Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Men's Basketball to Open PL Play Against American Saturday
1/10/2003 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 10, 2003
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Emotions will be running high today in Davis Gymnasium as Bucknell kicks off its Patriot League slate against defending regular-season champion American. While a conference opener against a talented team is a storyline in itself, this afternoon's contest also takes on a historic flavor, as it is the final basketball game ever to be played in 64-year-old Davis Gym. The Bison, who will move next door to the 4,000-seat Sojka Pavilion on Wednesday, enter Patriot League play in good spirits after using a big second half to pull away from Robert Morris 66-53 on Tuesday. Bucknell is 6-6, with three of its losses coming by four points or less. Meanwhile, American has dropped two straight and five of its last seven. The Eagles fell at Penn 66-55 on Wednesday. Bucknell is seeking a measure of revenge this afternoon, as American was the only league team to sweep the season series from the Bison a year ago, winning 69-52 in Washington and 78-67 in a Patriot League TV game in Davis Gym.
the state of the bison
Bucknell has battled shooting inconsistency and two key injuries throughout the pre-conference schedule, however the Bison have won two of their last three contests and bring a 6-6 ledger into today's league opener against American. On the injury front, junior forward Jeremiah Bennett had the cast removed from his fractured right hand last week and has returned to practice. He is expected to be in uniform today for the first time since Nov. 26. Senior forward Brian Werner has missed the last five games after suffering a dislocated shoulder during the final exam break. He remains out indefinitely. The Bison enjoyed one of their best halves of the season in the final 20 minutes of Tuesday's win over Robert Morris. The Orange and Blue shot 54.5% (12-22) from the field and committed only five turnovers while outscoring the Colonials 42-28. In the previous game against Niagara, the Bison shot only 27.6% from the floor and 25.0% from 3-point range in an 11-point loss. In fact, since sinking 9 of 11 3-point attempts in the first half against George Washington on Nov. 30, Bucknell as a team is shooting only 29.8% from beyond the arc.
scouting american
The Eagles, under the direction of third-year head coach Jeff Jones, enter league play with a 5-8 record. After earning a solid 81-75 win over crosstown rival George Washington on Jan. 2, American has dropped two straight to St. Francis (Pa.) and Penn. A perimeter-oriented team, AU's 113 3-point field goals is by far the most in the league - only one other team (Lafayette with 98) has more than 80. The Eagles are led by one of the Patriot League's best guards in Glenn Stokes. Despite his 5'7" frame, Stokes has enjoyed some huge games for AU, including a career-high 27-point effort against Penn on Wednesday in which he canned 7 of 10 from 3-point range. Countering the loss of 2002 Patriot League Player of the Year Patrick Doctor, Stokes has increased his scoring from 9.4 ppg a year ago to 16.4 ppg this season, which ranks second to Bucknell's Boakai Lalugba. Senior swingman Steven Miles is another top scorer at 12.7 ppg. Junior forward Jernavis Draughn, who is back with the Eagles after sitting out last season, averages 8.0 ppg and a team-high 5.5 rpg. Junior guard Andres Rodriguez (5.2 ppg, 4.9 apg) and sophomore guard Jason Thomas (2.4 ppg) round out the starting lineup.
series notes
This is the 30th game between Bucknell and American, with the Bison clinging to a slim 15-14 lead in the all-time series. The Bison, who lost twice to the Eagles last season (AU's first in the Patriot League), last defeated American on Jan. 22, 2001 (61-51).
the beauty of symmetry
The very first meeting between Bucknell and American came on Jan. 14, 1939. It was the opening game in Bucknell's fancy new basketball arena - Davis Gymnasium. Today, just three days shy of the 64th anniversary of its opening, Bucknell and American meet in the final game in Davis.
about today's closing ceremony
Following today's men's contest, there will be a special ceremony commemorating the final basketball game in Davis Gym. Guest speakers slated to take part in the program are noted author John Feinstein, legendary Bucknell men's basketball coach Charlie Woollum, two-time Patriot League Women's Player of the Year Molly Creamer, and current Bison coaches Kathy Fedorjaka and Pat Flannery. Women's team captains Creamer and Kate Franks, along with men's captains Dan Blankenship and Boakai Lalugba, will wrap things up by cutting down the nets. All former all-league men's and women's players will also be recognized. Following the ceremony, fans and media are invited to an "open house" in Sojka Pavilion, marking the first time the new arena's doors will be opened to the public.
