Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
9-13 (5-4PL)
Navy
9-15 (4-5PL)
Rodgers' Career Night Sparks Bucknell Men Past Navy, 76-56
2/6/2002 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 6, 2002
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Sophomore guard Chris Rodgers scored a career-high 23 points, sinking 8 of 9 field-goal attempts, to lead Bucknell to a 76-56 blowout of Navy in a Patriot League contest Wednesday in Davis Gym.
Bucknell (9-13, 5-4 Patriot League), which never trailed in the game, snapped a two-game losing streak and a six-game skid against the Midshipmen. Navy (9-15, 4-5) has lost three straight overall.
Rodgers' career night was part of a 41-point night for the Bucknell bench. On a night when foul trouble limited star forward Boakai Lalugba to four points and three rebounds in only 19 minutes, forward Brian Werner chipped in 16 points and 10 rebounds, and reserve forward Ben Slater added a career-high 11 points and seven boards.
The game was tied only once, at 9-9 following a Francis Ebong layup 5:39 into the game. Bucknell used a 12-4 run to stretch the lead to 21-13, and the first of two 3-pointers from freshman Chris Niesz nudged the lead into double digits for the first time at 26-16 with 6:28 remaining in the half.
Jehiel Lewis answered with a 3-pointer for Navy, but Bryan Bailey and Niesz drained treys on the next two possessions, igniting a decisive 15-4 run that gave the Bison a 41-23 lead with 1:30 left in the half.
Lalugba's first field goal of the game kicked off a 10-3 Bucknell run to start the second half. Navy managed only two field goals in the first 13: 47 of the half, as the Bison extended their lead to as many as 28 points on four occasions.
Bucknell shot a season-high 58.7 percent in the game, including 61.5 percent in the first half. Led by Rodgers' 4-for-4 performance from beyond the arc, the Bison drained 8 of 15 3-pointers, their second straight game making at least half their long-range attempts.
Bucknell, which also received 15 points from leading scorer Bryan Bailey, outrebounded the Midshipmen 37-31.
Lewis and Ebong shared team scoring honors for Navy with eight points apiece. The Mids shot 36.8 percent from the field and struggled from the free-throw line, making 9 of 20 attempts.
Bucknell returns to action this Saturday at Army at 3:15 p.m.
