Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
6-11, 2-2
Army
4-12, 1-3
Bucknell Men Hold Army to Seven Field Goals in 56-23 Rout
1/23/2004 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 23, 2004
WEST POINT, N.Y. - A record-setting defensive performance and a terrific game from freshman point guard Abe Badmus helped Bucknell to its third straight victory, 56-23 over Army at Christl Arena.
Badmus set career highs with 13 points and nine rebounds and also had four steals and two assists without a turnover. Meanwhile the Bison defense limited Army to only seven field goals all night and only two in the second half while allowing their fewest points since the pre-shot clock era, a 22-18 win over Susquehanna in 1941-42.
Since the inception of the shot clock in 1986, the NCAA record for fewest points allowed in a game is 21 by Coastal Carolina against Georgia Southern on Jan. 2, 1997. Bucknell's 23 points and seven field goals allowed set Patriot League records.
Bucknell improved to 2-2 in the Patriot League and 6-11 overall, while Army dropped to 4-12, 1-3.
Charles Lee also dropped in 13 points for Bucknell and freshman John Clark scored 10 of his career-high 12 points in the opening half.
It was Clark that got Bucknell going after a sluggish start. The game was tied at 5-all at the 11:30 mark of the opening half before Clark scored 10 of Bucknell's next 17 points as part of a 25-8 run to close the half.
Travis Owsley's 3-pointer gave Army an 8-5 lead, but a Clark jumper and a 3-pointer by Lee as the shot clock expired gave the Bison the lead for good.
Army made only 5 of 15 shots in the first half, but things really went downhill for the Black Knights in the second half as Bucknell forced them to settle mostly for long, contested jump shots. The result was a 14:19 field-goal drought and only two baskets in 21 attempts over the final 20 minutes.
Army made as many free throws as field goals in the contest, and had only one player - Josh Wilson with six points - score more than three points in the game. The Black Knights shot only 19.4 percent in the game and 9.5 percent in the second half.
Bucknell made its final field goal of the night with 10:07 left in the game, but by that point the Bison had built a 50-19 lead thanks to a 23-1 run. Tarik Viaer-McClymont's free throw with 5:00 to play made it 56-19 before Army tallied the final four points of the night.
The Bison dominated on the boards, outrebounding Army 43-17. At one point in the second half Bucknell held Army without a rebound for a span of 9:39.
Bucknell returns to action on Sunday afternoon when it travels to first-place Lafayette for a 3:15 start. Lafayette improved to 4-0 in Patriot League play with an overtime win over previously unbeaten Lehigh on Friday.
