Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Men's Basketball Opens Three-Game Homestand Wednesday vs. Marist
11/27/2007 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 27, 2007
WHAT: Bucknell (2-2) vs. Marist (3-3)
WHERE: Sojka Pavilion, Lewisburg, Pa.
WHEN: Wednesday, November 28, 2007, 7 p.m.
TICKETS: Available (570-577-1000 or order ONLINE)
TV: None
RADIO: Eagle 107 and SportsJuice.com
LIVE VIDEO: SportsJuice.com
COMPLETE PRESS NOTES
NOTE: A limited number of tickets still remain for the 7 p.m. contest. To purchase tickets in advance, call 570-577-1000, go online to www.bucknell.edu/boxoffice or stop by either of the two Campus Box Office locations at the Weis Center or Bucknell Bookstore. If tickets still remain, walk-up sales will begin two hours before game time at the Sojka Pavilion ticket office. Tickets for men's basketball games are $8 for adults and $4 for children and senior citizens.
With a Victory over Marist, Bucknell Would ...
-- ... snap a two-game losing streak and improve to 3-2 on the season.
-- ... avoid its first three-game losing streak since November 2006.
-- ... win its 11th consecutive home game.
-- ... defeat the Red Foxes for the third straight time.
About the Game
Bucknell begins a three-game homestand leading up to final exams on Wednesday night against Marist, one of the top programs in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. While the Bison come in looking to shake a two-game losing streak, the Red Foxes have won two in a row to get back to .500 at 3-3. After opening the 2007-08 season with wins over Albany and Towson, the Bison lost a close one at No. 23 Villanova before dropping a 64-55 decision at Wagner on Saturday afternoon. Patrick Behan and John Griffin continue to set the scoring pace for Bucknell, as both are averaging 14.5 ppg through four games. After losing three straight games to Miami (Fla.), Houston and Temple (in overtime), Marist has bounced back with victories over Colgate and Richmond. Syracuse transfer Louie McCroskey and Jay Gavin lead the team in scoring at 11.3 ppg, while Spongy Benjamin averages 10.3 ppg and a team-best 7.8 rpg. The Red Foxes went 25-9 last season, including an impressive win at Oklahoma State in the first round of the NIT.
Bucknell vs. Marist
This will be only the fourth all-time meeting between Bucknell and Marist, and the first since the two teams met in the championship game of the 1999 Pepsi/Marist Classic in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. The Bison won that one 54-48 to capture their most recent tournament title. The two teams also played a home-and-home series in mid-1980s, with Marist winning 61-53 at home in 1985-86 and Bucknell returning the favor in Davis Gym the following season, 66-64. Bucknell also played in Marist's tournament in 1994-95 and 2006-07 but did not face the Red Foxes.
Bucknell vs. The MAAC
Bucknell has played all 10 current members of the MAAC at least once and is 44-45 overall against the conference. In addition to their 2-1 mark against Marist, the Bison are 30-24 vs. Rider, 4-0 vs. Loyola (Md.), 3-5 vs. Niagara, 2-2 vs. Manhattan, 2-4 vs. Iona, 1-0 vs. St. Peter's, 0-1 vs. Siena, 0-2 vs. Fairfield and 0-6 vs. Canisius.
Last Time vs. Marist
In the championship game of the 1999 Pepsi/Marist Classic at the McCann Center, Bucknell won a defensive struggle, 54-48. Both teams shot under 38% from the field and the two teams combined for 38 turnovers. Valter Karavanic led the Bison with 13 points and six rebounds. Two current Bucknell assistant coaches were involved as players in that game. Dan Bowen, then a senior, had 11 points and five rebounds for the Bison in the victory, while then-sophomore Mark Prosser did not play due to injury for Marist.
