Category: Basketball

Thomas Walter

Senior Writer

The 1000th game in program history ended with the women’s basketball team dropping its season opener to Pittsburgh 66-51 in Pittsburgh.

The Bison fell behind early and could not claw their way back against a tough Panthers squad. Audrey Dotson ’15 opened up her junior campaign with an impressive 23 points on 9-14 shooting and 14 rebounds to build on her strong sophomore season.

“Even though we lost against Pitt, I think our whole team is really excited about the rest of the season. We walked away from that game knowing that we have some things we need to work on before our next game, but all of the adjustments we need to make are totally fixable,” Dotson said. “We’re definitely going to keep pushing ourselves in practice to continue getting better for upcoming games.”

After losing Lindsay Horbatuck ’13 in May, the Bison will need to focus heavily on defending the glass this season. Dotson, the only proven forward returning, will be asked to lead the Bison assault on the glass.

“Lindsay Horbatuck was such a tough player and she is definitely missed. Her ability to dominate the boards is a gap that we are going to have to fill this year,” Dotson said. “Lindsay also had such a strong presence in the post, which is another area in which I am working to get better.”

The Panthers gathered an early 16-6 lead, and even though the Bison defense stifled Pittsburgh for several long periods of play, the Bison trailed by 13 at halftime. The Orange and Blue came out strong in the second half behind a pair of free throws by Dotson and a shot by Micki Impellizeri ’15 to cut the Panthers’ lead to nine, but the Bison never gained the lead.

Co-captain Shelby Romine ’14 netted eight points and had eight rebounds. Dotson, the other co-captain, was honored with the title earlier this season.

“My personal goal this season is to help lead the team as well as I possibly can. I’m honored that the team chose me as a co-captain, along with Shelby Romine, and we both take our roles very seriously,” Dotson said. “Whether it is cheering on my teammates or leading by example, I hope to help push the team to win a Patriot League Championship and achieve our true potential.”

The Bison have two major road games coming up. They will face Virginia Tech on Nov. 17, followed by a match against Penn State on Nov. 20.

Ajan Caneda

Copy Editor

The women’s basketball team experienced its biggest season turnaround in program history this year, clinching the sixth seed in the Patriot League tournament and pulling off a first-round upset against third-seeded American University on March 7 before being eliminated at Navy on March 11. First-year head coach Aaron Roussell led the Bison to a 15-16 overall record, along with a 5-9 record in Patriot League play.

“I was fortunate to be surrounded by a great staff and a team that was welcome to a change which helped tremendously. Once the season got going the transition was easy because we were back to just playing and coaching basketball,” Roussell said.

Shelby Romine ’14, the team’s leading scorer, garnered Second Team All-Patriot League honors. Fellow co-captain Lindsay Horbatuck ’13 was named to the Academic All-Patriot League team. Horbatuck, an Elementary Education major, has made the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll three times and is a member of the Dean’s List.

In their first-round matchup at American, the Bison knew they had a tall order, having fallen to the Eagles twice during the regular season. It was a different story in their third meeting, as the Orange and Blue staged another second half comeback to come away with the 46-43 victory.

Audrey Dotson ’15 finished with a game-high 17 points. The backcourt tandem of Romine and Alyssa Dunn ’13 added nine points each. League-leading rebounder Horbatuck controlled the glass with 16 rebounds to go along with four steals.

The Bison struggled in the first half, shooting 5-25 from the field and committing 14 turnovers that translated to 16 points for the Eagles. An early 11-0 run guided American to the 21-11 advantage at halftime.

A 16-2 opening run gave the Bison their first lead of the game at the 13:36 mark of the second half. Romine started and ended the run with a couple of three-pointers. Dunn scored consecutive baskets and Dotson added another three during the run to take a 27-23 lead. Katherine Harris ’15 continued the streak shooting with another basket from beyond the arc.

After American tied the game at 35, Dunn and Dotson created some breathing room for the Bison with consecutive baskets. The game would come down to the wire, as American nailed a three-pointer to cut the Bison’s lead to one with seven seconds left. Dotson was fouled and hit both of her free throws. American made one last attempt to force overtime, but the Eagles’ three-point attempt hit the side of the rim, allowing the Bison to claim the upset.

