Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Men's Basketball Team Flies South
12/26/2001 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 26, 2001
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Following a break for Christmas, the Bison head to warmer climates this weekend to participate in the USF Shootout, hosted by South Florida. Bucknell battles the host Bulls of Conference USA in the opening round, marking the first-ever meeting between the two schools. Hofstra and Illinois-Chicago clash in the other first-round contest. The tourney marks Bucknell's second competition in the last 17 days. Following a 70-67 win over UMBC on Dec. 11, the Herd took an 11-day break for final exams, then fell 78-57 at Penn State on Dec. 22. Each of the other three teams enter the tournament at .500 or better. USF (7-2) began the year with seven straight wins, while Hofstra (5-5) has dropped three straight. Illinois-Chicago is 7-4.
The State of the Bison
After more than two weeks of irregular workouts due to final exams and the holiday break, Bucknell resumes a busy workload with a pair of games at the USF Shootout this weekend followed by road tilts at Mount St. Mary's and Canisius next week. These are the final four tuneups prior to the start of Patriot League play on Jan. 9. The Bison are coming off a 78-57 loss at Penn State last Saturday, a game that was nip-and-tuck for 24 minutes until the Nittany Lions pulled away with a big second-half run. The 2-7 start is Bucknell's slowest since 1994-95, and things don't get any easier, as the three other teams in the USF Shootout boast a combined 19-11 record.
Scouting South Florida
The Bulls ripped off seven straight victories to begin the 2001-02 campaign, including wins over Pittsburgh, California and possible USF Shootout foe Hofstra. Since then South Florida has dropped a pair of games to current No. 2 Florida and No. 11 Syracuse to stand at 7-2. Senior forward Altron Jackson (17.7 ppg., 5.2 rpg.) is the Bulls' leading scorer, while senior forward B.B. Walton (15.7 ppg., 10.6 rpg.) shoots nearly 60% from the floor and leads the way on the glass. Junior center Will McDonald (10.1 ppg., 4.2 rpg) and junior guards Reggie Kohn (10.9 ppg., 6.6 apg.) and Greg Brittian (7.8 ppg.) are also expected to start for USF.
Scouting Hofstra
The Flying Dutchmen, under first-year head coach Tom Pecora, have dropped three straight contests and enter the tournament at 5-5. Hofstra made its CAA debut last Sunday, falling to Drexel 70-58 in Philadelphia. Junior guard Rick Apodaca leads the Pride in scoring at 15.2 ppg., and he is joined in the starting lineup by freshman guard Woody Souffrant (1.6 ppg.), sophomore guard Joel Suarez (10.5 ppg., 4.0 apg.), junior forward Danny Walker (9.2 ppg., 6.4 rpg.) and junior center Marc Petit (2.5 ppg., 2.8 rpg.).
Scouting Illinois-Chicago
The Flames travel to the Sunshine State with a 7-4 ledger following last Saturday's 77-74 loss to Mississippi State at the Las Vegas Classic, where they previously defeated Texas A&M and Southwest Missouri State. UIC averages 78.3 ppg., with extremely deep and balanced scoring. Only sophomore forward Cedrick Banks (12.2 ppg.) scores in double figures, but eight additional Flames average between 4.7 and 9.9 ppg. Expected to join Banks in the starting lineup are senior forward Cory Little (5.4 ppg.), junior guard Jonathan Schneiderman (9.9 ppg.), senior guard Jordan Kardos (9.9 ppg., .568 3FG%) and senior center Thor Solverson (9.4 ppg., 5.0 rpg.).
Series Notes
Bucknell has never before played either South Florida or Illinois-Chicago, while its series with Hofstra dates back to the 1955-56 season. Former rivals in the East Coast Conference in the 1980s, Bucknell and Hofstra have met 28 times, with the Bison holding an 18-10 series lead. The two teams have met just once since the breakup of the ECC, that a 69-55 Hofstra win in the opening round of the Fairfield Tournament in 1997. Bucknell's last series win was a 72-67 triumph in the opening round of the 1990 ECC Tournament in Towson, Md.
The Bison in Regular-Season Tournaments
Bucknell has been a regular participant in early season tournaments through the years and have a 5-11 record in tourney games under head coach Pat Flannery. Victories over Maine and Marist lifted the Orange and Blue to a championship at the Pepsi-Marist Classic in 1999. One of Bucknell's most memorable victories in recent years was a 72-64 upset of Alabama at Wichita State's Cessna Classic in 1995-96. Bucknell also has tournament wins at the 1988 Naismith Holiday Classic (Manhattan, Keene State), the 1970 Albright Holiday Tournament (West Chester, Williams) and the 1962 Downeast Classic (Maine, Brown). The Bison were 0-2 at the Mohegan Sun Classic earlier this season.
Magic 70
Bucknell reached the 70-point plateau for the second time this season (both wins) in the 70-67 victory over UMBC. Bucknell has won six straight when scoring 70 points or more and is 28-5 over the last three-plus seasons when reaching the 70-point barrier.
The Long Road
The Bison are 0-5 on the road this season (and 0-1 at neutral sites) and have dropped six straight road tilts since a 76-67 win at Albany late last season. Bucknell is the midst of a stretch of five straight and 8 of 10 away from campus.
