Bucknell University
(9-4)
Pittsburgh
(10-1)
BUCKNELL PULLS BIGGEST UPSET IN SCHOOL HISTORY, STUNS NO. 7 PITTSBURGH 69-66!
1/2/2005 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 2, 2005
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Chris McNaughton scored 17 points and Kevin Bettencourt hit two go-ahead free throws with 23.3 seconds to play, lifting Bucknell to its biggest upset in school history, 69-66 over previously unbeaten Pittsburgh Sunday night before 8,351 at Petersen Events Center. It was the highest-ranked opponent a Bucknell team has ever beaten in men's basketball.
Pittsburgh (10-1) entered the game ranked seventh in the USA TODAY/ESPN Coaches' Poll and 10th in the Associated Press poll. The defending Big East champions had won 25 straight regular-season non-conference games overall and 48 in a row at home. The Panthers entered the contest 43-2 all-time at Petersen Events Center.
"You don't put these games on the schedule unless you think you can win," said Pat Flannery, whose team won its sixth straight game, the last two coming on the road against St. Joseph's and Pittsburgh, two teams that combined to go 61-7 last season. "Pitt is obviously a great basketball team, but coming in we thought we could play with them. We are getting better every time out, and we're playing with a lot of confidence right now."
Bucknell's Chris McNaughton, right, shoots two over Pittsburgh's Chris Taft in the first half of Bucknell's 69-66 upset win in Pittsburgh on Sunday, Jan. 2, 2005 (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)  |
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Carl Krauser led Pittsburgh with 20 points, while Chris Taft added 19.
The Panthers erased all of a 12-point second-half deficit and took a 51-50 lead on consecutive 3-pointers by Ronald Ramon with 12:37 to play. Pittsburgh's 14-1 run came as Bucknell struggled when Pitt changed to a rarely-used 2-3 zone. With a once-dormant crowd suddenly back in the game, Bucknell responded with critical 3-pointers by John Clark and John Griffin.
Griffin, who had missed five straight shots after making his first two, put the Bison ahead 56-53 at the 7:35 mark. McNaughton's short jumper made it 62-58 with 3:55 to play, but back-to-back treys by Antonio Graves and Krauser gave the Panthers a 64-62 lead with 2:03 to play.
Bettencourt gave the Bison the lead back moments later with a drive into the paint for a 3-point play, but Krauser's tough one-handed runner put Pitt ahead 66-65 with 1:25 left.
After a timeout, Bucknell went to Lee, who drove the lane but was stripped by Yuri Demetris. A long pass to Krauser appeared to lead to an easy layup, but Bucknell's Badmus tracked down Krauser from behind and blocked his shot.
Pittsburgh guard Carl Krauser (11) has a second half break away blocked from behind by Bucknell's Abe Badmus during college basketball action Sunday, Jan. 2, 2005, in Pittsburgh. Bucknell handed Pittsburgh its first loss of the season 69-66.(AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) |
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After the biggest defensive play of the game, Graves fouled Bettencourt away from the ball, and the Bison co-captain, who was 9-for-10 from the line on the night, calmly sank both free throws with 23.3 seconds left to give the Bison a 67-66 lead.
Krauser then drove the lane trying to put the Panthers ahead but slipped and was called for traveling. But Bucknell turned it over on the inbounds, giving Pittsburgh another chance. Graves' 16-foot jumper from the right wing was off the mark, and the ball went out of bounds off Taft.
Pitt fouled Lee on the ensuing inbounds, and Lee drained both with 2.3 seconds left. Krauser's desperation shot from beyond midcourt was off, setting off a wild, emotional celebration from the Bison sideline.
"We are very disappointed by this loss, but give all the credit to Bucknell and how they played tonight," said Pitt head coach Jamie Dixon. "We were well aware of how good Bucknell was coming in, we saw how they took it to St. Joseph's on the road, which is a great win. They shot well, executed well and played well defensively."
University of Pittsburgh forwards John DeGroat, left, and Mark McCarroll, right, reflect on a 69-66 loss to Bucknell Sunday, Jan. 2, 2005 in Pittsburgh. It is the first loss of the season for Pittsburgh.(AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) |
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"We're on a pretty good roll right now, playing with a lot of confidence," said Bettencourt, who finished with 13 points. "Taft is a great player, but we had McNaughton who matched him blow-for-blow tonight. At halftime we knew they would make a run, but just like at St. Joe's we kept our composure."
The Bison posted their second-highest scoring half of the season and stunned the Panthers by taking a 42-33 lead at halftime. The scored seven straight points to go up 7-2 after five quick markers from Lee and a transition basket by McNaughton.
Pitt rallied for a 14-13 lead on back-to-back 3-pointers by Krauser and Demetris, but the Bison answered with a crowd-silencing 14-2 run. Bettencourt made 4 of 5 free throws to start the surge, then Griffin drained a 3-pointer to make it 20-14.
After a Taft layup, McNaughton made a short hook shot, Griffin hit another trey and Donald Brown broke loose for a fastbreak dunk that made it 27-16 with 8:49 left in the half, forcing Pittsburgh to call its third timeout of the half and second in less than a minute.
Bucknell's basketball team celebrates as time runs out in their 69-66 upset win over Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh on Sunday, Jan. 2, 2005 Bucknell's leading scorer, Chris McNaughten , upper left, is hugged by teammate John Clark as teammates Charles Lee, left center, and Holland Mack hug at center.(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic) |
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Taft went to the free-throw line on three straight trips and made four to pull the Panthers within 29-24, but Bucknell went on another 8-3 run, capped by Lee's driving layup, to take a 37-27 lead with 2:20 left in the half.
Lee's second 3-pointer of the half gave Bucknell its largest lead, 42-30 with 25 seconds left in the half. Demetris' trey just before the buzzer pulled the Panthers within nine points.
The Bison shot 51.1 percent for the game after shooting at a 59.3 percent clip in the opening period. They also had a positive (14-13) assist turnover-ratio, while forcing 18 Panther turnovers, 15 coming in the first half. Pitt shot 52.2 percent for the game and outrebounded the Bison 29-20.
Bucknell had a big edge at the free-throw line, where it made 14 of 16, compared with Pitt's 9-for-20.
Bucknell and Pittsburgh were meeting for the first time since 1997 and the 27th time overall. Bucknell's last win over the Panthers came on Jan. 11, 1975, when Jim Valvano coached the Bison.
Bucknell begins Patriot League play this Saturday against Holy Cross at Sojka Pavilion. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m., and admission is free for the nationally televised contest
