LEWISBURG, Pa. ? Behind 18 points from junior guard Shanae Baker-Brice, the Towson basketball team defeated Bucknell 62-51. The Tigers improved to 5-0 on the season and matched the best start in the program's Division I history (2006-07).
A free throw by Bucknell's Cosima Higham at 15:04 of the first half gave the home team an early 7-3 advantage. The two teams would then go the next three minutes without a basket by either side. Sophomore forward Dovile Miliauskaite broke the scoring drought with a lay-up as 12:39. She was fouled on the play and converted the free throw to pull her team within one at 7-6. Twenty eight seconds later, Baker-Brice would sink a three-pointer to give the visitors their first lead in the contest, 9-7. With the scored tied at 9-9, a lay-up by Miliauskaite at 11:36 ignited an 8-2 run that put Towson on top 19-11 with 9:46 to play in the half. Miliauskaite had four points during the run while Baker-Brice and junior forward Kandace Davis each contributed three apiece. The two teams traded baskets over the next several minutes before a lay-up by Joyce Novacek with 3:48 to play in the half made it a 24-21 game. Towson scored eight of the final 12 points in the half to take a 32-26 lead into the half. Freshman guard Krystin Fields scored the final four points of the half for the Tigers.
Towson scored 13 points off turnovers in the first half and got 21 points from their bench.
Senior guard Brandy Black scored the first four points of the second half to extend the Tiger lead to 36-26. Bucknell scored 8 of the next 10 points to make it a 38-34 game with 13:16 to play. The Bison cut their deficit to three at 11:37 on a three-pointer by Lauren Schober. Towson scored the next six points including four by Davis to increase their advantage to 46-37 with 9:30 to play. The two teams traded baskets over the next couple of minutes before Novacek's lay-up at 6:36 made it a 49-46 game. Towson closed the game on a 13-5 run for the 62-51 victory.
Baker-Brice hit double figures in the scoring column for the fifth straight game, notching 18 points to go along with six rebounds, eight assists and seven steals. Davis knocked down 11 points including eight in the second half. Black making her first start of the year scored seven points. Miliauskaite had seven points, seven rebounds and two blocked shots.
Amanda Brown led all players with 22 points while adding seven assists. Novacek had 17 points and eight rebounds while Le'le' Leseur tied Novacek with eight rebounds in the contest.
The Tigers are back in action on Saturday, December 6 against cross-town rival UMBC at 7 p.m.
