Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Set for BracketBusters Showdown with Towson, Limited Tickets Available on Gameday
2/16/2007 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 16, 2007
WHAT: Bucknell (17-8) vs. Towson (14-13)
WHERE: Sojka Pavilion, Lewisburg, Pa.
WHEN: Saturday, February 17, 2007, 2 p.m. (Senior Day Ceremony at 1:45 p.m.)
TICKETS: Limited availability on gameday
RADIO: Eagle 107 and SportsJuice.com
LIVE ONLINE VIDEO: Patriot League All-Access
COMPLETE PRESS NOTES
The Bucknell Department of Athletics & Recreation has announced that a limited number of tickets for Saturday's men's basketball game against Towson have gone unclaimed prior to the designated deadline, and those tickets will now be made available to the general public. The Sojka Pavilion ticket windows will open on Saturday at noon for walk-up ticket sales, and tickets will be made available on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets are $8 each for adults and $4 for children and seniors.
Having won nine straight games, all in Patriot League play, to gain a share of first place alongside Holy Cross, Bucknell takes a quick break from conference action when former East Coast Conference rival Towson comes to Sojka Pavilion as part of the O'Reilly's ESPNU BracketBusters event. Bucknell's terrific recent play continued on Thursday night, when it routed Lafayette 76-58 behind a season-high 21 points from center Chris McNaughton. In addition to the nine straight victories, the Bison have won 12 of their last 13 and 17 of their last 21. Towson has won two straight and four of its last six, including a 76-62 home victory over James Madison in its most recent outing on Wednesday. The Tigers feature the nation's third-leading scorer in senior guard Gary Neal, who averages 25.5 points per game. Neal, who began his career at La Salle, is one of only three players in NCAA history to score 1,000 points at two different schools. This season he has scored 30 or more points eight times, with a high of 41 in a win over Samford early in the year. Veteran head coach Pat Kennedy is in his third season at Towson and 27th overall. He coached previously at Iona, Florida State, DePaul and Montana, and he has helped Towson improve its win total in each of his first three seasons there.
with a victory over towson, bucknell would ...
-- ... win its 10th game in a row.
-- ... win its 18th game in 22 outings since the 0-4 start.
-- ... capture its 8th straight win at home.
-- ... reach the 18-win mark for the 13th time in school history.
-- ... improve to 1-1 in BracketBusters games.
-- ... improve to 2-0 this season against the CAA.
bucknell vs. towson
Although, they have not squared off in 15 years, the Bison and Tigers have a rich history on the hardwood. From 1982-83 until 1989-90, Bucknell and Towson were rivals in the now-defunct East Coast Conference. Twenty years ago this March, the two teams met in the ECC Championship game at the Towson Center, with the Bison prevailing 86-74 to secure the first NCAA Tournament bid in school history. The two teams last met during the 1991-92 campaign, with the Bison prevailing 85-72, and Bucknell holds a 15-8 series lead.
bucknell in the bracketbusters
This will be Bucknell's second appearance in as many years in ESPN's BracketBusters showcase. Last season, the Bison were ranked 24th nationally when they trekked all the way to Northern Iowa for an ESPN2-televised affair. Bucknell dropped a heartbreaking 65-61 decision in double-overtime, but that would be the team's final loss until the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
a return to charm city next year
As part of the BracketBusters agreement, Bucknell will make a return trip to Towson next season on a date still to be determined. The Bison have not played a game inside the Baltimore Beltway since Dec. 30, 2000, when they won 70-68 at UMBC. Bucknell has fond memories of the Towson Center, as they clinched their first two NCAA Tournament bids there in 1987 and 1989.
last time out
Last month in Easton the Bison dug themselves an early 10-point hole and did not put away a 67-61 win until the final minute, but Thurday's rematch was a much different story. Bucknell sprinted to a 22-8 lead and held a double-digit cushion for the final 30:50 of the night. Bucknell dominated inside, with frontcourt starters Chris McNaughton and Darren Mastropaolo combining for 29 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists. McNaughton's 21 points were a season high, while Mastropaolo's 11 rebounds and six assists were both personal bests. The Bison limited the Leopards to only six first-half field goals in 24 attempts en route to a 41-21 halftime lead, and they stretched it to 26 in the second half. Matt Betley was the only Lafayette player to score in double figures (13).
inside the lafayette boxscore
-- How dominant was Bucknell's effort? The Leopards did not post back-to-back points until there was 4:57 left in the game.
-- John Griffin equaled a personal best with four 3-pointers and scored 16 points. Abe Badmus also hit double figures with 13 points.
-- Darren Mastropaolo (6) and Chris McNaughton (4) both had career highs in the assists column. That duo also combined for six of the team's first seven baskets of the night.
-- Justin Castleberry made his first 3-point attempt of the night, giving him five straight from the arc over a three-game span. He missed his only other try of the night to end the streak, but Castleberry now ranks second in the Patriot League in 3-point percentage at 45.1%.
-- The starting backcourt of Griffin, Badmus and Jason Vegotsky combined to score 38 points on 12-for-20 shooting (5-for-11 from 3-point distance).
-- Bucknell outrebounded the Leopards 28-22, marking the ninth straight time the Bison won the battle of the boards.
-- It was Bucknell's eighth straight win over Lafayette, which remained winless at Sojka Pavilion.
senior class equals victory record
Prior to Saturday's game against Towson, Bucknell's three seniors -- Abe Badmus, Donald Brown and Chris McNaughton -- will be honored as part of Senior Day ceremonies. With Thursday's win over Lafayette, this threesome tied the school record for victories by a class, and they will go for the outright record against Towson in their final regular-season home game.
Class Wins
1987 82
2007 82
2006 79
1989 78
1986 77
1993 77
1988 74
bison one of only two in nation with one league loss in last two years
After becoming the first Patriot League team to 14-0 in league play last season, the Bison are now 25-1 in the conference over the last two years. Only one other team in the nation has suffered only one league loss in that time -- Memphis, which is also 25-1 in Conference USA. Memphis was the team that ousted Bucknell from the NCAA Tournament in second round in 2006.
(7-0) X 4 at sojka
Thursday's win over Lafayette gave the Bison a 7-0 home Patriot League record for the fourth straight year, meaning the Bucknell seniors never lost a regular-season home game to a PL foe. Including the Patriot League Tournament, the Bison have now won 33 consecutive games at Sojka against PL competition. Now 7-2 at home this season after dropping the first two to Wake Forest and Northern Iowa, Bucknell is 33-4 in Sojka Pavilion since the start of the 2004-05 season. All told, the Bison are 46-9 (.836) in Sojka Pavilion since debuting in the new facility on Jan. 15, 2003. This year's Patriot League Tournament will be entirely contested at higher seeds' home floors, and Bucknell has secured home court advantage at least through the semifinals.
who's got next?
Bucknell faces one of the toughest road tests in the Patriot League on Wednesday night in Bethlehem with it clashes with third-place Lehigh. The Mountain Hawks are 12-15 overall and 7-4 in the PL heading into Sunday afternoon's ESPNU-televised showdown with crosstown rival Lafayette. Bucknell defeated Lehigh 62-44 at Sojka Pavilion back on Jan. 23.
