Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Men's Basketball Visits American Saturday in League Opener
1/9/2004 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 9, 2004
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College basketball's second season kicks off Saturday in the Patriot League, as all eight PL teams begin a two-month, 14-game chase for postseason tournament seedings. Bucknell's six-game road trip continues into the start of league play, as the Bison open up at American on Saturday. The Bison dropped their third straight game on Wednesday, 74-67 at Robert Morris. The Eagles have played very well recently after a slow start and had a three-game winning streak snapped on Monday against Niagara. American begins its third season of Patriot League play and is 3-1 against Bucknell over the last two seasons, including two wins at Bender Arena. Bucknell defeated AU 63-52 in last year's Patriot League opener, which also happened to be the final game ever played in Davis Gym. All-time, Bucknell holds a slim 16-15 series lead. Coincidentally, the first time the two teams met was in 1939, in the very first game ever played in Davis Gym. The Bison's last road win in the series was a 67-54 decision in 1983-84, when the two teams both played in the East Coast Conference.
key stats
* Bucknell leads the Patriot League in rebound margin at +5.6.
* The Bison are actually shooting much better on the road than at home this season. (FG% Home/Road: .438/450; 3FG% Home/Road: .212/.351).
* Bucknell had a positive assist-turnover ratio for the first time this season on Wednesday at Robert Morris (17-15).
* American and Bucknell rank 2-3 in the Patriot League in field-goal percentage, but while the Eagles rank first in 3-point percentage (.383), the Bison rank seventh (.304).
last time out ... bison fall at robert morris
In Moon Township, Pa., on Wednesday, Kevin Bettencourt scored 22 points for Bucknell, but four Robert Morris players scored in double figures led by Maurice Carter's 21, and the Colonials outlasted the Bison 74-67 at the Sewall Center (see boxscore, page 22). The Bison overcame a 10-point deficit in the first half and took two one-point leads in the second half, the last at 48-47 after Davorin Skornik's free throw with 10:23 left. Robert Morris quickly answered with an 11-4 run to regain the lead for good, then made 13 of 16 free throws in the final 2:04 to ward off a trio of Bison 3-pointers. Skornik had 11 points and Chris McNaughton 10 for the Bison, while Aaron Thomas (17), Chaz McCrommon (15) and Mark Anderson (10) reached double digits for the Colonials.
bucknell vs. american last year
Bucknell and American split two meetings last season, with both teams defending their home courts. On Jan. 11, 2003 in Lewisburg, Bucknell closed 64-year-old Davis Gym with a 63-52 win. Boakai Lalugba had 15 points and 13 rebounds and Matt Quinn added 14 points on 4-for-5 3-point shooting. The Bison led 38-27 at the half, and American's 12:25 field-goal drought allowed Bucknell to take a 19-point lead. Steven Miles led American with 22 points. On Feb. 8 in Washington, D.C., Glenn Stokes scored 25 points and Miles added 21 in American's 70-56 win. Kevin Bettencourt led the Bison with 20 points and Lalugba had 14 points and seven rebounds. Trailing by seven at 48-41 midway through the second period, Bucknell had a tough dry spell, missing an open layup and three straight front ends of 1-and-1s in a span of four possessions. Stokes' 3-pointer pushed American's lead into double digits and the Eagles led comfortably the rest of the way.
common opponents
Bucknell and American have played three common opponents thus far - Saint Francis (Pa.), Yale and Niagara.
Opponent Bucknell Result American Result Saint Francis (Pa.) lost 84-79 (away) lost 75-63 (away)
Yale lost 63-62 (home) won 84-73 (home)
Niagara lost 90-71 (neutral) lost 75-72 (home)
youth is served
Bucknell started one of its youngest lineups in school history on Wednesday at Robert Morris, with three freshmen and two second-year players taking the floor against the Colonials. Rookies Donald Brown and Chris McNaughton had been starters for several weeks, and they were joined by freshman John Clark on Wednesday, along with sophomore Kevin Bettencourt and junior Antario Glover, who sat out last season and is in his second year with the team. 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.).
patriot league openers
Bucknell has struggled on opening night of Patriot League play since the league's inception in 1990-91. The Bison are 5-8 in PL openers, although they have won their last two openers - 65-64 over Lafayette in 2002 and 63-52 over American last season.
patriot league powers
No Patriot League team has won more regular-season conference games than Bucknell since the start of league play in 1990-91. The Bison carry an impressive 109-59 (.649) conference ledger and have posted 11 winning or even conference records in 13 years.
