Bucknell University Athletics
Men's Basketball Concludes Regular Season at Lehigh Sunday
2/24/2002 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 24, 2002
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The final day of the regular season has arrived, and still the Patriot League Tournament picture is unclear. With Lafayette visiting Colgate later today in addition to the Bucknell-Lehigh contest, the second through fifth seeds all remain undecided. What the Bison do know is that they will be either the third or fourth seed, making Colgate and Army possible first-round opponents in next weekend's Patriot League Tournament (see page 2 for complete playoff picture). Regardless of the confusing playoff scenario, Bucknell enters today's finale playing terrific basketball. The Bison have won four of their last five games, including a thrilling 75-73 road win over defending league champ Holy Cross. Lehigh comes in with a disappointing 1-12 Patriot League record, but the Mountain Hawks are coming off two close games - a 70-67 loss to league-leading American and a 98-93 setback to crosstown rival Lafayette.
The State of the Bison
Bucknell enters this afternoon's regular-season finale with an 8-5 Patriot League record, matching Lafayette for third in the league standings (a half-game behind Holy Cross, which defeated American yesterday 68-44). The Bison were very sharp in a 75-73 win at Holy Cross on Wednesday in their best road win of the year. Bucknell committed a season-low eight turnovers in that game and made 11 of 22 3-point tries, including 7 of 13 during a see-saw second period.
Scouting Lehigh
The Mountain Hawks have struggled in 2001-02 and enter today's affair 4-22 overall, 1-12 in Patriot League play. Their lone conference win was a 79-74 verdict over Colgate on Jan. 12. A double-overtime loss to Navy followed, which proved to be the start of Lehigh's current 11-game losing streak. Seven of those 11 losses have come by six points or less, however. Guard Matt Logie is one of the Patriot League's top offensive talents. Logie averages 15.5 ppg., and is a 40.3-percent 3-point shooter (64-159). Forward Scott Taylor averages 9.6 ppg., and leads the team in rebounding at 5.3 rpg. Guards Alex Jensen (8.3 ppg.) and Alan Goff (5.8 ppg.) and widebody center Bobby Mbom (5.6 ppg.) are also expected to start.
Patriot League Tournament Scenarios
With only two games remaining (Bucknell at Lehigh, Lafayette at Colgate today), the Patriot League Tournament seeding is still in a state of disarray.
What we know: American (10-4) has clinched the No. 1 seed at next weekend's tournament, despite a 68-44 blowout loss to Holy Cross (9-5) yesterday. Army (6-8) clinched the No. 6 spot by beating Navy (5-9) 73-63 yesterday. The Midshipmen will be seeded seventh, and Lehigh (1-12) eighth.
If Bucknell and Lafayette both win today: This makes Colgate the No. 5 seed and creates a three-way tie between Holy Cross, Bucknell and Lafayette. The first tiebreaker would be record against the other teams in the tie (all three are 2-2). The next tiebreaker would be record against American (LAF and HC both 2-0, BU 0-2). To break the tie between Lafayette and Holy Cross, the comparison continues to Bucknell (both 1-1) and then to Colgate (LAF 1-1, HC 0-2). Thus, in this scenario, Lafayette would be the No. 2 seed, Holy Cross the No. 3 seed, Bucknell the No. 4 seed and Colgate the No. 5 seed. The Bison would play Colgate in the first round.
If Bucknell wins and Lafayette loses today: This creates a tie for second between Bucknell and Holy Cross and a tie for fourth between Lafayette and Colgate. Bucknell and Holy Cross split head-to-head, so the next tiebreaker would be record against American (HC 2-0, BU 0-2). Colgate would have a 2-0 head-to-head record with Lafayette. Thus, in this scenario, Holy Cross would be the No. 2 seed, Bucknell the No. 3 seed, Colgate the No. 4 seed and Lafayette the No. 5 seed. The Bison would play Army in the first round.
If Bucknell loses and Lafayette wins today: This creates a tie for second between Holy Cross and Lafayette. The two teams split head-to-head, and starting from the top of the standings, both teams swept American and split with Bucknell. Against Colgate, Holy Cross was 0-2 while Lafayette would be 1-1. Thus, in this scenario, Lafayette would be the No. 2 seed, Holy Cross the No. 3 seed, Bucknell the No. 4 seed and Colgate the No. 5 seed. The Bison would play Colgate in the first round.
If Bucknell and Lafayette both lose today: This makes Holy Cross the No. 2 seed and creates a three-way tie between Bucknell, Lafayette and Colgate. The first tiebreaker would be record against the other teams in the tie (BU 3-1, CU 2-2, LAF 1-3). Thus, in this scenario, Holy Cross would be the No. 2 seed, Bucknell the No. 3 seed, Colgate the No. 4 seed and Lafayette the No. 5 seed. The Bison would play Army in the first round.
What All This Really Means for the Bison
Simplifying the above mess, if Lafayette wins today, Bucknell will be the No. 4 seed and play Colgate in the first round. If Lafayette loses today, Bucknell will be the No. 3 seed and play Army in the first round.
Series Notes
Including their 69-50 victory on Jan. 26, Bucknell owns an 82-51 lead in the all-time series with Lehigh. A big chunk of that spread came courtesy of a 20-game series winning streak that ended with a surprising 73-62 loss in the first round of the 2000 Patriot League Tournament. The two teams split a pair of games last season, with Lehigh prevailing 86-74 at Stabler Arena. Bucknell has played Lehigh more than any other opponent. Ten days ago was the 100-year anniversary of the first Bucknell-Lehigh meeting.
The First Bucknell-Lehigh Clash
Bryan Bailey scored a game-high 16 points and helped push Bucknell into a first-place tie in the Patriot League with a 69-50 victory over Lehigh Jan. 26 in Davis Gym. The Bison led 56-48 with 2:03 remaining before outscoring the Mountain Hawks 13-2 down the stretch. Bucknell converted 10 of 12 free throws in the final 1:43 and 33 of 45 for the game. Brian Werner added 15 points for Bucknell on 8-for-10 free throw shooting, while Matt Quinn tossed in 12 points on 4-for-5 shooting from the floor. Bucknell used stifling defense to limit Lehigh to 16 first half points and 31.5 percent shooting from the field in the game.
