Bucknell University
12-15, 8-6
Lehigh
5-22, 2-12
Bison Men's Hoops Concludes Regular Season with 75-64 Loss at Lehigh
2/24/2002 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 24, 2002
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Scott Taylor shot 8-for-8 from the field and scored 20 points to help Lehigh snap an 11-game losing streak and defeat Bucknell 75-64 Sunday in the regular-season finale for both teams.
Despite the loss, Bucknell (12-15, 8-6) clinched the No. 3 seed in next weekend's Patriot League Tournament by virtue of Lafayette's 85-73 loss to Colgate on Sunday. The Bison, Leopards and Raiders all finish in a tie for third with 8-6 conference marks, but Bucknell wins the three-way tiebreaker thanks to a 3-1 record this season against Colgate and Lafayette.
The Bison will face sixth-seeded Army in the tournament quarterfinals next Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Bryan Bailey scored 21 points to lead all scorers, marking his career-high fifth straight 20-point effort. He passed Greg Leggett for 17th place on Bucknell's all-time scoring list with 1,143 career points.
After a see-saw first half that featured four ties, 11 lead changes and 50-percent shooting from both teams, the Mountain Hawks pieced together a 14-5 run to take control early in the second. Eric Heil's baseline 10-footer capped the run and gave Lehigh a 56-46 lead with 10:05 remaining.
Bucknell got as close as six points at 67-61 on Chris Rodgers' 3-pointer with 2:20 left. But Alan Goff answered with a conventional three-point play and Taylor knocked down two free throws to restore Lehigh's double-digit lead at 72-61 with 1:47 left. Boakai Lalugba's three-point play made it 72-64, but the Mountain Hawks made 3 of 4 free throws in the final 1:23 to seal the win.
Lehigh (5-22, 2-12) had not won since beating Colgate 79-74 on Jan. 12, but seven of the 11 losses in the Mountain Hawks dry spell came by six points or less. Lehigh will be the No. 8 seed in the Patriot League Tournament and play regular-season champ American Saturday at noon.
Matt Logie had 16 points, Bobby Mbom 14 and Goff 10 for Lehigh, which shot 54.7 percent from the field, despite 4 of 18 3-point shooting.
Lalugba had 14 points and seven rebounds for the Bison, who shot 42.9 percent from the floor. Brian Werner's nine rebounds helped Bucknell gain a 37-28 edge on the glass.