“We started off the game very slow, and we weren’t getting much offensively however we were holding them defensively. We came out the second half extremely strong and were able to go on a run that ultimately gave us the lead that we kept for the rest of the game. It was a huge upset that not many people were expecting,” Horbatuck said.

After the win, the Orange and Blue tried to convert another upset over second-seeded Navy, a team they defeated 55-48 on Senior Night. Unfortunately, the Bison could not duplicate their second half comeback from the previous round, eventually falling 60-48 in Annapolis, Md.

The halftime score was 26-13 in favor of Navy after it held the Bison to 5-24 shooting in the first half. The Orange and Blue stormed back in the second half when Dotson and Tyler Craig ’16 nailed consecutive three-pointers to cut Navy’s lead to four with 9:53 left. It would not be enough to overcome the Midshipmen, as Navy scored 10 unanswered points and carried a double-digit lead the rest of the way.

“It would be impossible to label this season anything other than a success. We surpassed just about everybody’s expectations, including many of our players. I am proud of our team and so happy that we were able to send our seniors out with some positive accomplishments and memories,” Roussell said.

Despite the loss, the team had a number of accomplishments to be proud of this season. Horbatuck, Dunn and Dotson were all named Bison Athletes of the Week. The Orange and Blue enjoyed a five-game winning streak early in the season, as well as a four-game win streak in conference play, including wins over Lehigh and Lafayette. The team also set the program’s new single-season rebounding record. Horbatuck is graduating second on that individual list as well.

“I think that this was one of the best seasons that I have been apart of and would not have changed my senior year one bit. My senior class has been through a lot because of the all the coaching changes that we have had throughout our four years. I am so thankful for my teammates, coaches, professors and most of all my parents for all the support they have provided me over the past four years,” Horbatuck said.

Joining Horbatuck and Dunn on the graduating stage are teammates Ashley Baxter ’13, Felicia Mgbada ’13 and Rachel Voss ’13.

In addition, Romine became the 20th member of the program’s 1,000 point club.

“This year we had more confidence and competitiveness. We came to each practice with a different attitude. Confidence is such a huge part of the game. I have extremely high hopes for next season,” Romine said. “Everyone is bought in and geared at achieving the same goal: winning a Patriot League Championship.”

Roussell also remains optimistic about the team next season, as he stresses the importance of continuing to improve.

“My goal is to always win the next game. Overall, we worked hard this year but there is another level of dedication that we can get to and it is our job as coaches to make sure our players want to get to that level,” Roussell said.

 

Ajan Caneda

Copy Editor

The women’s basketball team concluded its regular season with a remarkable 55-48 Senior Night victory over Navy in Sojka Pavilion on March 2. Seniors Ashley Baxter, Alyssa Dunn, Lindsay Horbatuck, Felicia Mgbada and Rachel Voss were honored before the game and all five seniors were in the starting lineup for the Orange and Blue.

With the win, the Bison clinched the sixth seed in the Patriot League tournament, finishing with a 14-15 overall record (5-9 in conference play).

“Senior Night brought a mix of emotions. Before the game, Coach [Aaron] Roussell told us that we had a chance to make that night one to remember and that simple realization really motivated us to fight hard for the result we all wanted so badly,” Dunn said.

Navy started the game with momentum from the three-point line, draining three straight shots from behind the arc to gain an 11-2 lead. Mgbada opened with seven straight points to keep the Orange and Blue within striking distance, and Audrey Dotson ’15 sunk a three-pointer to cap a 10-0 run for the Bison, giving them their first lead of the game.

“My mindset was that it was Senior Day, it might be the last time our fans get to see us play and a lot of people came out to support us. We started out slow, but once we got the nerves out and a little sweat going, there was no stopping,” Mgbada said.

The Bison continued to keep up the defensive pressure, holding Navy without a field goal in seven minutes of play. The Orange and Blue were down 26-23 at halftime, but shot 50 percent from the field (10-20), while holding the Midshipmen to 28.6 percent shooting (8-28) in the first half, including 5-18 from behind the arc.

