Bucknell University Athletics
Bison Men's Hoops Concludes Long Road Trip Wednesday at Lehigh
1/14/2004 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 14, 2004
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Just four days removed from a gut-wrenching overtime loss at American, Bucknell looks to bounce back in Game 2 of the Patriot League schedule Wednesday evening at Lehigh. The 58-55 OT setback in Washington, D.C., on Saturday was the Bison's fourth straight loss and their third by five points or less. Bucknell, which has been 0-2 in Patriot League play only once (1993-94) in 13 years, boasts one of the youngest lineups around. All four freshmen on the roster have started games in the last week, and the last two times out Pat Flannery has started three freshmen and two sophomores. Lehigh had little trouble in its Patriot League opener Saturday, bolting to a 26-point halftime en route to an 80-61 victory over Navy. The Mountain Hawks have won seven of their last 10 games and are 6-1 at home this season. Bucknell leads the all-time series, 84-53. Lehigh won both regular-season meetings last season, including playing the role of spoiler in Bucknell's debut in the Sojka Pavilion, but the Bison exacted revenge in the Patriot League Tournament with a 52-47 first-round victory.
key stats
* Bucknell leads the Patriot League in rebound margin at +4.3.
* Bucknell forced a season-high 24 turnovers Saturday at American.
* Lehigh is 6-1 at home, while Bucknell is 0-7 on the road this season.
* Lehigh and Bucknell rank 1-2 in the Patriot League in rebounding average.
last time out ... bison stunned in ot at american
In Washington, D.C., on Saturday, Bucknell and American waged a hard-fought battle for 45 minutes, and the Eagles had just enough to prevail 58-55 in overtime in the Patriot League openers for both clubs (see boxscore, page 22). Neither team led by more than one possession for the last 9:19 of regulation, and the Bison trailed 48-46 when Kevin Bettencourt was fouled shooting a 3-pointer with 4.8 seconds left. Bettencourt hit 2 of 3 to send the game into overtime. In the extra session the Bison attempted 11 field goals to American's three, but Bucknell's cold shooting continued and the Eagles made just enough free throws (6-11) to pull it out. The Bison trailed 58-53 when Abe Badmus drove the lane for a layup with nine seconds left, and Bettencourt tied up Matej Cresnik on the inbounds, giving them a shot to tie. But Badmus missed a long 3-point attempt and Charles Lee, who scored a career-high 18 points, could only draw iron on an off-balance attempt as time expired.
bucknell vs. lehigh last year
Bucknell and Lehigh met three times last season, including a postseason encounter. While the Mountain Hawks claimed both regular-season clashes, the Bison sent Lehigh home earlier than expected with a Patriot League Tournament quarterfinal upset. On Jan. 15, 2003 in the first game ever played in Sojka Pavilion, Matt Logie scored 22 points and Zlatko Savovic added 18 to help Lehigh to a come-from-behind 60-56 decision. The Logie/Savovic duo scored 31 of their 40 points in the second half, as Lehigh rallied from 32-20 halftime deficit. Bucknell, which was led by Kevin Bettencourt's 18 points, sprinted to a 23-8 lead. On Feb. 11, 2003 at Stabler Arena, Logie made four second-half 3-pointers and led all scorers with 20 points in Lehigh's 61-49 win. Logie was held without a trey in the first half but hit two straight to open the second, pushing Lehigh's 22-17 halftime lead to 28-17. Lehigh's first five buckets of the second half came from beyond the arc. Bucknell, which shot 7 for 32 in the first half, was led by 13 points from Dan Blankenship. On March 8, 2003 at The Show Place Arena, fifth-seeded Bucknell got 16 points from Bettencourt and a terrific defensive effort from Blankenship on Logie in a 52-47 upset of No. 4 Lehigh. Bucknell trailed 25-17 at the half but Bettencourt hit three treys in a row to spark a 25-6 run.
youth is served
Bucknell has started one of its youngest lineups in school history in its last two games against Robert Morris and American, with three freshmen and two second-year players taking the floor. Against Robert Morris, rookies Donald Brown, John Clark and Chris McNaughton started, along with sophomore Kevin Bettencourt and junior Antario Glover, who sat out last season and is in his second year with the team. Against American, Clark, McNaughton and freshman Abe Badmus started alongside sophomores Bettencourt and Charles Lee. It had been seven years since the Bison had as many as two freshmen starters, and the last time they had three at once was late in the 1977 season, when Bob Barry, Steve Sigl and current head coach Pat Flannery earned starting berths. Only a handful of Division I teams have started three freshmen this season. Wright State, Long Island and Sam Houston State have regularly employed three rookie starters, while Army last week started five freshmen in a game against St. Francis (N.Y.).
good news, bad news
The bad news in Saturday's game at American was that Bucknell's top two leading scorers - Kevin Bettencourt and Chris McNaughton - both struggled, combining for 12 points on 3 of 21 shooting from the field. The good news, however, is that the Bison received plenty of contributions from other players and managed to take a very good team to overtime on the road.
charles in charge
One of those players who stepped up was sophomore guard Charles Lee who scored a career-high 18 points, including seven of Bucknell's last nine in regulation, and tied his career mark with seven rebounds. Lee ranks second on the team in rebounding (4.6 rpg) from his guard position. He also ranks second on the team in assists with 38 and has a positive assist-turnover ratio.
