Sophomore Beth Dessart Mager netted all eight of her first-half points during a 16-3 spurt, helping Widener (7-8, 1-3 CC) grab a 25-10 lead with 3:03 left in the first half. Bixby and freshman Rayne Reber had three points each in that span.
Widener, winners in three of its last four, owned a 26-16 halftime lead by holding Susquehanna to just 23 percent shooting (7-of-31) and only 1-of-13 from 3-point range.
The Crusaders (11-4, 2-2) battled early in the second half thanks to an opening 7-2 for a 28-23 deficit with 18:04 remaining. Jen Clark hit four free throws in that stretch and Sarah Jane Kalejta drilled a 3-pointer.
The Pride responded with a 9-2 spurt for a 37-25 lead with 14:30 to play. Sophomore Kelley Guarrera had five points in that span and Bixby added four.
Susquehanna hung tough, but Widener ended all doubt by scoring 10 straight points for a 63-42 cushion with 1:36 to go. Bixby, who shot 6-of-8 from the floor after intermission, netted four points in the run.
Guarrera ended with 13 points and a career-high 13 rebounds for her first double-double of the season for Widener, which owned a 49-37 rebounding edge. It marked the 11th time this season Widener owned the advantage on the boards.
Bixby just missed her fourth double-double of the year with nine rebounds, and Dessart Mager and sophomore Barbara Fleming both netted 10 points.
Widener shot a blistering 52 percent (12-of-23) from the floor in the second half, 42 percent (20-of-48) overall and went 20-for-28 from the line. Susquehanna shot only 26 percent (18-of-69) from the field, was 6-of-30 from beyond the arc and only 6-for-10 from the line.
Clark scored 15 points, Kalejta poured in 11 and Courtney Thibeault grabbed nine rebounds for the Crusaders.
Widener hits the road Tuesday to visit Lebanon Valley for a 7:30 pm tip-off.
Susquehanna vs Widener 1/13/07 1:00 pm at Chester, PA At Chester, PA WIDENER 66, SUSQUEHANNA 48 SUSQUEHANNA (11-4, 2-2 CC) Jen Clark 5-14 4-6 15; Sarah Jane Kalejta 5-10 0-0 11; Val Houseal 2-8 0-0 5; Crystal Schneck 1-5 1-2 4; Courtney Thibeault 1-5 1-2 4; Ruth Williamson 1-5 0-0 3; Leigh Henderson 1-5 0-0 2; Bri McNallen 1-5 0-0 2; Samantha Jansson 1-4 0-0 2; Meg Loughran 0-0 0-0 0; Nikki Smith 0-8 0-0 0. Totals 18-69 6-10 48. WIDENER (7-8, 1-3 CC) Bixby, Stephanie 7-12 7-8 21; Guarrera, Kelley 4-11 5-7 13; Dessart Mager, Beth 4-8 0-2 10; Fleming, Barbara 2-4 4-4 10; Reber, Rayne 2-3 1-2 7; Sipple, Megan 0-4 3-4 3; Tyler, Becky 1-5 0-0 2; Isler, Lindsey 0-0 0-1 0; Dunston, Quisha 0-0 0-0 0; Caramanico, Cathy 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 20-48 20-28 66. Susquehanna................... 16 32 - 48 Widener....................... 26 40 - 66 3-point goals-Susquehanna 6-30 (Sarah Jane Kalejta 1-3; Ruth Williamson 1-2; Jen Clark 1-5; Courtney Thibeault 1-3; Crystal Schneck 1-1; Val Houseal 1-7; Nikki Smith 0-5; Samantha Jansson 0-1; Bri McNallen 0-1; Leigh Henderson 0-2), Widener 6-11 (Reber, Rayne 2-2; Dessart Mager, Beth 2-2; Fleming, Barbara 2-3; Tyler, Becky 0-1; Caramanico, Cathy 0-1; Sipple, Megan 0-2). Fouled out--Susquehanna-None, Widener-None. Rebounds-Susquehanna 37 (Courtney Thibeault 9), Widener 49 (Guarrera, Kelley 13). Assists-Susquehanna 10 (Samantha Jansson 2; Crystal Schneck 2; Val Houseal 2), Widener 14 (Guarrera, Kelley 4). Total fouls-Susquehanna 20, Widener 11. A-285