Bucknell University Athletics
Bison Men Look to Claim Patriot League Hoops Regular-Season Crown Wednesday against Lehigh
2/21/2006 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 21, 2006
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Saturday's heartbreaking double-overtime loss at Northern Iowa cost Bucknell its 12-game winning streak and its No. 24 national ranking, and now the Bison must turn their attention back to Patriot League play as red-hot Lehigh invades Sojka Pavilion on Wednesday evening. Bucknell has become the first team in Patriot League history to start 12-0 in conference play, but Lehigh is also off to its best-ever start at 11-1. These two teams have engaged in some classic games in recent years, and six of the last seven meetings have been decided by five points or less. The Bison won 59-54 in Bethlehem on Jan. 25, and if they can sweep the season series from the Mountain Hawks for the first time since 2000, they would also clinch their first regular-season Patriot League title since 1995. Bucknell and Lehigh are two of the nation's top defensive clubs. The Bison rank second nationally in scoring defense, allowing 55.4 points per game, while Lehigh ranks 17th at 59.3 ppg. Bucknell has gone 17 games since it last allowed 60 points to a Patriot League foe, and the Orange & Blue have yielded 60 or more points only seven times in 25 games in 2005-06. The Mountain Hawks, who have won six straight and 13 of 14 since a 5-8 start, have allowed 60+ only 11 times in 27 games. Guard Jose Olivero is enjoying an outstanding season, ranking second in the Patriot League in scoring at 17.6 ppg. High-scoring senior Joe Knight averages 14.6 ppg, and the Mountain Hawks are 10-1 with him in the lineup this season. Junior Kyle Neptune (11.1 ppg) also averages in double figures, while senior point guard Mitch Gilfillan leads the PL in assist-to-turnover ratio.
with a victory over lehigh, bucknell would ...
• ... go to 22-4, which would equal the best 26-game start in school history (1983-84).
• ... equal the Patriot League record with its 13th Patriot League victory.
• ... win its 17th straight game against Patriot League foes (including PL Tournament).
• ... win its ninth straight home game.
• ... win its 20th straight gome game against Patriot League foes (including PL Tournament).
• ... clinch its fourth regular-season Patriot League title (1992, 1993, 1995).
last time out: bison drop bracketbusters heartbreaker at uni
In ESPN's "BracketBusters" headliner, No. 24 Bucknell saw its 12-game winning streak come to an end in a 65-61 double-overtime heartbreaker. The Bison led by as many as nine points in the second half, but the Panthers beat the buzzer at the end of both regulation and the first overtime period to extend a classic contest between two 2005 NCAA Tournament teams. Northern Iowa had been ranked for two weeks earlier this month, and after beating the Bison the Panthers climbed back into the AP rankings this week at No. 25.
several streaks disappear
Bucknell saw several impressive streaks come to an end in Saturday's loss in Cedar Falls:
• A 12-game winning streak, which had been the team's longest since 1919.
• A 7-game road winning streak, which was the longest since 1974-75 and one shy of the longest in school history.
• A run of 22 straight wins when leading at the half.
• A 9-game winning streak in games decided by five points or less.
• A 20-game winning streak when holding opponents under 50% shooting from the field.
inside the boxscore
Charles Lee posted his second straight double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds ... Abe Badmus had a career-high 13 field-goal attempts and finished with 12 points ... Kevin Bettencourt (11 points) made Bucknell's only five free-throw attempts ... Northern Iowa went 7-for-12 from 3-point range in the second half ... Lee (47), Badmus (45), Bettencourt (43) and Chris McNaughton (39) all set career highs for minutes played ... the Bison made only 4 of 14 shots in the two overtime periods and finished at 36.9% for the game ... Pat Flannery's overtime record at Bucknell fell to 10-2 ... it was Bucknell's first double-overtime contest since Jan. 23, 1999, a 98-86 win over George Mason at Davis Gym ... it was Bucknell's 11th double-overtime game in school history (there has also been one triple-OT contest).
