Bucknell University Athletics
2002-03 Bucknell Men's Basketball Schedule Features Many Highlights
8/2/2002 8:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Aug. 2, 2002
2002-03 Bucknell Men's Basketball Schedule
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell men's basketball team is set to face one of its most exciting schedules in recent memory in 2002-03, beginning with its season opener at Notre Dame on Nov. 22. The slate features a long list of highlights, including holiday tournaments at George Washington and Arizona State, a January move into a sparkling new arena, a pair of Patriot League TV appearances and a return to Pottsville's Martz Hall.
The season lidlifter at Joyce Center marks only the Bison's second meeting with Notre Dame and the first since 1982-83. Following a Tuesday night road trip to Albany on Nov. 26, the Bison will spend Thanksgiving weekend in the nation's capital, at George Washington's Red Auerbach Colonial Classic Nov. 29-30. Columbia and Mount St. Mary's join Bucknell and GW at the tourney.
The month of December kicks off with the first three home games of the season. Davis Gym's 65th and final season of men's basketball begins on Tuesday, Dec. 3 as the Bison host Canisius at 7:30 p.m. St. Francis (Pa.) and Fairleigh Dickinson follow the Golden Griffins into Lewisburg on Dec. 7 and 9, respectively, before the Bison break for final exams.
An 11-day layoff ends on Dec. 20 with the annual trip to Penn State, where the Bison look to knock off the Nittany Lions for the first time since 1976. Following another short break for Christmas, the Herd travels southwest to Tempe, Ariz., for Arizona State's azcentral.com Tournament Dec. 27-28. Bucknell opens with the host Sun Devils, with Nebraska and UC Santa Barbara matching up in the other first-round contest. The Bison also played in ASU's tournament during the 1999-2000 season, finishing third after a loss to the Sun Devils and a win over Manhattan.
The new year begins with Bucknell's return to venerable Martz Hall in Pottsville, Pa., the hometown of Bison head coach Pat Flannery. The Bison last visited Martz Hall in 1997-98. A crowd of nearky 4,000 watched the Quakers defeat the Bison 69-62. This year, Bucknell will square off against Niagara.
Three more home games follow, including a non-league affair against Robert Morris and a pair of historic Patriot League tilts against American and Lehigh. The Jan. 11 contest against American is scheduled to be the final basketball game played in Davis Gym. Ironically, American was the opponent for the first game played there on Jan. 14, 1939. The game against Lehigh -- scheduled for the day after the 64th anniversary of the Davis Gym opener -- takes on similar historical importance, as it is scheduled to be the opening game in the new 4,000-seat multi-purpose arena.
The 2003 Patriot League schedule has a bit different format than in the past, with several Friday-Sunday weeks replacing the traditional Wednesday-Saturday routine. Bucknell's February home contests against Navy and Holy Cross will be a part of the Patriot League TV package.
For the second straight year the Patriot League Tournament will be held at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, Md. Quarterfinal and semifinal rounds will take place on March 8-9, with the final to be televised on ESPN on Friday, March 14 at 4:30 p.m.
