Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
0-2
Boston University
1-1
Boston University Edges Bucknell Men's Basketball in OT, 71-68
11/18/2008 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 18, 2008
Box Score |
Photo Gallery 
| Bucknell-Boston University Highlights
LEWISBURG, Pa. - It was a tale of two halves for the Bucknell men's basketball team in its home opener against Boston University on Tuesday night. The Bison were unconscious from long range in building up a 16-point first-half lead, but they were equally cold in the second half and fell 71-68 in overtime before 3,022 at Sojka Pavilion.
Justin Castleberry scored a team-high 17 points, but typical of Bucknell's night they all came in the opening half. The Bison (0-2) made 3-pointers on five consecutive possessions, spanning just 2:36, and went 7 of 11 from long range in the opening half. After shooting 51.6 percent from the floor en route to a 43-31 halftime lead, Bucknell made just 4 of 24 shots (1 of 9 from 3-point distance) and scored only 16 points in the second half.
Freshmen Bryan Cohen and Enoch Andoh both scored 10 points to reach double figures for the first time, while junior Zach Evans was a spark off the bench, producing nine points and eight rebounds in 30 minutes, all career highs.
For Boston University, Corey Lowe atoned for missing the front end of a one-and-one in a tie game with 1.7 seconds left in regulation by hitting the go-ahead runner in the lane with 40 seconds left in overtime. Lowe scored a game-high 19 points, while freshman center Jake O'Brien added 15 for the Terriers, who are now 1-1 after losing their opener to George Washington, also in overtime.
Bucknell led three times in the extra period, the last at 65-63 on Cohen's long 2-pointer from deep in the right corner with 1:44 to play. John Holland, held to one field goal in regulation after scoring 22 points on opening night, hit two big shots in overtime. Holland hit a 17-foot fadeaway that tied the game at 63, then after the Cohen shot he hit a 3-pointer that gave the Terriers a one-point lead.
Evans made 1 of 2 free throws with 54.7 seconds left to tie it at 66, but Lowe maneuvered through traffic to the basket for the go-ahead layup on Boston University's next trip.
Andoh, who showed an array of post moves throughout the night, lost his footing and traveled on Bucknell's next possession, and Tyler Morris made two free throws at the other end to make it 70-66. Darryl Shazier's layup with six seconds left made it a two-point game, and Lowe left the door open by making only 1 of 2 from the line after getting fouled on the inbounds. Holland saved the day for the Terriers, though, when he intercepted a pass intended for Cohen in the right corner and time expired.
The Bison were terrific at both ends of the floor in the first half. They held the Terriers to one field goal in the first 7:46 of the game and stormed out to a 12-2 lead. Three straight 3-pointers, including two by O'Brien, helped Boston University claw back within three points by the seven-minute mark, but then Bucknell exploded on offense.
G.W. Boon ignited a 15-2 surge with a left-wing 3-pointer, and in only a flash Castleberry hit three treys and Shazier one to give the Bison a 40-24 lead over the preseason America East favorites.
Bucknell was dealing with foul trouble at the same time however, as centers Andoh and Josh Linthicum, along with Cohen, were all sitting with two fouls. Forwards Evans and Patrick Behan both spent time defending the Terriers center in the latter stages of the half, and BU went 9-for-10 from the foul line in the final 4:38 of the half to pull within 12 at 43-31.
An 11-1 run to open the second half, highlighted by a 3-point play from Holland and 3-pointers from Morris and O'Brien, got the Terriers within striking distance at 44-42. The Bison responded with seven straight, though, with Cohen hitting the team's only second-half trey and Andoh finishing a power move with the left hand to make it 51-42 with 14:42 to play.
But Andoh's bucket would be Bucknell's last field goal for the next 10:05, and the Terriers tied the game for the first time at 53-all on Lowe's 3-pointer with 6:27 left. Carlos Strong's fastbreak layup 90 seconds later put the visitors ahead for the first time, and a tense back-and-forth affair ensued.
Lowe's slashing layup tied the game at 57-all with 3:22 left, but Andoh put Bucknell ahead 59-57 with another post move with 2:16 to play. Matt Wolff then missed an easy layup off an inbounds play, but the Bison turned the ball over and Castlberry had to foul Holland to avoid a breakaway. Holland made both free throws to tie it at 59. Castleberry and Cohen both missed threes, with a big offensive board by Boon in between, for the ice-cold Bison at the other end.
Playing for the last shot, Lowe tried to drive on Castleberry inside five seconds. Castleberry knocked the ball away but was called for a foul while trying to scramble for the loose ball. Lowe had a one-and-one with 1.7 seconds left, but his first attempt rimmed out, sending the game to overtime.
Bucknell made as many field goals (4) in overtime as in the entire second half. The Bison shot 40.0 percent from the field overall and finished 8-for-20 from 3-point range after the 7-for-8 start. Bucknell outrebounded the Terriers 41-40, and had 19 turnovers to 16 for Boston University.
Shazier and Boon both finished with seven points for the Bison, while Shazier added a career-high seven assists, all in the first half. Castlberry added three rebounds, three assists and four steals to his ledger. Andoh was 3-for-6 from the floor and got to the free-throw line 10 times, making four.
Evans, a junior, had played a total of only 48 minutes in his career coming into this season, but he has already played 51 in two games this season. His nine points on Tuesday doubled his career total.
The Terriers shot 35.0 percent overall, made 9 of 25 from the arc and outscored Bucknell 20-12 from the foul line.
Boston University, which was making its very first trip to Lewisburg, evened the all-time series at 1-1.
Bucknell returns to action on Saturday night on the road against Saint Francis (Pa.). Tip-off is 8 p.m. in Loretto, Pa.
