Bucknell University Athletics
Refreshed Bison Visit Penn State Friday
12/20/2002 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 20, 2002
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Following an 11-day layoff for final exams, Bucknell returns to the hardwood tonight to resume its local rivalry with Penn State. With exams behind them, head coach Pat Flannery and his staff have their team all to themselves for the next four weeks, as the Bison have four more non-league tuneups before the intensity ratchets up a notch in Patriot League competition. Bucknell won two straight and 4 of 6 heading into the break and look to carry over that momentum tonight. Bucknell tonight will be trying to do something it could not do all of last season - build a three-game winning streak. The last time the Bison pieced together more than two wins in a row was late in the 2000-01 campaign, when their first-round PL tournament win over Colgate completed a four-game winning streak. Penn State's outlook has also brightened, as the Nittany Lions snapped a six-game season-opening losing streak with a 79-67 win over Northeastern last Saturday. The Bison are itching for a win over their neighbors to the west, having dropped eight straight since the series resumed on an annual basis in 1994-95.
the state of the bison
Bucknell is in the midst of its second two-game winning streak of the season, and the Bison stand 4-3 through seven games. Head coach Pat Flannery has settled on a five-man starting rotation that includes three seniors (Boakai Lalugba, Brian Werner and Dan Blankenship), a junior (Matt Quinn) and a freshman (Kevin Bettencourt). That quintet has started the last six games, four of which have been wins. Lalugba has been dominant, averging a Patriot League-best 19.7 ppg and 11.0 rpg and winning league player of the week honors twice. Classmates Werner and Blankenship have been solid in their roles and excellent leaders. Quinn is making 44.4% of his 3-point attempts, third-best in the Patriot League, while Bettencourt has been a streaky shooter early in his rookie year, but is the team's No. 2 scorer at 10.7 ppg. Off the bench, guard Chris Rodgers (19.9 minutes per game) and forward Ben Slater (12.3 mpg) are both regular members of the rotation, while Flannery has also worked in center Davorin Skornik and guards Charles Lee and Roland Webber.
scouting penn state
The Nittany Lions notched their first triumph of the season last Saturday, beating Northeastern 79-67 at Bryce Jordan Center. The Huskies jumped out to a 21-6 lead in that game before PSU stormed back behind the hot hands of Sharif Chambliss and Brandon Watkins. Both players finished with 21 points and the duo combined for 13 of the Lions 17 assists. Chambliss, who made 5 of 7 from 3-point range against Bucknell last season, is the team's leading scorer at 15.7 ppg, while Watkins averages 12.9 ppg. Center Jan Jagla averages 9.7 ppg and 7.3 rpg but has missed all 16 3-point tries. As a team, Penn State averages 61.7 ppg while allowing 74.9 ppg. The Lions shoot 40.5% from the field, 31.5% from 3-point range and a solid 71.9% from the free-throw line. Ten different players have started at least one game for Jerry Dunn's squad, which tonight is playing the middle game of a seven-game homestand.
series notes
Bucknell and Penn State meet for the 97th time tonight. The Nittany Lions hold a 72-24 lead in a series that dates back to 1897. Following a 19-year hiatus, the series resumed in 1994-95, and Penn State has captured all eight meetings since. Prior to last year's 78-57 Lions win at the Bryce Jordan Center, the previous three Bucknell-Penn State contests had been decided by a total of only 18 points. Bucknell's last series victory was a 68-64 decision in 1975-76, the final meeting until the mid-1990s and also the last series contest held in Lewisburg.
last year's bucknell-penn state clash
On Dec. 22, 2001 at Bryce Jordan Center, Brandon Watkins scored 20 points and Sharif Chambliss made 5 of 7 3-point tries to lead Penn State to a 78-57 victory. The Nittany Lions came into the game shooting only 38.8% as a team but connected on 52.1% from the field and made 10 of 19 treys against the Bison. Bucknell, which was coming off an 11-day layoff, received a game-high 22 points from Bryan Bailey. The Bison, who also got 10 points from Boakai Lalugba, were slowed by 21 turnovers and 33.3% shooting in the second half.
are we headed for ot?
