LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Boston University women's basketball program captured its first Patriot League regular season championship, defeating Bucknell 66-57 on Saturday afternoon at Sojka Pavilion.
 
In a game that featured seven lead changes, the Terriers (20-6, 15-0 PL) outscored the Bison (12-14, 8-7 PL) 18-11 in the fourth quarter. BU's defense limited Bucknell to 28.6 percent shooting in the frame.
 
The Terriers notch their fourth conference regular season championship in program history. BU also reached 20 wins in a season for the sixth time and 15 conference victories for the third time.
 
Senior Sydney Johnson led all scorers with 22 points on 10-of-18 shooting. Junior Caitlin Weimar posted a 21-point, 11-rebound double-double, while sophomore Lauren Davenport added 11 points and seven rebounds.
 
Cecelia Collins paced the Bison with 20 points, while Tai Johnson collected 14 points.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Both teams traded buckets in the first six minutes, with BU grabbing a 9-6 lead when sophomore Alex Giannaros floated a pass to Weimar on the right block for a layup in stride.
• Bucknell went on a mini 5-0 run to sport an 11-9 lead, only for Sydney Johnson's three and another Weimar basket to return the edge back to the Terriers.
• Tai Johnson scored the final four points in the first quarter, starting a 7-0 Bison run that made it 18-14 in the first minute of the second quarter.
• Four minutes after pulling BU within one on a right-corner three, Davenport tied the game at the 4:18 mark with a floater while drawing contact. Her ensuing free throw completed the nostalgic three-point play and put the score at 22-22.
• With 2:09 until halftime, Giannaros canned back-to-back triples from the left wing, putting the Terriers on top 32-28.
• After leading by five at the break, Sydney Johnson's driving layup 1:18 into the third gave BU its largest advantage at the time, 38-29.
• Bucknell pulled within one possession, but Sydney Johnson wound up scoring eight of BU's first 12 points in the stanza, including a steal of Emma Shaffer's pass that translated into a layup for a 44-35 edge with 5:18 on the timer.
• The Bison capped the third on a 7-0 run in the final 3:12, coaxing the Terriers into a 48-46 lead heading to the fourth.
• Each team found the bottom of the net in the first 1:49, but senior Maggie Pina drained a right-elbow jumper with 6:57 to play to hand BU a five-point gap.
• The Terrier defense kept the Bison scoreless for 4:45, extending their lead to 11 points twice Weimar's left-elbow jumper and left-block layup, the latter occurring as the clock read 3:11.
• Bucknell made it a two-possession game on Collins' floater, but Pina later stole the ball from Shaffer to help Davenport sink a contested layup with 1:14 remaining, putting BU ahead 63-55.

 
STATS

• The Terriers shot over 48 percent from the field, marking the 12th time this season BU has eclipsed that mark.
• In the first half, BU shot 5-of-9 from downtown.
• Bucknell shot just under 39 percent in the game, and 4-of-9 from three.
• Both teams corralled 32 rebounds and 12 points off turnovers.
• The Terriers sported a 34-16 advantage in points in the paint and 11-5 in bench points, all coming from Davenport.
• Senior Maren Durant had three blocks to lead BU, while also chipping in eight rebounds and four assists.

 
GAME NOTES

• Earning the No. 1 seed in the Patriot League Tournament for the first time, the Terriers will play all of their league tournament contests at home, beginning with the quarterfinal round against the winner of the 8/9 matchup on Monday (Mar. 6).
• BU wins its first conference regular season title since 2012. The 2011-12 season is also the last time the Terriers won at least 15 conference matchups.
• Overall, BU's 15 league wins is tied for the second-highest amount.
• The Terriers reach the 20-victory plateau for the first time since the 2012-13 campaign, when BU won 24 games.
• Sydney Johnson has scored 20-plus points in 15 career games. Her 10 buckets are a season-high, and one shy of her career-best.
• Weimar tallied her 13th double-double of the year, 21st in a Terrier uniform, and 24th in her collegiate tenure. Of her 21 Terrier double-doubles, five have come while scoring 21 points or more.
• Davenport reached double figures for the second time in her last four games, and sixth time overall.
• BU has won nine games on the road this year.
• The Terriers close the all-time gap with Bucknell to 11-7, and have won four in a row against the Bison.

 
UP NEXT

• BU heads back to Boston for its regular season home finale against Army West Point on Wednesday (Feb. 22). Opening tip is scheduled for 6 p.m.