“We knew that Navy was going to shoot a lot of threes, but we wanted to minimize those as much as possible while contesting the ones that they did get,” Dunn said. “As a team, we also focused on neutralizing their inside presence and we all did a great job making the game difficult for their post players in the paint.”

The Orange and Blue began the second half on an 18-6 run. Katherine Harris ’15 started the blitz with a three-pointer, while Dotson contributed eight points to build a 41-32 lead. Navy kept the game within single digits, but the Bison’s balanced effort guided them to the win.

Dotson was the leading scorer with 17 points on 7-8 shooting. Mgbada added 13 points and Horbatuck continued her strong post play with 11 points and 16 rebounds. Her 299 rebounds this season places her second on the program’s single-season rebounding list. After a strong performance by all three forwards, the Bison set a program record with 1,227 rebounds this season.

“Coach [Roussell] said to us before the game that this game has the chance to be a highlight of our career, winning a huge game on Senior Night. We all fed off of each other’s energy and when we started hitting shots in the second half there was no looking back from there. That game was a true example of a team effort,” Horbatuck said.

Two Bison players were recognized for their regular season achievements. Shelby Romine ’14 was named Second Team All-Patriot League, while Horbatuck received Academic All-Patriot League Team honors. Horbatuck led the Patriot League in rebounding (10.3 RPG) and Romine finished third in league scoring (13.4 PPG).

Ajan Caneda

Senior Writer

The women’s basketball team overcame a 14-point second half deficit to beat Holy Cross at home on Jan. 26, but the Bison weren’t as fortunate in their second meeting against the Crusaders, as they fell 57-49 in Worcester, Mass. on Feb. 23. At American, another double-digit first half deficit led the Orange and Blue to a 54-43 loss on Feb. 27. The Bison are 13-15 overall (4-9 in conference play) with one regular season game remaining.

Free throw shooting was the main source of offense for the Orange and Blue in the Holy Cross game. The Bison made seven of its first nine attempts at the line, while holding Holy Cross to a missed free throw in the first half. Despite the free throw discrepancy, the Crusaders were strong from the field, shooting 53.6 percent (15-28) in the first half. This led to a 31-18 Holy Cross lead at the break.

“We got ourselves into a rather large hole in the later part of the first half and early part of the second half. We were not able to consistently string together defensive stops and offensive scores until late in the second,” Alyssa Dunn ’13 said.

In the second half, Holy Cross built its lead up to 21 points, the largest of the game. The Orange and Blue chipped away at the deficit behind a 75 percent free throw showing in the second half (12-16). Audrey Dotson ’15, Katherine Harris ’15 and Rachel Voss ’13 each made two free throws within a four-minute stretch that stifled the Crusaders’ momentum. The effort would not be enough, as Holy Cross made 12 of its 30 field goal attempts in the second half.

“We fought back very well towards the end when we started playing more like ourselves, but we just weren’t able to get over that hump,” Dunn said.

Forwards Lindsay Horbatuck ’13 and Dotson led the Bison in scoring with 15 points and 10 points, respectively. They also combined for eight steals. Romine and Harris followed up with eight points each. The Bison held Holy Cross to just 1-3 from the free throw line, but the Crusaders controlled the tempo of the game with a 20-4 advantage in fast break points. 

Against American, the Eagles led the entire game. Horbatuck continued her dominance on the glass with 11 rebounds. Felicia Mgbada ’13 came off the bench, scoring eight points and pulling down eight rebounds. Tyler Craig ’16 added seven points.

The Bison were down 30-15 at halftime but fought back in the second half behind a 9-2 run that trimmed American’s lead to 10 with 3:36 remaining. Romine, who was scoreless in the first half, registered 11 points to keep the Orange and Blue in the game, but American’s balanced offensive attack guided them to the win.

“We are looking to gain some momentum to prepare ourselves for a competitive run in the league tournament and we have all the confidence in the world that we can turn things back around,” Dunn said.