Last Time Out
Bucknell ran into a determined Wagner team on Saturday afternoon in Staten Island, N.Y., and the Seahawks used a big first-half defensive performance to turn back the Bison 64-55. One game after the Bison made a school-record 15 3-pointers in a close loss at Villanova, Wagner held Bucknell to 5-for-27 shooting (1-for-11 from the arc) in the first half en route to a 29-13 halftime lead. The Seahawks led by as many as 17 early in the second period, but the Bison rallied within seven on three occasions late in the game. It was not enough, however, as Wagner used two big buckets and just enough free throws down the stretch to pull out the win.
Inside the Wagner Boxscore
-- Patrick Behan led the Bison with a career-high 17 points, 12 coming in the second half.
-- After going 15-for-31 from 3-point range one game earlier against Villanova, the Bison made just 3 of 20 against Wagner. John Griffin hit two of the three treys, giving him at least one 3-pointer in 14 straight games dating back to last season.
-- Freshman Darryl Shazier played 25 minutes off the bench at point guard set career highs across the board with six points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals.
-- Stephen Tyree, Patrick Behan, Todd O'Brien and G.W. Boon all had six rebounds to lead the Bison. Wagner finished with a 41-36 edge on the glass.
-- Bucknell had only six points in the paint in the first half, then went inside for 26 in the paint in the second half.
- Defensively, Bucknell produced a season-high 10 steals and held Wagner to 40.4% shooting.
Behan improves Scoring Productivity
Sophomore forward Patrick Behan has been a productive scorer for the Bison thus far, totaling 16, 9, 16 and 17 points through the first four games. As a reserve last season, Behan scored 50 points in 29 games, but he already has 58 points in four contests this season.
Rebound Turnaround
Last season Bucknell was the best rebounding team in the Patriot League, outrebounding opponents by 5.0 boards per game. With a smaller lineup, the Bison have struggled in that area early this season. They have been outrebounded in all four games for a -6.3 average and have allowed at least 12 offensive rebounds in each game this season. The Bison are hoping to draw from a strong second half on Saturday when they outrebound Wagner 22-17 and had several second-chance opportunities during their comeback attempt.
Freshman Contributions
With veterans Darren Mastropaolo, Rob Thomas and Jason Vegotsky all out with injuries, Bucknell coach Pat Flannery's bench rotation has essentially been comprised of his three-man freshman class. In fact, of the 242 bench minutes played by Bison reserves this season, 234 (96.7%) have come from the rookie triumverate of Todd O'Brien, G.W. Boon and Darryl Shazier. O'Brien has platooned with Josh Linthicum at center, Shazier has been steady at the point, and Boon has provided "instant offense" on the wing. Through three games, the trio is averaging a combined 16.5 ppg and 9.8 rpg.
Block Party
Bucknell has not been a prolific shot-blocking team in recent years, but the team already has 19 blocks in four games. The seven blocks against Albany in the season opener was the team's most since it had seven against Army on Jan. 15, 2005. Freshman center Todd O'Brien has been the main catalyst, with three 3-block games and one 2-block effort under his belt already. Last season, Bucknell as a team had only 47 blocks in 31 games to rank 318th out of 325 teams nationally. Since the blocked shot statistic became official in 1981-82, O'Brien became the first Bison to record three or more blocks in each of his first two career games, and he is the first to have three or more in any two consecutive games since current assistant coach Dan Bowen did it against Iona and Army in January 2000.
Milestone Watch
-- John Griffin ranks sixth on Bucknell's career 3-point field goals list (153). He needs only one more trey to catch fifth-place Gordon Mboya. Kevin Bettencourt holds the school record with 294.
-- Griffin needs 264 points for 1,000 in his career.
-- Seniors Griffin, Darren Mastropaolo and Rob Thomas need 12 wins to become the most successful senior class in school history. The Class of 2007 won a record 87 games.
Who's Got Next?
Bucknell's three-game homestand continues on Saturday night when the Bison host Saint Francis (Pa.) at 7 p.m. at Sojka Pavilion. Bucknell holds a 14-9 series lead over the Red Flash, including a 60-56 win in Loretto last season. The Bison will then host La Salle on Monday night at 7 p.m.
