Bucknell University Athletics
Capacity Crowd Awaits Bucknell Cagers as No. 4 Villanova Visits Sojka Pavilion Tuesday
12/5/2005 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 5, 2005
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In one of the most anticipated home games in Bucknell basketball history, alum Jay Wright brings his fourth-ranked Villanova Wildcats into sold-out Sojka Pavilion to take on the upstart Bison in a battle of unbeatens. Villanova, which is the highest-ranked basketball team ever to play on the Bucknell campus, defeated No. 5 Oklahoma 85-74 on Saturday at The Pavilion. Meanwhile, the Bison also had a big win on Saturday, holding off DePaul 57-52 at Allstate Arena to improve to 5-0 overall, 4-0 on the road and 2-0 against the Big East. Four of Bucknell's five wins this season are by five points or less, and all four of those games went right down to the wire. Kevin Bettencourt scored 16 points at DePaul and took over the team scoring lead at 15.0 ppg. Bucknell's reknowned defense, which yields only 59.6 ppg and holds opponents to 37.5% shooting, will be put to the test on Tuesday by one of the nation's most explosive offensive teams. Led by high-scoring guards Allan Ray (21.0) and Randy Foye (20.8), Villanova averages 83.2 ppg and shoots 49.5% from the field. One of the deadliest long-range shooting teams in the country, the Wildcats average better than 11 made 3-pointers per game and shoot 43.0% as a team from behind the arc. In last February's matchup at The Pavilion, it was Villanova's offense that won out, as the Wildcats streaked to an 89-51 victory. That total is the most allowed by Bucknell in its last 64 games.
with a victory over villanova, bucknell would ...
• ... begin a season 6-0 for the first time since 1983-84 and for only the third time since 1919.
• ... improve to 3-0 against the Big East this season and 4-1 against the Big East over the last two seasons.
• ... defeat a ranked team for the second time this season and fourth time since last Jan. 2.
• ... beat the highest-ranked team in school history.
• ... defeat Villanova for the first time since 1945.
• ... win its 13th straight home game.
• ... likely move into the top 25 for the first time ever.
last time out: bison hold off blue demons down the stretch
They led for the final 33 minutes of the contest, but Bucknell's 57-52 victory over DePaul on Saturday was not decided until the waning seconds. The Bison were ahead 53-45 at the four-minute mark before the Blue Demons scored six straight, pulling within 53-51 on Sammy Mejia's free throws with 2:14 to play. DePaul had a chance to tie with 51 seconds left, but Wilson Chandler missed the front end of a one-and-one. Bucknell made them pay, as Chris McNaughton made a layup after a nice wraparound pass from Charles Lee to make it a four-point game with 21 seconds left. Kevin Bettencourt (team-high 16 points) iced it with two free throws with 11.5 ticks remaining. Mejia led all scorers with 20 points.
defense rises to the occasion again
For the second time this season the Bison walked into a Big East venue and came out with a victory, and once again defense was a major key. In the win at DePaul, Bucknell held the Blue Demons to just 38.1% shooting, including a 2-for-15 showing from 3-point range. Several of those long-range misses were forced shots as the shot clock expired. The Bison also did an excellent job on the glass, limiting DePaul to a mere five offensive rebounds, while holding a 34-20 overall rebounding edge.
inside the boxscore
Bucknell held DePaul without a field goal for the first 5:47 of the game ... Abe Badmus, a Chicago native, returned to his hometown and stuffed the boxscore with nine points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals ... Badmus, the shortest player on the floor for either side, was the game's high rebounder ... Kevin Bettencourt hit four 3-pointers in eight tries ... Bucknell had 15 assists on 23 field goals compared to only six assists on 16 buckets for DePaul ... the Bison did an excellent job on Karron Clarke, DePaul's leading scorer (13.3) and rebounder (7.3), holding him to just one field goal, five points and no rebounds in 34 minutes ... DePaul outscored Bucknell 18-6 from the free-throw line.
meeting an old friend
Jay Wright, Bucknell Class of 1983, is in his fifth year as Villanova's head coach. A co-captain of Bucknell's 17-11 team in 1982-83, Wright was the team's leading scorer as a junior (11.9 ppg). A three-year letterman, Wright averaged 6.4 ppg in 74 career games. As a freshman in 1979-80, he played on the Bison junior varsity squad while current head coach Pat Flannery captained the varsity squad. Wright, who previously built Hofstra into one of the powers of the America East conference, is 3-0 against his alma mater as a head coach. He led Hofstra to a 69-55 win over the Bison at the Fairfield Tournament in 1997-98 and has won twice against Bucknell while at Villanova, 69-45 in 2001-02 and 89-51 last year.
summer dreams
Bucknell assistant coach Bryan Goodman worked with head coach Jay Wright and his staff at this summer's World University Games in Izmir, Turkey. Goodman, whose mother, brother and other relatives live in Izmir, assisted Team USA with travel and other logistics. Villanova guard Randy Foye was also a member of the squad and helped lead the Americans to an 8-0 record and a gold medal.
last year vs. villanova
Playing its third game in five days, Bucknell played 25th-ranked Villanova even for about eight minutes before the Wildcats broke away for an 89-51 win. Allan Ray scored a game-high 23 points while Mike Nardi and Curtis Sumpter added 14 each for Villanova. Chris McNaughton led Bucknell with 17 points, 14 coming in the first half. The Wildcats held Kevin Bettencourt, Bucknell's No. 11 all-time scorer, without a point for the only time in his career.
bucknell vs. the big east
The Bison are 30-88 (.254) against current members of the Big East (9-12 vs. Villanova; 9-18 vs. Pittsburgh; 8-22 vs. Rutgers; 2-9 vs. Georgetown; 1-8 vs. Syracuse; 0-8 vs. West Virginia; 0-5 vs. Seton Hall; 0-2 vs. Connecticut; 0-2 vs. Notre Dame; 1-0 vs. DePaul; 0-1 vs. South Florida and 0-1 vs. St. John's). Bucknell has, however, won three of its last four games against the Big East. Last year's 69-66 upset of Pittsburgh was Bucknell's first win over a Big East team since Jan. 11, 1975 (also Pitt, 72-66). The Bison also defeated Syracuse on Nov. 22 and Big East newcomer DePaul on Saturday.
record crowd expected
Tuesday's home game against Villanova at Sojka Pavilion is officially a sellout. A capacity crowd of at least 4,000 is expected, making it the largest crowd ever to watch a game on the Bucknell campus.
espn360 to air villanova game
The Bucknell-Villanova game will air live on ESPN360 -- the digital broadband arm of ESPN. Computer users with Internet service providers who have contracted with ESPN360 can see the game free of charge. The feed will be available on the BU TV cable system.
november reign
Bucknell finished the month of November with a 4-0 record. It is the first time in school history that the Bison have played more than twice in November and won them all.
in the polls
For the second consecutive week, Bucknell is receiving significant votes in the Associated Press and ESPN/USA TODAY Coaches Polls, and it is just barely outside the top 25 in both. In the AP Poll the Bison garnered 114 points, good for 26th overall, just behind No. 25 N.C. State at 127 points. In the ESPN/USA TODAY listing, Bucknell is 27th overall with 53 points. Also this week, Bucknell moved up two spots to No. 3 in the collegeinsider.com Mid-Major Poll. This is the program's high-water mark in all three polls.
