Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
Army
Bucknell Men Fall at Army, 60-55
2/15/2001 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 15, 2001
WEST POINT, N.Y. - Freshman point guard J.P. Spatola scored seven of Army's final 13 points, including a key three-pointer that gave the Black Knights the lead for good with less than three minutes remaining, as Army downed visiting Bucknell 60-55 at West Point's Christl Arena Wednesday night.
The win snapped a four-game losing streak for Army (7-16 overall, 2-7 Patriot League) while Bucknell (10-14, 2-8) was sent to its sixth consecutive loss, the Bison's longest losing streak since they started the 1994-95 season with eight successive losses. The Black Knights also snapped an eight-game losing streak to Bucknell, posting their first win over the Bison since Jan. 29, 1997.
The Bison played the game without the services of their leading scorer, Bryan Bailey, who suffered a sprained ankle in pregame warmups prior to the Holy Cross contest last Saturday.
After trailing for much of the contest, Army battled back to take a 44-43 lead on Dax Pearson's layup with 5:55 remaining. Spatola broke the game's only tie of the second half, 47-47, with a three-point basket with 2:36 to play. The Black Knights outscored the Bison 13-8 from that point on.
Army's foul shooting down the stretch was the difference as the Black Knights canned 10 of 12 from the line in the final two minutes. Bucknell made just 3 of 8.
For the night, Army shot just 32.6 percent from the floor but was 25 of 33 (.758) from the foul line. Bucknell also struggled from the field, converting 40.4 percent. The Bison had eight more field goals than the Black Knights but made just 6 of 16 free throws (.375).
Following Spatola's three-pointer, Jont? Harrell made four successive free throws, sandwiched around two misses by Bucknell's Dan Blankenship, to push Army's advantage to 54-47 with 1:25 to play. The Bison closed to within 58-55 following a Charles Woodruff turnover and one free throw by Brian Werner with 18.2 seconds to play. Spatola made two free throws with 6.1 seconds remaining to seal the contest.
Spatola finished with 12 points while his older brother, junior Chris Spatola led all scorers with 20 points, his ninth 20-point outing of the campaign. Bucknell received 13 points each from Boakai Lalugba and Jake Ramage.
Harrell scored seven points but gathered nine rebounds for Army to register his third nine-rebound effort in the last seven games.
Bucknell returns to action Sunday, Feb. 18, with a 4 p.m. contest against Colgate in Lewisburg. The game will be televised live as part of the Patriot League's Televison Game of the Week package.
