Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Men's Basketball Heads to American Thursday on CBS College Sports
2/9/2010 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 9, 2010
WHAT: Bucknell (9-15, 4-4 PL) vs. American (7-16, 4-4 PL)
WHERE: Bender Arena, Washington, D.C.
WHEN: Thursday, Feb. 11, 7 p.m.
RADIO: Eagle 107 (107.3 FM) and SportsJuice.com
TELEVISION: CBS-College Sports
Complete Game Notes in PDF Format 
With a Win Over American, the Bison Would ...
• ... sweep the season series from the Eagles.
• ... improve to 10-15 overall, 4-10 on the road and 5-4 in the Patriot League.
• ... snap a two-game losing streak at Bender Arena.
• ... improve to 3-6 at Bender Arena since American joined the Patriot League in 2001-02.
About the Game
Bucknell and American will play to break a fourth-place tie in the Patriot League standings on Thursday night at Bender Arena in a game that will be televised live on CBS-College Sports. The Bison and Eagles are both 4-4 in Patriot League play, two games behind league-leading Lehigh and one in back of Lafayette and Navy. The Bucknell-American result could have important Patriot League Tournament consequences, as the top four seeds get to host quarterfinal games. A month ago the Bison defeated American 72-68 in overtime at Sojka Pavilion, and a win in D.C. on Thursday would give Bucknell the head-to-head tiebreaker edge over the Eagles.
Bucknell is coming off a tough 81-79 loss to Navy on Friday. While the Bison seemed to get some of their shooting struggles worked out — they shot 45% from the floor and made 11 of 25 3-point tries — they just could not get enough defensive stops against Navy's high-powered offense. Like Bucknell, American had a three-game winning streak snapped over the weekend. The Eagles fell 77-65 at home to Lehigh, despite 24 points from Vlad Moldoveanu. The George Mason transfer is averaging 20.5 points and 6.3 rebounds in his 14 games since becoming eligible in December.
How to Get the Game
• The Bucknell-American game will be televised live on CBS-College Sports (DirecTV 613, Dish Network 152 and most cable networks). Veteran play-by-play man Bob Socci and noted sportswriter John Feinstein will have the call of the game. In addition to the live broadcast, the game will be replayed on CBS-CS on Thursday at 11 p.m.; Friday at 3 a.m., 6:30 a.m., 12 p.m. and 6 p.m.; and Saturday at 1:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m.
• The game can be heard in the Susquehanna Valley on the radio on Eagle 107 (107.3 FM), with Doug Birdsong and Ed Sigl on the call. The pregame show begins 30 minutes before tip-off.
• The audio feed is available free of charge via BucknellBison.com and SportsJuice.com.
• Live statistics are also available via GameTracker at BucknellBison.com.
Bucknell vs. American Series Notes
• Bucknell has an overall 26-20 lead in an all-time series with American that includes some historic dates. The very first meeting on Jan. 14, 1939 also happened to be the first game ever played in Davis Gym (AU won 38-33). Coincidentally, American was also the opponent for the very last game ever played in Davis Gym on Jan. 11, 2003 (a 63-52 Bison win).
• Bucknell has won 16 of 22 series meetings in Lewisburg, including eight out of nine at Sojka Pavilion, but the Bison are just 2-6 at Bender Arena since American joined the Patriot League in 2001-02.
• As Patriot League rivals, Bucknell leads 11-8. The Bison defeated American eight straight times, during one stretch, including victories in the 2005 and 2006 PL Tournament semifinals.
• American won both meetings in 2008-09. On Jan. 14 at Bender Arena, Garrison Carr scored 25 points to lead the Eagles to a 69-55 victory. Justin Castleberry had 15 points and Bryan Cohen and G.W. Boon 14 apiece for Bucknell. Darryl Shazier added eight assists and the Bison had a 48-37 rebounding edge, but they could not overcome a 28.8% shooting night. In the rematch at Sojka Pavilion on Feb. 11, Bucknell battled back from a 10-point second-half deficit only to fall 52-50 when Shazier's potential game-winning 3-pointer hit the front iron as the buzzer sounded. Patrick Behan and Cohen led the Bison with 13 points, while Derrick Mercer had 17 for American.
