Bucknell Women’s Basketball is on an absolute tear, winning both of their games by an average of 27 points this past week.

In the team’s 73-37 victory over Loyola, senior captain Emma Shaffer ’23 scored 19 points to tie her career high as well as adding in 10 rebounds for her third double-double of the season. Shaffer also led the Bison in scoring with 14 points and nine rebounds in their win versus Navy. 

“We knew this was a very important week going into it and that we could win if we did what we needed to do,” Shaffer said. “Our practices were really focused on cleaning up mistakes we made previously and I believe that caused us to feel really upbeat and positive heading into the games.”

This stretch was key for the Bison, as the third through eighth seeds in the Patriot League are only separated by two games. This squad is well aware of the importance of home-court advantage in the Patriot League tournament, as their two home games last year helped propel them to the championship game. The majority of last year’s team returned, though encompassing vastly different roles this time around.

This season, Shaffer has been delivering consistently for the Orange and Blue. Shaffer is averaging a near double-double for the Bison, averaging 9.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, making her one of the most consistent interior presences in the Patriot League. Shaffer knew heading into the year that she would have to step up, and has fully embraced the new role. 

“Last year I was a starter but I didn’t feel the pressure to put up consistent scoring numbers like I do now; I was more focused on setting screens and getting rebounds,” Shaffer said. “This year, I knew I would have to step up considering we lost a large chunk of our offense with the seniors who graduated this past year. On the court I’ve had to be more aggressive and look for my shot more than past years, and also find the balance between doing that and getting my teammates involved. We have a young team, so I’ve had to step up as a leader and help our underclassmen adjust to the team culture and environment which has been awesome. We have a great group of players, so as long as we are consistent and believe in ourselves I think we can go far.” 

Shaffer and the Bison look to continue this momentum at Army on Feb. 4, which will be streamed on ESPN+.