Bucknell and Penn State both enter tonight's game with an identical 432 points in seven games (61.7 ppg). The two teams also boast very similar offensive totals in field goals made (BU 147/PSU 158), 3-pointers made (43/47), assists (87/83) and turnovers (121/111).
milestone man
Against Saint Francis (Pa.) on Dec. 7, senior forward Boakai Lalugba became the 29th player in Bucknell history to amass 1,000 career points. Lalugba, who is averaging 12.0 ppg in his career and 19.7 ppg this season, also went over the 500-rebound plateau this season and became the 14th player in Bison annals to accrue 1,000 points and 500 boards. Lalugba currently ranks 24th on Bucknell's career scoring list (1034) and 19th on the career rebounding list (533).
double your pleasure
Boakai Lalugba saw his career-high streak of five straight double-doubles come to an end in Bucknell's most recent game against FDU-Florham. Lalugba, who finished with 14 points and nine rebounds, played only 26 minutes in the 72-45 rout of the Devils, more than five below his season average. The five straight double-doubles marked Bucknell's longest such streak since Harvey Carter achieved five in a row in 1971-72. Mike Butts in 1987-88 and Sam Stettler in 1975-76 are the only other players in the last 30 years to record double-figure rebounds in five straight games, but neither had double-doubles in five straight.
lalugba racks up the hardware
Bucknell senior forward Boakai Lalugba could have used a forklift to help haul all the honors he received following a brilliant performance at the Red Auerbach Colonial Classic last month. Lalugba, who scored 52 points and collected 23 rebounds in Bucknell's two games (including a career-high 34 points and 13 rebounds against GW in the final), was named the tournament's most valuable player. It is the first time in the nine-year history of the tournament that a non-GW player has walked away with MVP honors. Lalugba has already won Patriot League Player of the Week honors twice this season.
the rookie
Bucknell freshman guard Kevin Bettencourt ranks second on the Bison and first among Patriot League freshmen in scoring at 10.7 ppg. Bettencourt earned Patriot League Rookie of the Week honors for the first time in his career on Dec. 2. In three games that week, Bettencourt averaged 13.0 ppg and 3.3 apg. He led all scorers with 19 points in Bucknell's 56-53 win at Albany, marking the highest scoring game by a Bison freshman since Gordon Mboya tallied 20 against Iona in 1993-94. Bettencourt added 15 points against George Washington and shook of a slow shooting night (1-7 FG) against Columbia to contribute six assists and two steals without a turnover.
at the top of the list
According to the lastest statistical rankings issued by the Patriot League on Monday, Bison senior Boakai Lalugba is leading the Patriot League in both scoring (19.7 ppg) and rebounding (11.0 rpg). Colgate's Adonal Foyle, a current member of the Golden State Warriors, is the only player in Patriot League history to finish a season atop both categories. Lalugba also ranks in the top 10 in the conference in field goal percentage (2nd, .581), blocked shots (T-3rd, 1.14) and steals (6th, 1.86). He is the ONLY player in the league to rank in the top 10 in each of those categories.
on the move
Boakai Lalugba currently ranks 35th on the Patriot League's career scoring list with 1,034 points. He is just one point shy of 34th place, which coincidentally is occupied by former Holy Cross star Ted Bettencourt - the older brother of Bucknell freshman guard Kevin Bettencourt. Ted played at Holy Cross from 1993-96.
hold your heads up
Bucknell's three losses this season have come against teams with a combined 18-6 record, and the Bison were in position to win two of those games. Bucknell has fallen to Notre Dame (73-42), George Washington (80-77) and Canisius (71-67). The Fighting Irish, now 9-1, recently defeated three straight top-10 teams in Marquette, Maryland and Texas and are now ranked No. 10 themselves. George Washington (4-3) nearly upset No. 2 Texas, and the Colonials only losses are to Texas, Maryland and UConn. Canisius, now 5-2, is expected to be one of the top teams in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference this season.
blowout
Bucknell's 27-point victory over FDU-Florham (72-45) in its most recent outing marked the Herd's largest margin of victory since a 76-39 win over Haverford in 1999-2000, a span of 82 games. The 45 points we the fewest by a Bison opponent in 75 games (62-45 win over Colgate in 99-00).