• On Jan. 13 of this season, Bucknell defeated American 72-68 in overtime behind 22 points and seven rebounds from Behan and 16 points from Bryson Johnson. The Bison set a school record by committing only one turnover in the 45-minute game, and they committed only eight fouls in the game. Johnson's 3-pointer with 30 seconds left tied the game and sent it into overtime. Vlad Moldoveanu had 19 points and 13 rebounds, and Nick Hendra scored 15 points for American.
Patriot League Tournament Success
Bucknell has an all-time record of 24-17 in 19 Patriot League Tournaments and has beaten every team in the league at least once in the postseason. The Bison have reached the championship game six times, including wins in 2005 and 2006, and reached at least the semifinals in 15 of 19 years. Bucknell's streak of eight straight first-round wins came to an end last season at Holy Cross.
Patriot League Success
The Bison are 170-90 (.654) in Patriot League regular-season games, the best record of any league team. They have finished at least .500 in PL play in 15 of 19 seasons. The Bison won a league-record 23 straight contests against conference foes from Feb. 23, 2005 to Jan. 12, 2007. Bucknell had a streak of 35 straight wins at home against conference opponents come to an end in 2008. The Bison have finished either first or second eight times in the 19-year history of the league.
Last Time Out
With snow falling outside Alumni Hall, Bucknell and Navy were red-hot inside, combining for 24 3-pointers in a game eventually won by the Midshipmen 81-79. Navy hit 13 treys in 25 attempts, but the ability of guards O.J. Avworo and Chris Harris to drive the ball to the basket may have been the difference. Avworo had a career night with 17 points and 10 assists, Romeo Garcia made five 3-pointers and scored a career-high 20 points, Harris had 18 points and Jordan Sugars 15 points and 10 rebounds to lead Navy. G.W. Boon and Bryson Johnson scored 16 apiece as five Bison reached double figures. Despite trailing by 11 early, Bucknell rallied to take a 35-34 lead at the half. In the second half the game was tied at 59 when Navy went ahead for good with an 8-0 run.
Inside the Navy Boxscore
• Bucknell had five players score in double figures for the second time this season (the other came in the 104-98 overtime loss to Cornell). In addition to the 16 points by G.W. Boon and Bryson Johnson, Mike Muscala added 15, Joe Willman a career-high 12 and Darryl Shazier 10.
• Boon and Johnson canned four 3-pointers each as the Bison went 11-for-25 from 3-point range. Bucknell had been just 5-for-39 as a team from the arc in its previous two games. The 11 treys equaled a season high, also done against Mercer and Cornell.
• Mike Muscala continued his recent tear with 15 points, seven rebounds and four blocked shots. Muscala went 3-for-3 from the foul line, making him 14-for-14 in the last three games.
• Joe Willman had perhaps his best game of his rookie season. Willman went 6-for-10 from the floor, with four of the field goals coming on offensive rebound put-backs. He logged 12 points, nine rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block.
• Darryl Shazier was credited with six assists in the game, his ninth game this season with five or more helpers.
• Bucknell finished with a 41-32 rebounding advantage, including a 15-9 edge on the offensive boards. That led to a 24-6 margin in second-chance points.
• Both teams had positive assist-to-turnover ratios (Bucknell 18-13, Navy 19-9). Bucknell's 18 assists tied a season high (Wagner).
• The Bison have now dropped four straight games to Navy.
Nailbiters
• There have been only eight Patriot League games decided by five points or less this season, and Bucknell has been involved in six of them.
• Of Bucknell's eight Patriot League games, seven have been decided by seven points or less and six by five points or less. In five league games, the score at the end of regulation has been within two points either way, including two overtime wins over American and Lehigh.
• Bucknell this season is 3-1 in overtime games and 5-4 in games decided by five points or less.
A Rookie Rarity
In Friday's game at Navy, Bucknell had three freshmen score in double figures (Bryson Johnson 16, Mike Muscala 15, Joe Willman 12). The last time three Bison freshmen scored 10 or more points in the same game was all the way back on Feb. 26, 1977, when Steve Sigl (20), Bob Barry (12) and Pat Flannery (10) did it in a 94-86 win over West Chester.
