Bucknell University
14-5 (5-1PL)
American
11-7 (4-2PL)
Bucknell's Winning Streak Ends at American, 68-59
1/28/2005 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 28, 2005
WASHINGTON, D.C. - One of the best winning streaks in Bucknell basketball history came to an end on Friday night at Bender Arena, as American sprinted to an early 15-4 lead and held off a late Bison charge to win 68-59. Bucknell (14-5, 5-1) suffered its first Patriot League loss of the season and had its 11-game winning streak came to an end.
American (11-7, 4-2) received 18 points from Jason Thomas and bounced back well from a 24-point loss at Holy Cross on Monday. Charles Lee led three Bison in double figures with 16 points. John Griffin added 13 points and Chris McNaughton 11 for Bucknell, which lost for the first time since Dec. 1 at Penn.
Despite the loss Bucknell remained in a first-place tie in the Patriot League. Holy Cross defeated Lafayette on Friday to join the Bison at 5-1. American and Lehigh at 4-2 are now just a game back.
Bucknell's 11-game winning streak had equaled the program's longest since 1919. The Bison also saw a five-game road winning streak come to an end.
After the Bison scored the first four points of the night, American blitzed them with a 15-0 run over a four-minute span. Matej Cresnik's 3-pointer made it 15-4 before McNaughton ended the drought with a baseline jumper at the 12:57 mark.
Thomas gave the Eagles their largest lead of the half at 19 points with a 3-pointer that made it 33-14.
American made 13 of its first 19 shots from the floor but ended the half 2-for-11 as the Bison outscored the Eagles 12-4 over the last six minutes. Griffin and Kevin Bettencourt both hit trifectas to help bring Bucknell within 37-26 at intermission.
Bucknell's late-half recovery was halted by a 6-0 American run to start the second half. Cresnik hit a 3-pointer and Thomas converted a driving layup and free throw to give the Eagles a 43-26 lead. The hosts went up by as many as 20 at 54-34 on Patrick Okpwae's open-court dunk with 8:14 to play.
The Bison hardly packed it in, though, using an aggressive full-court press to force numerous turnovers. They held American to just one field goal in the final eight minutes and pulled as close as six at 63-57 on Abe Badmus' free throws with 1:25 to play.
Thomas helped the Bison by missing 5 of 6 free throws in the final minute, but Bucknell could not get a 3-pointer to drop. Andre Ingram finally iced it with two charity tosses with 30 seconds to play.
American outrebounded Bucknell 41-29 and held the Bison to 37.0 percent shooting on the night.
Cresnik finished with 13 points and Raimondas Petrauskas had 10 for American. Ingram, the Patriot League's leading scorer, finished with just four points on 1-for-13 shooting.
Bucknell remains in the area for Sunday's game at Navy. Tip-off is 2 p.m. at Alumni Hall in Annapolis, Md.