the last bucknell-lehigh meeting
• Jan. 25 in Bethlehem, Pa.: It had all the excitement and intensity one would expect from a game between two 5-0 Patriot League teams, and Bucknell was able to make more big plays down the stretch and walked away with a 59-54 win, its first at Stabler Arena since 2000. Kevin Bettencourt scored 16 points, including three big second-half 3-pointers, and Abe Badmus also hit a critical trifecta down the stretch en route to a 10-point night. The duo connected on 3-pointers to spark a 12-3 Bison run that stretched a one-point lead to 10 at 53-43. A major key for the Bison was eight offensive rebounds in the final six minutes, all of which resulted in second-chance points or the opportunity to salt away more clock in the closing minutes. Joe Knight (21) and Jose Olivero (19) combined for 40 of Lehigh's 54 points.
more from bucknell-lehigh, part 1
Bucknell made 9 of 26 shots in both halves and shot 34.6% from the field, its second-lowest mark of the season (Duke, 30.9%) ... Donald Brown had another big game off the bench with eight points and a career-high-tying 10 rebounds ... Bucknell outrebounded Lehigh 22-16 in the second half ... defensively the Bison forced 22 turnovers and held Lehigh to 39.6% shooting ... John Griffin scored eight points, including a 3-pointer at the 9:37 mark that snapped the final tie of the night.
hot starts
Bucknell has become the very first Patriot League team to start 12-0 in conference play.
Best Starts in Patriot League play Bucknell, 2005-06 Started 12-0 Finished ?-? Fordham, 1990-91 Started 11-0 Finished 11-1 Navy, 1997-98 Started 9-0 Finished 10-2 Holy Cross, 1992-93 Started 7-0 Finished 12-2 Bucknell, 1994-95 Started 7-0 Finished 11-3 Lafayette, 2003-04 Started 7-0 Finished 9-5
in good company
Bucknell is one of 22 Division I men's basketball teams to have a winning percentage of .800 or better, and the Bison have the 10th-best record in the nation (through Monday's games). The list:
1. Duke 25-1 .962 2. George Washington 22-1 .957 3. Memphis 24-2 .923 4. Connecticut 23-2 .920 5. Villanova 21-2 .913 6. Gonzaga 23-3 .885 7. Texas 22-4 .846 Florida 22-4 .846 Illinois 22-4 .846 10.BUCKNELL 21-4 .840
back-to-back 20-win seasons
Bucknell has now recorded back-to-back 20-win seasons for the second time in school history. The Bison went 21-9 in 1991-92 and 23-6 in 1992-93. Last season Bucknell was 23-10, and this season it is at 21 wins and counting.
league unbeatens
Bucknell is one of only five remaining Division I teams that are unbeaten in their conference through Monday's games.
Team Conference Record #1 Duke ACC 13-0 Bucknell Patriot League 12-0 #6 George Washington A-10 12-0 #5 Gonzaga WCC 11-0 #4 Memphis C-USA 10-0
bison nearing school victory record
Bucknell is three wins shy of the school record of 24 wins in a season, set by the 1983-84 team.
Year Record 1983-84 24-5 1988-89 23-8 1992-93 23-6 2004-05 23-10 1986-87 22-9 1991-92 21-9 2005-06 21-4 1979-80 20-7
senior class among the best
Bucknell's four-man senior class of Kevin Bettencourt, Charles Lee, Holland Mack and Tarik Viaer-McClymont is currently the sixth-winningest class in school history.
Winningest Bucknell Senior Classes Class Wins 1987 82 1989 78 1986 77 1993 77 1988 74 2006 72
mcnaughton named to nabc all-district team
Bison center Chris McNaughton has been named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-District 3 Second Team. Selected and voted upon by member coaches of the NABC, McNaughton is one of 150 student-athletes from 15 districts now eligible for the NABC Division I All-America Teams, which will be announced at the end of the season. McNaughton joined some elite company on the District 3 team. Named to the first team were Villanova's Randy Foye and Allen Ray, Pittsburgh's Carl Krauser, LaSalle's Steve Smith and Rutgers' Quincy Douby. On the second team are McNaughton, Temple's Mardy Collins, St. Peter's Keydren Clark, Pitt's Aaron Gray and Seton Hall's Kelly Whitney.
