Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Welcomes Richmond to Sojka Pavilion on Saturday for Dirk Sojka's Slam Dunk with Bison Basketball
12/13/2011 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 13, 2011
LEWISBURG, Pa. -- The members of the Bucknell men's basketball team are currently working hard on their final exams, but this Saturday the focus returns to the hardwood as Richmond visits Sojka Pavilion in what should be one of the highlights of the non-conference portion of the schedule. Not only do the Bison face a team that advanced to the NCAA Tournament's Sweet Sixteen a year ago, but the program will be celebrating the Eighth Annual "Dirk Sojka's Slam Dunk with Bison Basketball."
Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m., and tickets are available ONLINE, in person at any Campus Box Office location, or by calling 570-577-1000.
The "Dirk Sojka's Slam Dunk with Bison Basketball" event has become an annual highlight of the home schedule, with proceeds benefitting Suncom Industries. Fans in attendance can bid on silent auction items and purchase raffle tickets to win the top prize of a $1,000 Visa gift card or alternate prizes of $500 in cash or a catered Sojka Pavilion suite for the Jan. 25 game against American.
Throughout the night there will be skills challenges featuring Drew Kelly and the 94.1-FM WQKX staff against members of the Bucknell Athletics staff.
Suncom Industries is a private, non-profit organization providing services to adults with disabilities. It offers many services to help people reach their potential to be a contributing member of their community. Suncom was the workplace of Dirk Sojka, the son of Gary and Sandy Sojka, until Dirk's passing in July 2002.
Saturday's game will be a rematch of last year's thriller in Richmond, won by the Bison 62-61 on Mike Muscala's shot at the buzzer. In a play very similar to the famous "Christian Laettner play" from the 1992 Duke-Kentucky NCAA Tournament game, Muscala took a long inbounds pass from teammate Joe Willman, spun around and hit a fadeaway jumper as time expired.
Richmond would go on to finish 29-8 overall and 13-3 in the Atlantic 10. The Spiders won the A-10 Tournament, and then knocked off Vanderbilt and Morehead State to reach the Sweet Sixteen, where they fell to No. 2-seeded Kansas.
Richmond did lose three starters from that team, but the Spiders are off to a 6-3 start heading into Wednesday's home game against Iona. Richmond's only losses so far have come against crosstown rival and reigning national finalist VCU, Illinois and Davidson. All three setbacks have come away from home. Among Richmond's victories was a 10-point home win over American in the season opener. The Spiders also boast an eight-point road win over Wake Forest and a five-point victory over Rutgers in Mexico.
Of course the Bison are also trying to build on an NCAA Tournament season in 2011-12. Bucknell won at Binghamton on Dec. 6 to head into the exams break with a 6-4 record. The Richmond game will be the first of three straight contests -- and one of seven this season -- against a team that played in the Big Dance a year ago. Next week the Bison will play at top-ranked Syracuse and Boston University before closing out the calendar year at home against Loyola (Md.) and Cornell.
