Bucknell University
1-3
Saint Francis (Pa.)
2-2
Tough Start Dooms Bison Men's Basketball in 68-67 Loss at Saint Francis
11/20/2010 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 20, 2010
LORETTO, Pa. - Will Felder scored 21 points and Saint Francis (Pa.) made a last-second defensive stand to hold off Bucknell 68-67 Saturday night at DeGol Arena. G.W. Boon tied his career-high with 24 points and Mike Muscala had 22 points, seven rebounds and five blocked shots for the Bison, who overcame a 13-point deficit in the second half but could not finish the comeback.
Bucknell (1-3) trailed 49-36 with 15:47 to play, but rallied to take a 61-60 lead on a Muscala layup with 3:38 to play. Saint Francis went right back ahead with six points in a row, however, and the Red Flash led the rest of the way even though the Bison had a final possession down one with the shot clock off. They never got a shot off, though, as Saint Francis denied the hot-shooting Boon on the perimeter and Muscala inside.
Saint Francis was playing its fourth straight Patriot League opponent to start the season and is now 2-2. Typically difficult to beat at home, the Red Flash are now 12-5 in their last 17 at DeGol Arena.
The contest's very first possession had a major impact on the outcome. Felder opened with a 3-pointer, and while battling for the rebound, Bucknell forward Joe Willman turned an ankle, limiting him to 13 minutes in the game. The Bison went to a small lineup, and even though Boon had a big night with 24 points, Bucknell had trouble on the glass and Saint Francis had a number of key second-chance points down the stretch.
Felder's opening trey contributed to Bucknell's slow start. The Bison committed three turnovers before they attempted their first shot of the night, and the Red Flash jumped out to a 7-0 lead in only 75 seconds. Soon after, though, Bucknell settled in and started 8 of 11 from the field.
Boon hit two 3-pointers, and his 3-point play at the 8:56 mark gave the Bison their first lead of the night, 21-19. Sorena Orandi countered with five straight points for the Red Flash on a layup and deep 3-pointer from the top of the arc, igniting a 17-5 run over the remainder of the half.
Leading 24-22, Saint Francis extended the lead to eight on back-to-back 3-pointers by Felder and Umar Shannon. After a Willman jumper for the Bison, the Red Flash hit the gas pedal and turned three defensive rebounds into transition layups. Anthony Ervin scored on a fastbreak layup, then fed the trailing Felder for a dunk that gave them their first 10-point lead at 34-24.
Cameron Ayers hit a floater from the right of the lane, but then with 40 seconds remaining Shannon took possession at his own free-throw line after a long rebound, and sprinted through the defense for a layup and foul. He missed the free-throw, however, and Saint Francis led 36-26 at the break.
After the 8-for-11 start, the Bison finished the half 3-for-17, while Saint Francis shot 53.3 percent in the opening 20 minutes.
Six points by Boon early in the second half helped the Bison get within six at 38-32, but Felder answered Boon's 3-point play with a trey from the top of the key, starting an 11-4 run. Felder's transition jam gave Saint Francis a 13-point lead (49-36) with 15:47 left.
Down 53-43, the Bison got back in it with a 9-0 run, keyed by another Boon 3-point play, a Bryan Cohen leaner and two long jumpers by Muscala.
Chris Johnson hit a left-wing 3-pointer to stretch the Red Flash lead back to four at 58-54, then Boon had a rare miss on a three and Cohen had a basket waived off on a charging call. Mislav Jukic answered that with bucket in the lane to make it 60-54.
Ayers made a 3-pointer for the Bison, then Shazier used a pretty around-the-back dribble to finish in transition to pull the Bison back within one at 60-59. Bucknell then took its first lead since 21-19 when Muscala spun around Jukic on the left block with 3:38 to play.
Just like in the first half, Saint Francis responded well after relinquishing the lead. This time the Red Flash scored six points in a row, keyed by a Jukic layup at the end of the shot clock, to go back up 66-61.
Boon hit his fourth 3-pointer of the night to make it 66-64 with 1:52 to play. Bucknell's defensive rebounding struggles continued on the next possession, as Shannon missed a three, but the Bison could not get the rebound. After a timeout, Shannon drove baseline for a layup to make it 68-64.
Muscala came back with a 3-point play in the lane at the other end, pulling the Bison back within a point at 68-67 with 56 seconds left. Bucknell forced Felder to miss a long three at the other end, but Muscala was called for a foul on the block-out. Jukic missed the front end of the 1-and-1 however, and the Bison called timeout with the shot clock off and 21.4 seconds to play. Saint Francis defended well on the final possession, though, and the Bison never got a shot off.
Muscala's 22 points were one shy of his career high, set last season against Lafayette. He was 9-for-17 from the floor, while Boon was 8-for-14 with four treys and 4-for-4 from the foul line. The Bison shot 62.5 percent from the floor in the second half and 51.0 percent for the game.
Cohen finished with six points, five rebounds and a career-high-tying six assists. Shazier added five assists and four steals without a turnover.
Felder had nine rebounds to go with his 21 points, while Jukic and Ervin tallied 10 point and five assists each. Saint Francis shot 52.7 percent on the night.
Bucknell's busy November schedule continues on Monday, when the Bison take on Presbyterian in the first of three games in three days at the O'Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic in Harrisonburg, Va. Bucknell will also play Princeton on Tuesday and James Madison on Wednesday.
