Hardy and Wilson Help Power Army to Victory

LEWISBURG, PA. – The Army West Point women’s basketball team (8-10, 5-3 PL) extended its win streak to four games, defeating the Bucknell Bison (5-14, 2-6 PL) on Saturday afternoon by a score of 75-66. The story of the game was Army freshman Taylor Wilson, who scored a career-high 18 points and sank five three-pointers to lead the Black Knights to a victory on Head Coach Missy Traversi’s birthday.

Army sophomore guard Reese Ericson nailed a corner three-pointer to kick off the scoring for both teams as play began. Army raced out to an early 11-4 lead, that featured two baskets by another freshman standout, Kya Smith. The Bison answered the Black Knights’ quick sprint out of the gate to tie the game at 12 a piece, as Bucknell’s Ashley Sofilkanich scored eight of the Bisons’ first 12 points.

Bucknell used an 11-0 run over the next three minutes of play to capture a 17-12 lead before the Taylor Wilson show began. The Bryn Mawr, Pa native, nailed her first three to stop the Bison run around the two-minute mark in the opening quarter. On the next possession, Wilson nailed another to give Army the lead again, 18-17. As the quarter ended, Wilson was true from deep again, her third three-pointer, as Army lead, 21-19 after the first 10 minutes. Wilson entered the game with only two made threes all season.

Wilson continued the hot shooting in the second quarter, making her fourth and fifth three-pointers of the first half, scoring 15 points in the half. Addison Ainsworth played a key bench role for Army, scoring layups on back-to-back possessions.

The Black Knights took a 41-37 lead into the locker room.

Bucknell was paced by Sofilkanich, who had 17 points at the break.

In the second half, Bucknell rallied to tie the game at 45-45 behind an 8-0 scoring run on a made three-pointer by Isabella King. Army’s Trinity Hardy would convert on a three-point play on a driving layup in which he was fouled with under a minute to go in the quarter to take a 52-48 lead into the fourth.

In the fourth Bucknell’s Ashley O’Connor knocked down a three to cut Army’s lead to one-point, 54-53. Army began to distance themselves on a three-point play by Kya Smith and a layup by Fiona Hastick. Trinity Hardy scored seven fourth-quarter points in her 18-point effort, making several free throws to seal the game.