Bucknell University
2-1
Rider
0-1
Bucknell Men's Basketball Tramples Rider 69-50 in Home Opener
11/19/2004 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 19, 2004
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Kevin Bettencourt scored a game-high 19 points and helped put the clamps on high-scoring guard Jerry Johnson as hot-shooting Bucknell outran Rider 69-50 Friday night at Sojka Pavilion. Chris McNaughton had 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Bison, who improved to 2-1, while Edwin Muniz scored 12 points for the Broncs in their season opener.
Bucknell shot 55.6 percent from the field and held Rider to just 27.5 percent shooting. Bettencourt was 7-for-12, and it was his four-point play with 12:56 to go in the first half, followed by another 19-footer with a foul, that put the Bison ahead for good.
Bettencourt was just as strong on the defensive end. Assigned to Johnson, a three-time All-MAAC player who averaged 18.7 points per game last season, Bettencourt helped hold him to six points on 1-for-13 shooting from the field.
The Bison held Rider to just 14 field goals in 51 attempts and limited the Broncs' guards to 4-for-32 shooting. Bucknell outrebounded Rider 37-25.
Leading 16-11 at the midway point of the opening half, Bucknell used an 8-2 run to grab a double-digit lead for the first time on a layup by Tarik Viaer-McClymont. A breakaway layup by Bettencourt and a free throw by Chris Niesz with no time left on the clock pushed the cushion to 13 points at 33-20 at halftime.
The Bison made it a rout by opening the second half on a 16-5 run. Bettencourt and Lee both hit 3-pointers during the surge, and John Clark brought the crowd to its feet with a no-look tap pass to Bettencourt for a layup. Lee's jumper with 14:29 to play gave Bucknell its largest lead of the night, 24 points at 49-25.
Muniz made two straight 3-pointers to get Rider as close as 14 at 51-37 with 9:31 to play, but the Broncs would manage only two more field goals the rest of the way and could get no closer.
Lee finished with 12 points for Bucknell, while freshman John Griffin tallied nine points, three assists and three steals. Griffin entered the game 10-for-10 from the field on the season and extended the streak to 11 straight before missing the first shot of his career on an off-balance 3-pointer just before the halftime buzzer. He finished 3-for-4 on the night and is now 13-for-14 on the season and 7-for-8 from 3-point range.
Steve Castleberry and Terrance Mouton each finished with 10 points for the Broncs.
Bucknell returns to action on Monday night against Saint Francis (Pa.) at Sojka Pavilion. Tipoff is 7 p.m.