The Bison close out their regular season Saturday night against Navy. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Sojka Pavilion. Seniors Ashley Baxter, Mgbada, Voss, Dunn and Horbatuck will all be honored before the game. 

Ajan Caneda

Senior Writer

The women’s basketball team had a solid start against Lafayette on Feb. 16, but the Leopards’ second half turnaround guided them to a 66-61 overtime victory over the Orange and Blue. After a low-scoring first half at Lehigh on Feb. 20, a late scoring run by the Mountain Hawks gave the Orange and Blue a 49-37 loss. The team is now 13-13 overall (4-7 in conference play) with three regular season games remaining.

Audrey Dotson ’15 scored nine points that led to a 13-9 start for the Bison. The Orange and Blue ended the half on a 20-5 run, leading to a 37-21 advantage at the break. Katherine Harris ’15 started the run with a jumper, while Lindsay Horbatuck’s ’13 free throw shooting and Shelby Romine’s ’14 two three-pointers cushioned the Bison lead.

The Leopards opened the second half with a 10-0 run. Dotson countered the blitz with back-to-back lay-ups to make it a 13-point game. Despite the effort, the Leopards scored 12 unanswered points. The Orange and Blue countered with a 6-0 run of their own and carried a 54-47 lead with 2:38 remaining.

“I think we went through too long of a scoring lull and allowed Lafayette to score the way they wanted to in the second half. They hit some important shots and made great plays and we needed to shut that down earlier in the half,” Dotson said.

Lafayette fouled Alyssa Dunn ’13 with seven seconds left in the game. She made one of two free throws to make it 55-53. Lafayette forced the game into overtime on a game-tying jump shot as time expired.

In overtime, Lafayette got its first lead of the game since the opening minutes of the game. The Bison were unable to regain the advantage, as they were outscored 11-6 in the extra period. Dotson led all scorers with 19 points. Romine was also in double figures with 11 points to go along with five assists.

Despite the Bison’s 16-point halftime lead, Lafayette’s 53.8 percent showing in the second half (14-26) propelled them to force overtime and claim the victory.

“The Lafayette game served as a reminder that the game isn’t over until the time runs out. In this league anybody can beat anybody and just because you have a lead doesn’t mean that the game is over,” Dotson said.

At Lehigh, the first half score was 18-8 in favor of the Mountain Hawks. The Bison offense was stronger in the second half, as they cut the lead to two with 4:31 left in the game. Unfortunately, Lehigh engineered a 12-2 run to steal the win. Romine led the Orange and Blue with 20 points, while Dotson scored 12 points and registered four blocks.

“I think in future games we need to keep focusing on our game plan and what we need to do to win games. We know that to win games we need to play our defense, outrebound our opponents and win the toughness battle,” Horbatuck said.

The Bison return to action on Saturday when they travel to Holy Cross before facing American in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 27.

Ajan Caneda

Copy Editor

Shelby Romine ’14 scored her 1,000th career point against Army on Feb. 9, but it would not be enough for the Bison to overcome an off shooting night, as they fell 44-35 in Sojka Pavilion. The Bison had a stronger offensive performance against Colgate but suffered a 58-51 loss to the Raiders on Feb. 13, dropping them to 13-11 overall (4-5 in conference play). Romine became the 20th member of the program’s 1,000 point club, a feat that was last accomplished during the 2008-2009 season.

“I feel honored. People look at the 1,000th point milestone as a personal achievement, but I couldn’t have gotten there without my teammates, coaches and parents who motivate me to put the work in. I’m extremely thankful because without them I could have never reached this goal,” Romine said.

During the game, both teams experienced offensive struggles, but the Orange and Blue came away with a 19-17 edge at the break. Romine scored 10 of her 16 points in the first half. Neither team got beyond a four-point advantage due to shooting woes from both squads.

“Now that we are in the second round of Patriot League play, I expect scores to be lower because everyone knows our strengths and weaknesses. We need to find ways past that,” Romine said.

In the second half, Felicia Mgbada ’13 scored a lay-up that gave the Bison a 22-19 lead. After Army regained the advantage, Rachel Voss ’13 and Katherine Harris ’15 made consecutive baskets to claim a two-point lead. Unfortunately, Army closed the game on a 20-9 run, including two key three-pointers and successful late game free throw shooting.