Going Overtime
After playing a school-record six overtime games last season, the Bison have been involved in four more this season. They are 3-1 in those games, defeating Marist, American and Lehigh after falling to Cornell. Of the 10 overtime games dating back to last year, nine have come at home, including all four this season.
Protecting the Rock
• Bucknell had a historic night taking care of the basketball against American on Jan. 13, committing only one turnover in the 45-minute game.
• The lone miscue came with 5:50 left in regulation, when Stephen Tyree got stuck under the basket and had his pass back into the lane intercepted.
• The single turnover established a new school record. It is possible that is also a national record, but the NCAA record book does not have an entry for fewest turnovers in a game.
• It wasn't the only low-turnover game for the Bison this year. They had only four miscues in a win over Saint Francis (Pa.) on Nov. 21, and they have committed single-digit turnovers six times.
• Bucknell is averaging a league-low 12.0 turnovers on the season and only 10.5 in Patriot League play.
Fewest Turnovers, Bucknell History 1 vs. American W, 72-68 (OT) 1/13/10 3 vs. Colgate W, 49-48 1/10/76 4 vs. Saint Francis (Pa.) W, 70-58 11/21/09 4 vs. Hofstra W, 73-70 1/17/90 4 vs. Lehigh W, 72-70 2/28/87
Block Party
• Bison freshman Mike Muscala is piling up the blocked shots this season. He has 50 blocks in his 23 games and leads the Patriot League in blocks per game (2.2).
• Muscala is only the second individual in program history with 50 blocks in a season. Mike Butts did it three times. Butts holds the freshman record with 58 blocks in in 1985-86.
• Muscala has multiple blocks in 14 games and three or more nine times so far.
• Muscala had a season-high seven blocks against Navy on Jan. 9. That was one shy of the school record. Brian Anderson had eight against George Mason in 1993-94, while Mike Butts had eight against Lehigh and Towson in 1988-89.
Blocks in a Season, Bucknell History 1. Mike Butts 1988-89 100 2. Mike Butts 1987-88 91 3. Mike Butts* 1985-86 58 4. Mike Muscala 2009-10 50 5. Dan Bowen 1996-97 48 6. Brian Anderson 1993-94 47 Mike Bright 1992-93 46 8. Dan Bowen 1999-00 43 9. Todd O'Brien 2007-08 42 Bo Heiden 1986-87 42* freshman record
One Shot Only
After a slow start, Bucknell has been much better on the defensive glass in recent weeks. The Bison gave up double-digit offensive rebounds in seven of their first eight games of the season, but in the last 16 games, they have surrendered 10 or more offensive rebounds only four times.
Statistically Speaking
Some other notable numbers from Bucknell's first 24 games:
• The Bison are shooting 73.3% at the foul line after making just 67.8% from the line as a team last season.
• The Bison are averaging a league-low 12.0 turnovers per game, but they are forcing only 13.0 per game.
• Mike Muscala has 50 of Bucknell's 79 blocked shots (63.4%) and ranks No. 1 in the Patriot League in that category.
• Darryl Shazier is No. 1 in the league in minutes played at 35.2 per game.
• The Bison have hit eight or more 3-pointers 10 times this season and 10 or more five times.
• Bucknell is +23 on the glass in its last three games.
• In Patriot League play, Bucknell has 99 assists and 84 turnovers.
• The Bison shot 40% or better in seven of their first eight games, but they have eclipsed 40% in only six of their last 16.
• In league play the Bison are shooting only 29.3% from 3-point range.
• In eight Patriot League games Bucknell has attempted 49 more field goals than its opponents. The Bison have been outscored 546-542 in league play.
Who's Got Next?
Bucknell will play its second straight game on CBS-College Sports on Sunday at 2 p.m. against Holy Cross at Sojka Pavilion. The Valentine's Day contest will be the first of three straight at home for the Bison. An “Orange Out” has been declared, meaning Bison fans are encouraged to wear orange shirts to the game.
