bucknell timeout.
With Dartmouth leading 9-2, the Bison responded with an 8-0 run to take their first lead at 10-9.
The ensuing minutes saw two lead changes before eventually, a Page 3-pointer with 2:51 on the clock made the score 14-14. That proved to be the final scoring of the first quarter from either side.

SECOND QUARTER:

Neither team scored until 6:01 on the clock, extending the game's scoreless streak to 8:52.
The rest of the quarter was back-and-forth, with the Bison opening a pair of 3-point leads (17-14 and 19-16).
However, Ozel went on a personal 6-0 run behind a 3-pointer and old-fashioned 3-pointer play, giving Dartmouth a 22-19 lead with 2:12 on the clock.
Bucknell responded with the final seven points of the first half, including a layup as the first-half buzzer sounded to make the score 26-22.

THIRD QUARTER:

Dartmouth scored the first five points of the third quarter, but Bucknell answered with seven of the next nine to take a 33-29 lead after a Reese Zemitis three midway through the quarter.
An Olivia Austin layup with 3:59 on the clock marked Dartmouth's final points of the quarter as the Bison scored the final four points to take a 37-31 lead into the fourth.

FOURTH QUARTER:

Early in the fourth, Bucknell opened its largest lead of seven at 41-34 and 43-36, but the Big Green wouldn't go away.
Page hit a 3-pointer with 6:41 to go, then another with 4:22 remaining to pull Dartmouth within 45-42.
An Austin layup pulled the Big Green within one at 45-42.
Bucknell responded, but couldn't extend its lead beyond five.
Two Alexandra Eldredge free throws pulled Dartmouth within 53-50 with nine seconds remaining.
After a Bucknell turnover, Nina Minicozzi's 3-pointer at the buzzer wouldn't fall.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

Dartmouth finished at 31.1% from the floor (19-of-61), including 31.6% from 3-point range (6-of-19).
The Bison shot 39.6% (21-of-53) and 31.3% from behind the arc (5-of-16).
Ozel's 16 points marked a career high against a Division I opponent.
With her 15 points on Friday, Page has now scored 66 points over her last three games (22.0 average).
Ozel and Page each added three steals.
The Big Green held a 39-34 edge in rebounds, including 13 offensive boards, the fifth time this season they have been in double figures.

QUOTABLE:
Hear from Coach Cimino following the defeat.