Bucknell University
13-13, 7-6
Holy Cross
22-4, 12-1
Holy Cross Outslugs Bucknell, 54-43
2/28/2003 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 28, 2003
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Patriot League's two top-ranked defensive teams lived up to their billing Friday night, as Holy Cross topped Bucknell 54-43 in a hard-fought defensive struggle at Sojka Pavilion.
Patrick Whearty had 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Crusaders, and the Holy Cross defense blocked 12 shots and held Bucknell to 21.6 percent shooting.
The Bison, who were led by Kevin Bettencourt's 12 points, made only 4 of 25 shots in the first half and 11 of 51 in the game, yet they were in the contest until the closing minutes.
Holy Cross, which has clinched the Patriot League regular-season title, improved to 22-4, 12-1, with its eighth straight victory. Bucknell (13-13, 7-6) had its three-game winning streak snapped.
Despite the Bison's shooting struggles in the opening half, they closed an 11-point deficit to six (22-16) by halftime with a 10-2 run late in the stanza.
Holy Cross stretched the lead back to double digits at 33-22 on Whearty's inside basket with 13:28 to play. But Bucknell rallied behind 3-pointers from Matt Quinn, Chris Niesz and Jeremiah Bennett, the last of which trimmed the margin to just one at 36-35 with 8:57 remaining.
Mark Jerz answered the Bennett trey with one of his own on the next Crusader possession, starting a decisive 11-2 run for Holy Cross. A critical sequence for Holy Cross came at the 3:42 mark, when Jave Meade missed the second of two free throws but chased down his own rebound and dished to Tim Szatko, who scored and made a free throw. The four-point possession gave Holy Cross a 47-37 lead, and the Crusaders led by at least eight the rest of the way.
Jerz made 3 of 4 three-point attempts and scored 11 points. Jerz, Whearty and Nate Lufkin combined to make 15 of Holy Cross' 19 field goals. The visitors shot 38 percent for the game.
Holy Cross outrebounded Bucknell 50-31 and outscored the Bison 24-4 in the paint. Szatko and Lufkin had four blocked shots each, while Whearty added three.
Coming into the game Bucknell was ranked third nationally and Holy Cross ninth in scoring defense.
Boakai Lalugba had 10 points and four rebounds and Jeremiah Bennett added eight points off the bench for Bucknell. Chris Niesz had a career-high eight rebounds, while Dan Blankenship matched his personal best with eight assists.
Bucknell closes its regular season on Sunday at home against Colgate at 3:15 p.m. It is Senior Day at Sojka Pavilion, signifying the final home games for Dan Blankenship, Jordan Hardenbergh, Boakai Lalugba and Brian Werner.
