OPENING TIP:
*The Leopards dropped both games in their opening weekend home-and-home series against Lehigh marking the first time since the 2017-18 season that they have opened up by going 0-2. Senior Drew Freeland led the way for the Leopards in scoring in both games, dropping 17 points per game and senior Natalie Kucowski led the way in rebounds with 21 on Saturday and 13 on Sunday.

*This weekend's meetings will be the 86th and 87th all-time meetings between Lafayette and Bucknell with Lafayette looking to break its 12 game losing streak. The Maroon and White's last win over the Bison came on Feb. 5, 2014. Bucknell leads the overall series 47-38.

*Senior forward Natalie Kucowski currently leads the nation in rebounds, averaging 17 per game and leads the nation in defensive rebounds per game.  

LAST WEEKEND  
The Leopards dropped both games this past weekend to crosstown rival Lehigh. In Saturday's season opener, Lafayette headed into the half up by five. They were able to hold their lead through most of the third quarter but the Mountain Hawks tied up the game 57-57 just four minutes into the final 10 minutes. The score was 68-68 at the end of regulation forcing the first game of the 2021 season to head into overtime.

Sophomore Jess Booth and senior Natalie Kucowski got the Leopards off to a strong start to put them up but foul trouble and missed rebounds proved to be the deciding factor as Lehigh walked away with the 81-75 overtime win.

Sunday's contest in Bethlehem was another tough battle for the Leopards as though the game was tied heading into the locker room at the half, Lehigh took control in the second half. Despite an 11-point Leopard run in the final minute and a half of the game, the Mountain Hawks still walked away with the 73-65 win and weekend sweep.

This is the first time since the 2017-18 season that the Leopards have opened up the season 0-2.   
                                                              
THE LAST MEETING
The last time the Leopards and Bison met was on March 4, 2020 in the final regular season game of the 2019-20 season. Bucknell walked away with the 57-47 victory to extend their win streak over the Leopards to 12-straight games. Natalie Kucowski led the team with 21 points and 12 rebounds marking her 43rd career double double.
 
SCOUTING THE BISON
Head coach Trevor Woodruff enters his second season at the helm of the Bison after leading Bucknell to a Patriot League regular season championship title in 2019-20 and being named the Patriot League Coach of the Year.
 
They entered the 2021 season at the leagues preseason favorite along with senior guard Abby Kapp, who was named to the Preseason All-Patriot League Team. Kapp is joined by returner's senior guard Ally Johnson, senior forwards Tessa Brugler and Autumn Ceppi and junior guard Taylor O'Brien. Junior guard Maryl Walls returns to the court for the Bison this season after missing a majority of the 2019-20 season due to injury.
 
They opened up their 2021 season with a sweep of Navy after their orginal games against Loyola were postponed. O'Brien led the Bison in scoring over the weekend with 16.0 points per game and Brugler led with 9.5 rebounds per game.
 
THE LAST TIME
Saturday was just the third time in program history that the Leopards have gone into overtime to open up the season. The first time was to open up the 1988-89 season where they defeated Colgate in overtime, 76-68 and the most recent time was when they opened up the 2010-11 season with an overtime win over Bryant, 84-80.
 
AT THE TOP (ONCE AGAIN)
Senior forward Natalie Kucowski ended her junior season second in the nation in rebounds per game and defensive rebounds per game and two games into the 2021 season, she finds herself right back on top again. She currently leads the nation in rebounds, averaging 17 per game and leads the nation in defensive rebounds per game.
 
MIGHT LOOK FAMILIAR
The Leopards returned three of their five starters from last season in senior forward Natalie Kucowski, senior guard Drew Freeland and junior guard Nicole Johnson. The two Leopards that have stepped up to the starting five role are no strangers to being in the starting five. 
 
Sophomore Jess Booth and junior Makaila Wilson have replaced Alexis Santarelli and Sarah Agnello who the Leopards lost after they graduated in May, but neither Booth nor Wilson are strangers to the starting role. Booth, before sitting out most of her freshman season due to injury, got the starting nod six times in the 2019-20 season. Wilson, who sat out all but seven games for the Leopards last season, was a starter during her freshmen season in 2017-18.

Both have seemed to pick-up where they left off with Booth averaging 10.5 points per game and leading the Leopards in steals after the opening weekend and Wilson averaging six points and five rebounds per game.
 
FRESH FACES
Head coach Kia Damon-Olson and her staff welcome five new faces to the 2021 squad in Alana Lombardi, Kayla Drummond, Amaya Douglas, Makayla Andrews and Ashley Evans.
 
Alana Lombardi comes to College Hill from Briarcliff, New York, where she was a four-year letterwinner at Briarcliff High School. The 5-10 guard finished her high school career with over 1,500 career points and left Briarcliff as the programs all-time leading scorer.
 
Kayla Drummond, a 6-2 forward, joins the Leopards from Ontario, Canada, where she was a two-time Ontario Scholastic Basketball Champion averaging 12 points and seven rebounds per game for Crestwood Prep. Coming from Coatesville, Pennsylvania, Amaya Douglas was a four year varsity starter for the Westtown School, averaging 10 points, six rebounds and two assists per game her senior season.
 
Makayla Andrews joins the Leopards from Neptune, New Jersey, where she played for St. Rose. The 5-10 guard averaged 13.8 points and seven rebounds per game while scoring 1,100 career points. A Londonderry, New Hampshire, native, Ashley Evans was a four year varsity starter at Lawrence Academy where she scored over 1,000 points and grabbed 756 total rebounds averaging 8.5 rebounds, three blocks, 2.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game.