Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Men Visit Penn State Saturday Afternoon
1/2/2004 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 2, 2004
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Bucknell and Penn State make their 2004 debuts Saturday afternoon at Bryce Jordan Center. Both teams are coming off tournament championship game appearances - the Bison fell 76-63 to College of Charleston at the Saturn of North Charleston Classic on Tuesday, while the Nittany Lions dropped an 82-63 decision to New Mexico at the Comcast Lobo Invitational on Monday. Bucknell had won 3 of 4 contests prior to the loss to the 9-1 Cougars, then raced to an early eight point lead before C of C stormed ahead with a 33-8 run. Kevin Bettencourt, who had a 29-point game against Norfolk State on Monday, continues to lead the Bison in scoring at 17.4 ppg. After Saturday's game the Bison will have just one more non-conference tuneup prior to the start of Patriot League play, that coming Wednesday at Robert Morris. Penn State, led by seven-footer Jan Jagla's 16.9 ppg, has wins this season over Arkansas State, St. Francis (N.Y.), Cleveland State, Buffalo and St. Francis (Pa.). The Lions lead the all-time series with Bucknell 73-24. After the Bison's 69-64 win in 1976, the annual series was discontinued until the 1993-94 campaign, and Penn State has captured each of the nine meetings since then, all in State College. The Lions won 59-55 last season.
key stats
* Bucknell leads the Patriot League in rebound margin at +6.2.
* Bucknell's bench is averaging 20.7 ppg this season.
* The Bison are actually shooting much better on the road than at home this season. (FG% Home/Road: .438/462; 3FG% Home/Road: .212/.366).
* Three of Penn State's last five wins over Bucknell have come by four points or less.
last time out ... bison split at c of c tournament
In Charleston, S.C., this past Monday and Tuesday, Bucknell split a pair of contests at the Saturn of North Charleston Shootout. The Bison scored the first 11 of points of the game and cruised to a 68-52 win over Norfolk State in the opening round, then fell 76-63 to host College of Charleston in the championship game. Kevin Bettencourt scored 29 points to lead the win over the Spartans. The Bison held NSU to only five first-half field goals and 29.8% shooting for the game. Bettencourt and senior reserve center Davorin Skornik scored 13 points apiece against College of Charleston, but Thomas Mobley scored 23 and Stanley Jackson went 5-for-5 from 3-point range and scored 21 for the Cougars. Bucknell led 30-22 with 3:41 left in the first half, but C of C bridged the halftime break with a 33-8 run to grab a 17-point lead at the 12-minute mark of the second period. The Bison clawed within six with a late run, but could get no closer.
bucknell vs. penn state last year
On Dec. 20, 2002 at Bryce Jordan Center, Sharif Chambliss scored 10 of his 15 points in the second half as Penn State outlasted Bucknell 59-55 in a turnover-filled affair. Boakai Lalugba scored 12 points to lead Bucknell, who were playing for the first time after an 11-day layoff for final exams. After trailing 33-24 at the half, Dan Blankenship made a layup and was fouled with 10 seconds left, pulling the Bison within two points, but he missed the free throw. Robert Summers hit two free throws at the other end to seal the win. The Lions were 14-for-14 from the line in the last two minutes and won despite not making a field goal in the final nine minutes of the game. Bucknell played for the first time without senior forward Brian Werner, who would miss the rest of the season with a shoulder injury. The two teams combined for 48 turnovers.
bettencourt honored
Sophomore guard Kevin Bettencourt was named to an all-tournament team for the first time in his career earlier this week when he was picked following the Saturn of North Charleston Shootout. Bettencourt scored 29 points in the opening-round win over Norfolk State - the second-most of his career - and 13 in the loss to College of Charleson.
bettencourt regains patriot league scoring lead
Kevin Bettencourt entered the Charleston tournament in a three-game shooting slump, but he brushed that aside with a 29-point effort against Norfolk State and tallied 42 points in the tourney. His season scoring average rose to 17.4 ppg, and Bettencourt has passed Lafayette's Justin DeBerry for the Patriot League scoring lead.
german pride
Saturday's game features a battle of two outstanding German big men. Bucknell freshman Chris McNaughton, a 6-11 center from Leutershausen, has started the last seven games and is averaging 11.7 ppg while shooting 76.2% from the field, tops in the nation. For Penn State, 7-0 Berlin native Jan Jagla is averaging a team-best 16.9 ppg and 9.2 rpg while shooting 53.8% from the field. Jagla is also a long-range threat, with 11 3-pointers in 23 attempts (.478).
playing big
Bison head coach Pat Flannery is enjoying the luxury of having three big men in his frontcourt rotation that have all played quality minutes, and each of whom possesses different strengths. Freshman Chris McNaughton (6-11) has been the biggest offensive threat among the three, averaging 11.7 ppg. Senior Davorin Skornik (6-11) has 31 career starts under his belt and has been solid off the bench in recent games. Most notable was his career-high 13-point showing in 13 minues against College of Charleston on Tuesday. At 275 pounds, sophomore Tarik Viaer-McClymont (6-7) represents the muscle in this group. He is averaging 12.0 mpg and has made 10 of 13 field-goal attempts on the season. Viaer-McClymont can also play the power forward position and has played alongside McNaughton at times this season. All told, the trio is averaging 17.2 ppg while shooting 68.3% from the floor.