“I think offensively we were all a little off that game. That being said, however, we can’t allow ourselves to go through scoring lulls like we did and we are working on fixing that in practice. I also think Army executed their defensive plan very well which added to our scoring drought,” Audrey Dotson ’15 said. “On a positive note, the fact that we could hold Army to such a small number of points is a credit to our defense and hard work.”

Neither team had a strong shooting night, as the Bison shot 26.7 percent from the field (12-45), while Army made 26.2 percent (16-61) of its shot attempts.

Against Colgate, the Orange and Blue had double-digit performances by Alyssa Dunn ’13, Mgbada and Romine. The Bison relied on their free throw shooting early but missed free throw opportunities in the second half allowed the Raiders to pull ahead late and clinch their first conference win. Mgbada had 14 points, seven rebounds and two blocks, Dunn scored 14 points of her own and Romine continued her balanced play with 11 points and seven assists.

“In the next game, and in the games left in the season, we are really going to try and be more aggressive on offense even when our shots aren’t dropping as well as keeping up our defensive pressure,” Dotson said.

The Bison will face two conference rivals at home, as they battle Lafayette Saturday night and Lehigh on Feb. 20. Tip-off for both games is scheduled at 7 p.m. in Sojka Pavilion.

Ajan Caneda

Senior Writer

After staging two consecutive second half comebacks, the women’s basketball team couldn’t replicate the same performance against Navy, suffering a 61-40 defeat in Annapolis, Md. on Feb. 2. The Orange and Blue dropped to 13-9 overall, finishing the first half of Patriot League play with a 4-3 conference record.

Turnovers hindered the Bison in the first half as they gave up the ball six times in the first 10 minutes of play. The Orange and Blue did most of their scoring outside of the paint with all five of their three-pointers coming in the first half, including two from Katherine Harris ’15. Unfortunately, Navy kept pounding the ball inside, outscoring the Bison 22-10 in the paint. The score was 36-27 at the break.

“In both of our last two games we’ve dug ourselves a hole at the beginning that proved too hard to get out of. Both American and Navy pressured us and forced us into making more turnovers than we would like to at the beginning of the game,” Harris said.

Navy eventually regained a 10-point lead early in the second half, but the Bison were determined not to let the game slip away from them, as forwards Felicia Mgbada ’13 and Lindsay Horbatuck ’13 scored consecutive baskets to trim the lead to six. After a Navy three-pointer, the same duo scored two lay-ups to make it 41-37 with less than 10 minutes left in the game.

Mgbada scored the Bison’s final points on a lay-up, as Navy’s defense held the Orange and Blue scoreless in the last 7:27 of the game.

Horbatuck recorded her 13th career double-double and her 30th career double-digit rebounding game with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Audrey Dotson ’15 had nine points and six rebounds, while Shelby Romine ’14 finished with eight points and five rebounds. Harris and Mgbada scored six points each.

Points in the paint and points off turnovers stifled the Bison offense as they were outscored 32-20 and 16-4 in those categories, respectively.

“The good thing is that now we have a week to prepare ourselves for the second round of Patriot League play. Now that we have seen every team once, we know we need to focus on the little things and make sure we are coming out completely prepared to go up against what every team is going to throw at us,” Harris said.

The Orange and Blue will look to gain back some momentum, as they host Army tomorrow at 7 p.m.

Ajan Caneda

Senior Writer

Although the women’s basketball team put up a valiant second half effort, it was not enough to negate American’s first half blitz, as the Bison fell 66-58 in Sojka Pavilion. The loss snapped the Orange and Blue’s four-game winning streak, which was topped off by a narrow 62-59 home victory against Holy Cross. They dropped to 13-8 overall with a 4-2 record in conference play.

Against Holy Cross, the Bison overcame a 14-point second half deficit to escape with the win. With 7:32 left in the game, the Bison staged a 20-3 run resulting from a strong effort on the defensive side of the court.

