Bucknell University
5-0,0-0
DePaul
2-3,0-0
Bucknell Now 5-0 After 57-52 Win at DePaul
12/3/2005 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 3, 2005
ROSEMONT, Ill. - Kevin Bettencourt scored 16 points and Chris McNaughton added 12, including a back-breaking basket with 21 seconds to play, as Bucknell improved to 5-0 on the season with a 57-52 victory over DePaul at Allstate Arena on Saturday afternoon.
Bucknell defeated a Big East team for the second time this season on the road, and the Bison will face another team from that conference on Tuesday at home against fourth-ranked Villanova.
Bucknell led for all but the first five minutes in this one, although things were tense at the end. The Bison led 53-45 after Charles Lee's slashing layup with 4:17 to play, but the Blue Demons (2-3) scored six straight and climbed within 53-51 on two free throws by Sammy Mejia (20 points).
The Bison milked the clock inside a minute, but Donald Brown missed a baseline jumper with 54 seconds left and Marlon Brumfield grabbed the rebound and was fouled. Brumfield turned an ankle on the play, however, and was replaced by Wilson Chandler at the free-throw line.
Chandler missed the front end of the one-and-one, then with 21 seconds left Lee penetrated and make a pretty wrap-around pass to McNaughton for a layup that made it 55-51. Mejia made one of two free throws at the other end, then Bettencourt made a pair with 11.5 seconds left to ice the victory.
Chicago native Abe Badmus had a strong game in his homecoming, finishing with nine points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals. Lee finished with eight points and six boards.
The Bison outrebounded DePaul 34-20 and shot 51.1 percent from the field.
The Bison had an uncharacteristic 10 turnovers in the first half but still led 32-25 at the break by forcing DePaul into 8-for-21 shooting.
The Blue Demons did not make their first field goal until nearly six minutes into the game, as Bucknell ran out to a 21-11 lead. Bettencourt and John Griffin hit back-to-back 3-pointers to snap a 6-6 tie, and Lee's inside bucket at the 8:18 mark gave the Bison a 10-point lead at 21-11.
DePaul answered with an 11-4 run, pulling within 25-22 on Mejia's 3-pointer with 4:58 left, but the Bison scored seven of the last 10 points of the half, capped by Badmus' 3-point play with 4.9 seconds left.
Tuesday's contest against No. 4 Villanova at Sojka Pavilion is sold out.