a bit of davis gym history
Dedicated on June 13, 1938, Davis Gymnasium was the product of a gift from 20 members of the Bucknell Board of Trustees. It is named for John Warren Davis, an 1896 Bucknell graduate and chairman of the Board of Trustees at the time of dedication. The principal address at the cornerstone-laying ceremony in September 1937 was delivered by former baseball commissioner Judge Kenesaw M. Landis. In the first game played in Davis Gym on Jan. 14, 1939, the Bison lost 38-33 to American. The construction cost of Davis Gym? Approximately $400,000.
davis domination
Large, noisy crowds have helped Davis Gym gain a reputation through the years as a miserable place for visiting teams to play. Bucknell is 3-1 in Davis this season, 69-25 (.734) under head coach Pat Flannery, and 460-233 (.664) all-time in 64 seasons in the facility.
bison to debut in sojka pavilion on wednesday
The Bucknell men's and women's basketball teams will have a new home beginning Wednesday, Jan. 15, as the Bison will move next door to the 4,000-seat Sojka Pavilion. The facility will be formally dedicated between games of the men's and women's basketball doubleheader against Lehigh. The multi-purpose arena is but one part of a state-of-the-art, $46.6 million Recreation and Athletics Center, much of which opened this fall. The Kinney Natatorium features a 50-meter-by-25-yard Olympic class pool that is the new home to the Bison swimming, diving and water polo teams. The Krebs Family Fitness Center is also online, featuring more than 15,000 square feet devoted to strength and fitness equipment.
bison practice in sojka pavilion for 1st time
Ignoring the lingering aroma of wet paint and the occasional clack of a carpenter's hammer, Bucknell's men's and women's teams practiced on the Sojka Pavilion hardwood for the first time this past Wednesday. The arena drew rave reviews from nearly every player, many of whom were setting foot inside the facility for the first time.
last year's bucknell-american meetings
On Jan. 19, 2002, Bucknell and American met for the first time as Patriot League rivals, and the host Eagles treated their new conference mates rudely, shooting 62.1% in the second half to sprint to a 69-52 victory. Glenn Stokes, held scoreless in the second half, scored 18 in the second stanza, including two 3-point daggers from deep in the corner to seal the verdict. Boakai Lalugba led Bucknell with 19 points, while Dan Blankenship scored a career-high 16. In Davis Gym on Feb. 13, conference MVP Patrick Doctor scored a game and career-high 31 points in American's 78-67 victory. The Eagles were again unconscious from the field, shooting 62.2% for the game. Bryan Bailey scored 23 points and Lalugba had 20 for the Bison.
notes from the robert morris game
Boakai Lalugba recorded his seventh double-double of the season with 23 points and 14 rebounds in Bucknell's 66-53 victory ... the Bison defense limited the Colonials to 38.3% shooting and only three 3-pointers in 21 tries ... Kevin Bettencourt scored 12 points and Dan Blankenship added 10 and four assists for the Bison ... the Bison outscored RMU 22-4 from the free-throw line and went 8-for-8 from the stripe in the last 1:28 ... Bucknell's 48.8% field-goal percentage was its second-best mark of the season ... Ben Slater grabbed a season-high six rebounds.
bucknell in patriot league play
No Patriot League team has won more regular-season conference games than Bucknell since the start of league play in 1990-91, and last Feb. 9 the Bison reached a milestone by becoming the first team to register 100 regular-season league wins. The Bison carry a 102-52 (.662) conference ledger following their 10th winning conference record in 12 years.
patriot league openers
Bucknell has struggled on opening night of Patriot League play since the league's inception in 1990-91. The Bison are 4-8 in PL openers, and last year they snapped a six-game losing streak with 65-64 win over Lafayette in Davis Gym.
preseason prognostications
Bucknell was picked to finish fourth in the Patriot League in a preseason poll of the league's head coaches and sports information directors. The Bison garnered one first-place vote and 62 points overall. Defending champion Holy Cross (96) was picked as the preseason favorite, followed by American (79), Colgate (66), Bucknell, Navy (57), Lafayette (44), Lehigh (26) and Army (18).
