ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Taking on the Patriot League's highest scoring team in Bucknell, a squad that averages 71.3 points per game, the Navy women's basketball team knew that it would have to bring its sharp-shooting skills to the table on Wednesday night. After doing just that with an 18-point first quarter, the Mids (8-11, 3-6 PL) were unable to find that touch and replicate that output for the remainder of the game as the Bison (17-4, 8-1 PL) controlled both ends of the court on their way to a 77-43 decision. 
 
Jennifer Coleman (Fr., Richmond, Va.) and Kolbi Green (Fr., Baltimore, Md.) spearheaded Navy's effort on Wednesday as the backcourt duo combined for 23 points as Coleman went for 12 points, while Green recorded 11 of her own. Coleman augmented her performance with 14 rebounds.
 
"Credit to Bucknell, they were really hot tonight," remarked head coach Stefanie Pemper. "They haven't shot this well in a while. They're a good team. They have a lot of seniors in their starting lineup and a deep bench with more quality players. They're really good defensively and average nine steals a game. They just play man-to-man; they don't do anything full court. They had 10 steals tonight. We had too many unforced turnovers, that's for sure, but overall we just have to shoot it better. They're a tough team to play."
 
Bianca Roach (Sr., Virginia Beach, Va.) started the game fast for the Mids with the team's first four points of the game 95 seconds in. With the score knotted at 6-6, the Bison scored the next seven points to break open a 13-6 lead by the 6:44 mark. Sierra Swanda (So., Jacksonville, Fla.) put an end to that streak with a layup at 6:15. After a brief 5-0 run by Bucknell made it an 18-8 game, Green recorded Navy's first three-pointer of the contest from the left wing at 3:43. The Mids continued finding success from distance as less than two minutes later, Coleman swished a three from the corner as the shot clock was expiring to make it 20-16. The breakneck offensive action continued over the final 100 seconds as Bucknell scored seven points over its final four possessions to close the quarter at 27-18. Navy's second-highest scoring first quarter of 2018-19 came courtesy of six field goals, five free throws and a pair of treys. 
 
All of the explosive offense that made up the first quarter was quickly quelled by each squad's defense as the first six minutes of the second period saw the teams combine for just six points, five for Bucknell and one for Navy. The teams were 2-17 from the field through the 4:00 mark. With the score 32-19, the Bison slowly put more distance between themselves and the Mids with a 5-0 run. Coleman's outside marksmanship short-circuited that streak with a three-pointer at 1:56 to make it 37-22. The stanza closed with Bucknell netting six of the final 10 points. Coleman and Jasmine Bishop (So., Twinsburg, Ohio) connected for baskets for the Mids over this stretch. 
 
Up 43-26 at the half, Bucknell was outshooting Navy, 50.0 percent (16-32) to 28.1 percent (9-32) from the field. The Bison hit 55.6 percent (5-9) of their shots from three-point range versus 25.0 percent (3-12) for the Mids. 
 
Leading by 17 coming out of the locker room in the second half, the visitors from Lewisburg, Pa. opened the third quarter with an 11-3 run to extend their advantage out to 54-29 by the 5:26 mark. Both defenses controlled the next three minutes as the scoreboard stayed unmoved. Navy forced Bucknell into three missed shots and four turnovers during the course of their next seven possessions heading down to 1:11. Over the final 71 seconds of play both offenses found a bit of traction as the Bison scored six points, while Navy countered with five. Green put the punctuation on the period with a three-pointer from the corner with three seconds left.
 
With the score 60-34 in favor of Bucknell at the start of the fourth, Navy continued fighting as Laurel Jaunich (Jr., Charlotte, Vt.) and Green combined to score all seven of the Mids' points over the first 4:03. The Bison made their first four shots and five of six overall as they increased their lead over the period. After that initial burst from Jaunich and Green, the Mids went cold down the stretch with just a pair of made free throws. For the fourth quarter, Bucknell outscored Navy, 17-9.
 
In the Bison's 77-43 victory, the visitors shot 52.8 percent (28-53) from the field and 52.9 percent (9-17) from three-point range. After hitting 33.3 percent (6-18) of their shots in the first quarter, the Mids struggled with their touch over the last three quarters and ended up with a 21.3 percent (13-61) mark from the field and 23.8 percent (5-21) mark from distance.
 
"I thought that we played better than we did on Saturday versus Boston; that was definitely a goal for us," said Pemper. "We spent a lot of time in practice this week working on passing and not turning it over. Obviously our confidence is down. We just need more shots to fall. I think we'll be a good team once that happens."
 
Navy won the battle on the boards with a seven-rebound advantage over Bucknell, 43-36. Coleman's fourth double-double of the season saw the freshman corral a game-high 14 rebounds, five on the offensive end and nine on defense.
 
Defensively, the Mids turned the Bison over 16 times on nine steals. Roach was the leader in that category with a game-high three thefts.
 
"Leading up to tonight's game, we had two focused practices that were different and should help us move in the right direction, so I'm excited about that," exclaimed Pemper. "We'll turn our attention to Lehigh. That's our next step."
 
Following Wednesday's contest, Navy will head out on the road for a Patriot League tilt in Bethlehem, Pa. versus Lehigh on Saturday. The Mids and Mountain Hawks are slated for a 2 p.m. tip at Lehigh's Stabler Arena.