LEWISBURG, Pa. (Interstat) — In a dominant defensive display, the Bucknell Bison defeated the Le Moyne Dolphins 65-41 in a non-conference women’s basketball game Tuesday afternoon at a sparse Sojka Pavilion.

The Bison used a stifling defensive effort, particularly in the first half, to overwhelm the Dolphins and secure their third win of the season. Bucknell improved to 3-3, while Le Moyne dropped to 1-5.

The game was decided early, as Bucknell’s defense completely smothered the Le Moyne offense in the first half. The Dolphins managed a mere eight points through the first two quarters, a season-low for any half. They shot just four of 26 from the floor in the half and committed nine turnovers against an active Bison defense that recorded six of its ten total blocks before the break.

Le Moyne’s offensive struggles were encapsulated by a scoring drought that spanned nearly the entire first quarter and deep into the second. After a Peyton Dincher jump shot with 35 seconds remaining in the first period, the Dolphins failed to score again until an Ashley Buragas layup with 9:04 left in the second quarter, a span of over six minutes.

Bucknell, meanwhile, methodically built its lead. The Bison closed the first quarter on a 12-2 run, fueled by five points from Tuana Coskun and a layup from Reese Zemitis. The lead ballooned to 25-8 by halftime as the Dolphins could not find any consistent offensive rhythm.

The second half offered little respite for the visitors. While Le Moyne’s offense showed signs of life, scoring 16 points in the third quarter, Bucknell matched them basket for basket and then some, pouring in 21 points to extend its advantage. The Bison lead grew to as many as 26 points in the fourth quarter before settling on the final 24-point margin.

Bucknell’s victory was a product of superior efficiency and interior dominance. The Bison shot 46 percent from the floor compared to Le Moyne’s 27 percent. A significant portion of that damage came in the paint, where Bucknell outscored Le Moyne 36-16. The Bison also capitalized on Dolphin mistakes, scoring 15 points off 14 Le Moyne turnovers.

The individual standout for Bucknell was junior Tuana Coskun of Istanbul, Turkey. The 6-foot guard was the game’s leading scorer and a disruptive force on both ends, finishing with 19 points, six rebounds, two assists and three blocks in 31 minutes. Her defensive presence was felt from the opening tip, where she blocked a Le Moyne shot on the game’s first possession.

She was complemented by Reese Zemitis, a junior from Langhorne, Pennsylvania, who added 14 points and four rebounds. Elana Weisman, a 6-foot-2 sophomore from Burlingame, California, provided a strong interior presence off the bench with 10 points, six rebounds, two assists and a block.

For Le Moyne, the lone bright spot was the scoring of Peyton Dincher. The sophomore guard from Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania, led the Dolphins with 14 points, including three shots from beyond the arc, and grabbed four rebounds. Ashley Buragas of Hopewell Junction, New York, chipped in seven points.

The game was a stark contrast in offensive execution. Le Moyne managed only five assists on 14 made field goals and posted an offensive rating of 66.5 points per 100 possessions. Bucknell, while not prolific from three-point range, was efficient inside and finished with an offensive rating of 102.0.

The announced attendance was 1,550.

The loss extends a difficult early-season stretch for Le Moyne, which has faced a gauntlet of power-conference opponents. The Dolphins will look to regroup on the road Sunday at Illinois.

Bucknell, which entered the game as a heavy favorite according to advanced statistical models, will aim to build on this performance and reach a winning record when it hosts Brown on Friday.