“We stayed positive by doing what we knew we could do and not worrying about what already happened,” forward Felicia Mgbada ’13 said. “As a senior, I want more than anything for my team to be successful and I am willing to do what it takes to make that happen.”

Although Holy Cross maintained a slim edge in the first half, the Orange and Blue gained their first lead of the game on a jumper by Shelby Romine ’14 with 7:15 to go in the half. Holy Cross eventually pushed its lead up to six points and held the Bison without a field goal for over three minutes. The half ended on a Crusaders jumper that gave them a 30-24 lead at the break.

“We knew going into the second half that we had to pick up our energy, and although it took us a while to play like we normally do, we finally got it together to pull out the win,” Audrey Dotson ’15 said.

After falling behind by 14 points, Dotson scored eight points en route to a 14-0 Bison run. Mgbada scored four of her 11 points on that run. Holy Cross answered back with a three-pointer at the 2:05 mark to take back the lead, but Katherine Harris ’15 countered with a three of her own to even the score.

The Bison continued displaying their stout defense, as Alyssa Dunn ’13 made a key block with 46 seconds left. Mgbada was eventually fouled and made two free throws to make it a two-point game. After another defensive stop, Holy Cross fouled Lindsay Horbatuck ’13. She made one of two free throws to give the Bison a 62-59 lead that would hold up after the Crusaders missed a potential game-tying three pointer at the buzzer.

“I think our increase in pressure on the defensive end helped us gain the momentum to win that game. Once we started playing defense and rebounding like we normally do, our offense started to really pick up,” Dotson said.

Dotson finished the game with 14 points and six rebounds. Dunn scored 11 points, while Horbatuck grabbed 13 rebounds.

“In conference, games are always closer no matter what the rankings of the two teams, and I think the fact that we’ve been able to stay so composed in those situations in the past few games was a major factor in our comeback on Saturday,” Harris said.

In the game against American, the Bison fell behind 23-4 early on but were able to cut the lead to 54-53. Unfortunately, the Eagles scored 21 points off 24 Bison turnovers. Romine scored 23 points, while Dotson had a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds. Horbatuck pulled down 16 of the team’s 42 rebounds.

The Orange and Blue will travel to Annapolis, Md. Saturday night to face Navy.

Ajan Caneda

Senior Writer

On Jan. 23, the Bison won their third consecutive game in convincing fashion, defeating Lehigh 53-37 in Bethlehem to improve to 12-7 overall and 3-1 in conference play. Shelby Romine ’14 finished with 18 points and six rebounds, while Alyssa Dunn ’13 scored 13 points. The Orange and Blue held Lehigh to a .207 shooting percentage, the lowest by an opponent this season. They have now defeated Lehigh in two of their last three meetings.

After forward Audrey Dotson ’15 made a game-winning jumper against Colgate on Jan. 16, the Bison got another clutch performance from Lindsay Horbatuck ’13 who made two free throws with two seconds to go, lifting the Orange and Blue to a 50-49 win at Lafayette on Jan. 19.

“I thought our team handled their run with poise, especially in the last minute. They were knocking down shots, but we stayed composed and were able to finish it,” Romine said. “The past two games have been great learning experiences on how to handle pressure situations.”

The Orange and Blue ended the first half with a 26-19 lead as they locked the Leopards down defensively, holding them to 20.0 percent from the field (7-35). It was 17-17 at the 4:08 mark before the Bison scored nine unanswered points. Alyssa Dunn ’13, Katherine Harris ’15 and Horbatuck all contributed to the run before the Leopards answered with two free throws to end the half.

A Romine three-pointer gave the Bison their first double-digit lead of the game with 15:29 to go. Back-to-back jumpers from Harris and Romine bolstered the lead to 40-25, the largest of the game. Unfortunately, Lafayette held the Orange and Blue without a field goal for over seven minutes and trimmed the deficit to four with 5:37 to go. Dotson and Romine made consecutive baskets to stifle the Leopard run, but the lead was eventually cut to two with under a minute left.

After Romine missed the back end of a one-and-one, Lafayette had a chance to tie or win the game, but Horbatuck came away with a steal and forced the Leopards to foul. She hit both free throws to make it a two-possession game and seal the victory.

