The Bison women’s basketball team recorded a strong road win on Feb. 21 with a balanced offensive showing against the Terriers of Boston University. Four women scored in double figures for the Orange and Blue, allowing the team to enter into a four-way tie for third place in the Patriot League standings with Holy Cross, Navy, and Lehigh. The win also marked the team’s 17th this season (17-10) which is the highest win total for the Women’s Basketball Program since the 2006-07 season and the most victories under third-year Head Coach Aaron Roussell.

Jacquie Klotz ’18 led the way for her squad, tallying 19 points and 10 boards, marking her third double-double in five games. Other double figure scorers were Megan McGurk ’17, Claire DeBoer ’17, and Audrey Dotson ’15, all of whom racked up 13 points.

The teams went to the locker room after a rather uneventful defensive struggle of a half, with a 19-15 score in favor of the Bison. Although trailing, Boston ended the first half with nearly all momentum, as they held the visiting Bison scoreless for the final 9:48 of the half while going on a 12-0 run to cut what was a 16 point deficit to only four. Klotz contributed nine points in the opening half of action and was helped out with five points from Dotson.

It truly was a tale of two halves for both squads, as the offenses burst out in the second half. Notable second half performers for the Bison were McGurk who racked up all of her 13 points, DeBoer with 12 of her 13 points as she went 3-3 from the field in the half, and Klotz who shot a perfect 4-4 in the final 20 minutes of the contest. As a team, Roussell’s women boasted a 74 percent shooting percentage from the field in this half.

While the Bison defense held Boston to 22 percent shooting and 0-for-7 from three in the first half, they gave up 45 points in the second half on 64 percent shooting to the Terriers, both season worsts. Boston never cut the lead slimmer to four however, as their offensive spurts were always countered.

Dotson’s 13 points on the day gave her 1,239 career points as a Bison, moving her into sole possession of the 13th spot on the all-time scoring list. She now sits just five points from tying Kate Franks (1999-2003) for 12th.

On Feb. 25 the Bison women took to the floor at Sojka Pavilion for the final time in the regular season and extended their winning ways to three games with a 69-61 victory over in-state and in-conference rival, Lehigh.

The Orange and Blue boasted another well-balanced offensive effort, with four scorers in double figures. These women included Klotz (18), McGurk (10), DeBoer (14), and Dotson (19).

Dotson’s scoring effort was the most notable of the night, as she was able to continue her ascent in Bison scoring history with 1,258 career points.

The win was vital to the Orange and Blue’s standing in the Patriot League, as it put them alone in the third position in conference standings as they head into their final regular season contest against first-place American. Lehigh got as close as within four points behind Aaron Roussell’s team with five minutes remaining, but the Orange and Blue managed a comfortable lead from start to finish in this one, cruising to a six point lead at the halfway mark (28-22). Another potent offensive second half from both teams followed, with the Bison defense letting up a little bit yet again.

The women hit the road again on Feb. 28 to square-off against American before the Patriot League Tournament begins on March 6.