LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Niagara women’s basketball team fell in an early hole which it could not escape out of en route to falling at the Bucknell Bison, 69-62, on Sunday.

Niagara (0-5) had a 16-4 run which cut Bucknell’s (2-3) lead to 66-62 with 34 seconds left in the game. Bison guard Shelby Romine would score three of her game-high 19 points at the free-throw line in the next two possessions to halt NU’s rally.

“It was a great second half effort to dig ourselves out of an early hole,” head coach Kendra Faustin said. “In the end, we struggled defensively to get quality stops.”

The Purple Eagles outscored the Bison, 37-34 in the second half behind 14 second half points by senior forward Liz Flooks after only scoring two points in the first half. Bucknell jumped to a 21-8 lead to start the game and took a 35-25 halftime lead.  The Bison would lead as much as 19 points before NU went on its run late in the second half.

Junior guard Ali Morris scored a season-high 17 points to lead the Purple Eagles in scoring which included three other members scoring in double-figures. Flooks finished with 16 points and season-high seven rebounds. Sophomore guard Kayla Stroman had 11 points, four assists and five rebounds, and freshman forward Katie Gattuso added 10 points.

Niagara will face the Penn Quakers on Tuesday, Nov. 30 at 4 p.m. at the Palestra.