Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
(6-12,2-3)
Lafayette
(14-4,5-0)
Lafayette Stays Unbeaten in Patriot League with 81-72 Win over Bucknell
1/25/2004 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 25, 2004
EASTON, Pa. - Marcus Harley scored 14 points off the bench to lead a balanced Lafayette attack, and the Leopards improved to 5-0 in Patriot League play with an 81-72 win over Bucknell Sunday afternoon in an entertaining affair played before 3,427 at the Kirby Sports Center.
Chris McNaughton recorded 16 points and 10 rebounds for his second career double-double for Bucknell (6-12, 2-3), which had its three-game winning streak snapped.
Kevin Bettencourt also scored 16 points and Charles Lee had 12 for Bucknell. McNaughton went 8-for-10 from the field despite being limited to 25 minutes due to foul trouble.
Rob Dill (13 points), Justin DeBerry (12) and Winston Davis (10) also scored in double figures for Lafayette, which outscored Bucknell 23-7 from the free-throw line.
Lafayette used a 9-0 run five minutes into the second half to grab an 11-point lead at 53-42, but the Bison whittled that margin to three on John Clark's 3-pointer with 7:57 remaining.
The Leopards got three straight 3-pointers from Harley, Pat Betley and DeBerry, but the Bison answered each with a basket to keep the game within reach.
Abe Badmus' transition layup with 2:21 left made it 73-69, and the Bison had a chance to get closer after Bettencourt stole the ball from DeBerry on Lafayette's next possession and Lee got fouled driving to the basket. But Lee missed both free throws with 1:52 to play, and Sean Knitter drew McNaughton's fifth foul and converted both charity attempts to make it 75-69.
After a turnover, Bucknell sent Harley to the line where he missed both, but Dill blocked Badmus' driving layup attempt with 57 seconds left. This time Harley knocked down both free throws to make it 77-69, and the Bison could get no closer.
The first half featured five ties and five lead changes, but the Leopards ended the half on a 10-2 run to take a 39-32 lead to intermission.
Dill's jump hook gave Lafayette an early 13-6 lead, but the Bison bounced back behind a 9-2 run to draw even at 15. McNaughton scored eight of Bucknell's first 10 points of the night, and his layup at the 7:54 mark gave the Bison a 21-19 lead.
Lee's second three-point play of the night with 5:05 left in the half gave the Bison a 30-29 edge, but four straight points from DeBerry, a fastbreak layup from Davis and Jamie Hughes' tip-in at the buzzer highlighted Lafayette's surge to end the half.
The 81 points were the most scored against Bucknell by a Patriot League opponent since Navy's 88-64 win over the Bison in the 2001 tournament semifinals.
Bucknell shot 50.0 percent from the field (30-60) and played Lafayette even on the boards, 34-34. The Leopards shot 47.2 percent from the floor (25-53) and 85.2 percent from the line (23-27).
The Bison return home on Friday to face Colgate at 7:45 p.m.
