Wednesday, December 19
Moraga, Calif.
10 p.m. ET
Bucknell University
4-5
56
at
85
Saint Mary's
8-5
1
2
F
Bucknell
28
28
56
Saint Mary's (CA)
42
43
85
Men's Basketball Falls at Saint Mary's, 85-56
12/20/2018 12:08:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Bruce Moore ties career high with 18 points
MORAGA, Calif. – Jordan Ford scored 21 of his game-high 28 points in the opening half, and Saint Mary's defeated Bucknell 85-56 on Wednesday night at McKeon Pavilion. Bruce Moore equaled his career high with 18 points, and Kimbal Mackenzie added 14 for the Bison, who are now off to Honolulu for the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic.
Ford, the Gaels' lightning-quick point guard, nearly hit his season average of 22 points in the first period, as he helped Saint Mary's (8-5) run out to a 42-28 halftime lead. Jordan Hunter had 15 points and Tanner Krebs 12 for the Gaels, who shot 55 percent on the night and hit 10 of 21 attempts from the 3-point arc. Bucknell (4-5) was held to 35-percent shooting and managed just five treys in 25 attempts.
This was a homecoming game for Moraga native Matt O'Reilly. The senior guard has been dealing with a back injury, but he made his first career start in front of more than 250 friends and family members. O'Reilly played 11 minutes in a few different stints in the game, but unfortunately could not get a shot to drop.
Mackenzie hit a pair of 3-pointers – Bucknell's first two of the night – to spark an 8-0 run that cut a 14-point deficit down to six at 26-20. After Tommy Kuhse ended Saint Mary's four-minute scoreless drought, Jimmy Sotos finished a 3-point play to make it a five-point game.
But as he did earlier in the half, Ford went on his own personal 7-0 run in under a minute to help push the Gaels' advantage into double figures. A steal and breakaway jam by Tanner Krebs made it nine straight points and a 37-23 lead, and Saint Mary's maintained that 14-point cushion at the half.
After shooting 32 percent in the first half, Bucknell warmed up a bit in the second. The Bison hit five of their first seven shots to hang around, but the efficient Saint Mary's attack methodically nudged the margin ahead before scoring the final 10 points of the game.
Mackenzie had five assists without a turnover in addition to his 14 points. Sotos had seven points, five rebounds and four assists off the bench, and John Meeks hit all four of his attempts for nine points. Bucknell committed only seven turnovers in the game while forcing 10.
The victory was No. 400 for Saint Mary's head coach Randy Bennett.
Next up for the Bison is three games in four days at the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic. Bucknell takes on Rhode Island in the first round on Saturday at 10 p.m. Eastern. The game can be seen on ESPN3 and the Watch ESPN app.
Ford, the Gaels' lightning-quick point guard, nearly hit his season average of 22 points in the first period, as he helped Saint Mary's (8-5) run out to a 42-28 halftime lead. Jordan Hunter had 15 points and Tanner Krebs 12 for the Gaels, who shot 55 percent on the night and hit 10 of 21 attempts from the 3-point arc. Bucknell (4-5) was held to 35-percent shooting and managed just five treys in 25 attempts.
This was a homecoming game for Moraga native Matt O'Reilly. The senior guard has been dealing with a back injury, but he made his first career start in front of more than 250 friends and family members. O'Reilly played 11 minutes in a few different stints in the game, but unfortunately could not get a shot to drop.
Mackenzie hit a pair of 3-pointers – Bucknell's first two of the night – to spark an 8-0 run that cut a 14-point deficit down to six at 26-20. After Tommy Kuhse ended Saint Mary's four-minute scoreless drought, Jimmy Sotos finished a 3-point play to make it a five-point game.
But as he did earlier in the half, Ford went on his own personal 7-0 run in under a minute to help push the Gaels' advantage into double figures. A steal and breakaway jam by Tanner Krebs made it nine straight points and a 37-23 lead, and Saint Mary's maintained that 14-point cushion at the half.
After shooting 32 percent in the first half, Bucknell warmed up a bit in the second. The Bison hit five of their first seven shots to hang around, but the efficient Saint Mary's attack methodically nudged the margin ahead before scoring the final 10 points of the game.
Mackenzie had five assists without a turnover in addition to his 14 points. Sotos had seven points, five rebounds and four assists off the bench, and John Meeks hit all four of his attempts for nine points. Bucknell committed only seven turnovers in the game while forcing 10.
The victory was No. 400 for Saint Mary's head coach Randy Bennett.
Next up for the Bison is three games in four days at the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic. Bucknell takes on Rhode Island in the first round on Saturday at 10 p.m. Eastern. The game can be seen on ESPN3 and the Watch ESPN app.
Team Stats
BUCK
SMC
FG%
.349
.547
3FG%
.200
.476
FT%
1.000
1.000
RB
26
44
TO
7
10
STL
3
6
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
18
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
6
Pts
14
FGM
6
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
9
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
7
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
G
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