Bucknell University
2-6
Ursinus
4-1
Prowess in Paint Lifts Bison Men to 77-62 Win over Ursinus
12/22/2003 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 22, 2003
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Chris Niesz recorded his first career double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Bucknell dominated around the basket en route to a 77-62 victory over previously unbeaten Ursinus Monday night at Sojka Pavilion.
Bucknell (2-6) outrebounded smaller Ursinus (4-1) 56-29, outscored the Bears 36-16 in the paint and gained a 29-6 edge on second-chance opportunities. Seven Bison grabbed at least five rebounds.
Dennis Stanton led the Bears with a Sojka Pavilion-record 37 points, six over his season average coming in. He connected on 11 of 27 shots from the field, 7 of 17 from 3-point range and 8 of 9 from the line. The rest of the Ursinus team shot just 8-for-37 from the field and 1-for-10 from beyond the arc.
Charles Lee scored 13 points and Kevin Bettencourt 12 for the Bison. Niesz also blocked a career-high four shots in addition to his personal-best 11 rebounds. Chris McNaughton, who entered the game leading the nation in field-goal percentage at .804, hit the 80-percent mark again, finishing with eight points on 4-of-5 shooting from the field.
Behind Stanton's long-range shooting, Ursinus stuck with Bucknell for the first 20 minutes. There were five ties and four lead changes in the first half, as Ursinus forced 15 turnovers and held the Bison to 1-for-13 shooting from beyond the 3-point arc. Stanton, who scored 22 in the first half, hit two free throws with 2:37 left in the half to give Ursinus a 27-25 lead.
After the Bison missed their first 10 3-point tries, Bettencourt finally ended the drought at the 2:19 mark to put Bucknell back in front to stay. Lee's 3-point play in the final minute made it 33-29 at the break.
Bucknell secured some breathing room in the early moments of the second half when Tarik Viaer-McClymont completed a 3-point play, and layups by Niesz and Lee capped a 9-2 run to start the half and gave Bucknell its first double-digit lead of 11 points at 42-31.
Treys by Niesz, Bettencourt and Matt Quinn helped push the lead to as many as 16 at 53-37 with 13:32 left before Ursinus mounted a last-ditch charge. Matt Fabian's layup off one of Mike McGarvey's six assists capped a 7-0 run and made it 62-55 with 7:24 left.
Bucknell used its inside game and excellent free-throw shooting to halt the comeback. A McNaughton put-back and a tip-in by Niesz pushed the lead by to 13 at the five-minute mark, and the Bison led by as many as nine the rest of the way.
Bucknell made 20 of 23 shots from the free-throw line, including 5-for-7 in the final seven minutes.
It was the first meeting between Bucknell and Ursinus since March 3, 1942. Bucknell now owns a 13-1 series lead.
After taking a week off for the Christmas holiday, Bucknell will be back in game action on Dec. 29 against Norfolk State in the first round of the College of Charleston Classic. Tipoff is 5:30 p.m.