“When thinking back about the game, I think that the team kept very composed throughout the last few minutes of the game,” Horbatuck said. “Part of our identity this season is our defense and we knew that in the last few minutes of the game, we were going to win the game by playing our defense and shutting them down.”

Horbatuck finished the game with 11 points and seven rebounds. Romine had 14 points and seven rebounds, while Dotson ended the night with a double-double of 10 points and 12 rebounds.

“Personally, what helped me keep my composure during the Lafayette game was to remind myself that there was a reason we were up the whole game and that we deserved to win,” Dotson said. “This year our team has really tried to shift our mentality so that we go out and win instead of going out and ‘not lose.’”

The Bison’s next contest will be against Holy Cross tomorrow at 2 p.m. in Sojka Pavilion.

Ajan Caneda
Copy Editor

After stumbling to a 0-2 start, the women’s basketball team bounced back to win its first game of the season against Canisius 59-50, giving head coach Aaron Roussell his first win as Bison head coach. On Nov. 21, the Orange and Blue carried that momentum back home, where they defeated Niagara 77-69, behind Alyssa Dunn’s ’13 career-high 23 points.

The Bison outscored Niagara 36-20 in the first half. Lindsay Horbatuck ’13 showed her balanced attack once again, scoring 10 points and pulling down eight rebounds in the half. The Orange and Blue got contributions from many members of the team during a 15-4 run that pushed the lead to 12 with 6:38 left in the half. Shelby Romine ’14 dished one of her four assists to Dunn who scored a lay-up to build the lead to 20. The Bison shot 41.2 percent (14-34) from the field to carry a double-digit lead into halftime.

“Something that has been very evident in our last three games is our team’s work ethic. Every night that we go out on the court, we vow to outwork and outhustle our opponents,” Horbatuck said.

In the second half, Niagara fought back to eventually cut the lead down to four with 3:13 left in the game. This arose from a 25-9 run that saw the Purple Eagles nail five three-pointers. It would not be enough to hold down the Bison, as Romine and Dunn combined for 14 of the last 15 points for the Orange and Blue to seal the win.

Despite the late Niagara run, the Bison never trailed in the game. Their 77 points is the most they have scored since Feb. 2011. Dunn also had a career-high six assists to go along with her 23 points and went a perfect 3-3 from three-point range and 8-8 from the free throw line, while Horbatuck had a double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds.

“During the last three games, I think we really came out strongly as a team. Even when we went through rough spots, we persevered and turned things around quickly. Above all else, we never doubted that we could win,” Dunn said.

Following the win, the Bison bested Morgan State 72-64 in Baltimore, putting them over .500 for the first time since the 2008-2009 season.

The game got off to an early start when a Morgan State technical foul led to a free throw by Romine right before the opening seconds of the game. A pair of free throws by Horbatuck capped a 9-0 start for the Bison. The Orange and Blue led for most of the first half, but the Bears eventually regained a one-point lead at the break.

Even with a 4:03 field goal drought in the second half, Sheaira Jones ’16 scored a lay-up to take the lead that the Bison never relinquished to pick up a win against the Bears. Dunn, Romine and Felicia Mgbada ’13 each scored in double figures, while Audrey Dotson ’15 and Horbatuck each had nine points to go along with a combined 20 rebounds. The Bison out-rebounded the Bears 53-33.

“One of the little things includes rebounding, which I think my team has excelled at recently. Getting offensive boards turns into second chance opportunities and getting defensive boards turns into transition which is a huge part of our offensive game,” Horbatuck said.

The Bison continued their early season dominance with a fourth straight win over Mount St. Mary’s. Dunn and Romine each finished with 11 points, while Jones had a near double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds. The Bison led by 10 at halftime, a lead that would be cut down to two in the second half, but Dunn and Katherine Harris ’15 made two key three-pointers down the stretch that lifted the Bison to the 55-43 win.

The Bison look to extend their win streak, as they face Buffalo tomorrow at 7 p.m. in Davis Gym, followed by a match-up at Penn on Dec. 3.