Bucknell University Athletics
Lalugba, Bettencourt Earn Weekly Hoops Honors
1/13/2003 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 13, 2003
LEWISBURG, Pa. - After helping lead Bucknell's men's basketball team to a 2-0 week, including a win over American in its Patriot League opener, senior forward Boakai Lalugba (East Orange, N.J./Essex Catholic H.S.) and freshman guard Kevin Bettencourt (Peabody, Mass./Peabody H.S.) have again garnered weekly league honors.
Lalugba was named Patriot League Player of the Week for the third time this season after logging 38 points and 27 rebounds in Bucknell's double-digit victories over Robert Morris (66-53) and American (63-52). Lalugba's 15 points, 13 rebounds and career-high four assists led the Bison to the win over American, the league's defending regular-season champion, in the final game ever played in 64-year-old Davis Gym.
Still the league's leading scorer (17.0 ppg) and rebounder (10.4 rpg), Lalugba now has a league-high eight double-doubles in 13 games this season, including three in a row. In addition to the Patriot League honor, he was also named the Bull Run Inn Bison Athlete of the Week for the second time this season.
Bettencourt was named the Patriot League Rookie of the Week, joining Lalugba as a three-time recipient of weekly honors from the league. Bettencourt tallied 12 points in the win over Robert Morris, including a big 3-pointer in the second half that helped Bucknell extend a slim lead. His lone field goal against American was also a big one - a 3-pointer to open the second-half scoring that gave the Bison a commanding 14-point lead.
Bettencourt is averaging 9.5 ppg, the most of any Patriot League freshman. He also has a team-high 25 3-pointers and is shooting 87.5 percent (21-24) from the free-throw line.
Bucknell, now 7-6 overall and 1-0 in the Patriot League, debuts in the brand new Sojka Pavilion on Wednesday against Lehigh.
