Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
5-16, 2-5
Army
7-13, 3-3
Bucknell Men Suffer 76-65 Defeat at Army
1/31/2009 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 31, 2009
WEST POINT, N.Y. - Cleveland Richard scored a career-high 28 points, 20 of them coming in the second half, to lead Army to a 76-65 victory over Bucknell at Christl Arena on Saturday afternoon. The Bison got a career-high 21 from Darryl Shazier, 15 points from Justin Castleberry and 12 from Patrick Behan, but they remained winless on the road this season and fell to 5-16 overall, 2-5 in the Patriot League.
Army, which also received 13 points from Josh Miller, won its third straight game on a three-game homestand and improved to 7-13, 3-3.
The Black Knights broke open a close game with a 10-0 run late in the first half and led by as many as 16 in the second before Bucknell mounted a comeback. The Bison drew within four, but precise foul shooting down the stretch by Army stifled the rally.
A key sequence in the second half came about five minutes in, when Richard's five-point possession stretched Army's eight-point lead to 13. Casteberry was called for an intentional foul on Richard's layup attempt and he hit both free throws. After the inbounds, Richard hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key to give the Black Knights a 43-30 lead.
Kenny Brewer's layup after a Bucknell turnover made it a 7-0 run and a 45-30 Army cushion. Richard hit another trey at the 11:02 mark to give the Black Knights a 16-point lead at 50-34.
Bucknell made a run with seven straight points. Shazier hit a 3-pointer, then fed Zach Evans for a layup. Castleberry came up with a steal and drove to the basket for a layup to make it 50-41.
But the Bison left Richard open in the corner for another 3-pointer, then Richard hit another jumper with a toe on the line to make it 55-41 with 8:26 left.
Bucknell went to a zone trap that produced a number of defensive stops, and the Bison climbed back in the game with a 12-2 run. Castleberry was fouled on a driving layup and made the free throw to bring Bucknell within 57-53 with 4:52 to play.
Army answered with six straight points, four coming at the free throw line. Marcus Nelson converted a 3-point play and Richard made two free throws after being fouled on a defensive rebound to make it 63-53.
Two Patrick Behan free throws brought Bucknell within five, but at the other end Miller beat two Bison to a loose ball in the paint and turned into another 3-point play, giving Army a 66-58 lead with 2:14 left.
Army iced the game at the free-throw line, making 10 of 12 in the final 1:18 and 17 of their last 20 on the day.
Neither team led by more than four points for the first 18 minutes of the game until Army broke open a 21-all tie with a late 10-0 run. Jon Sizemore had the first six of those points, then Richard hit a pull-up in the lane and finished the run with a fastbreak layup.
Ryan Ebner's layup off a dish from Shazier with eight seconds left in the half brought Bucknell within 31-23 at intermission.
Bucknell had 10 first-half turnovers, at least half of them coming on traveling violations, while Army had only three.
Overall the Bison shot 37.6 percent from the field and went 6-for-20 from 3-point range. Army shot 48.9 percent, including 57.6 percent in the second stanza. Army was 24-for-30 from the foul line, while Bucknell was 19-for-22.
Shazier hit a career-high five 3-pointers in eight attempts and went 6-for-9 from the floor. Behan also had nine rebounds to go with his 12 points. G.W. Boon, Bucknell's leading scorer in Patriot League play, picked up two early fouls on charging calls and was held scoreless on only one shot attempt.
Bucknell returns to action on Wednesday night at Colgate at 7 p.m.
