Bucknell University Athletics
Saturday, December 28
Philadelphia, Pa. (The Palestra)
2 p.m.
Bucknell University
4-9,0-0Patriot
59
at
71
La Salle
9-3,0-0Atlantic 10
1st half1
2nd half2
FinalF
Bucknell
21
38
59
La Salle
37
34
71
Andrew Funk (photo by Josh Verlin)
Men's Basketball Drops Non-Conference Finale, 71-59 at La Salle
12/28/2019 4:28:00 PM | Men's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Jimmy Sotos scored 17 points and Philadelphia native Andrew Funk added 10, but La Salle jumped out to a big early lead and defeated Bucknell 71-59 on Saturday afternoon at The Palestra. The Bison finished up non-conference play with a 4-9 record and will now turn their attention to the Patriot League slate, which gets underway on Thursday at home against Army.
Jared Kimbrough scored 16 points and Isiah Deas had 15 for a resurgent La Salle team that won its fifth game in a row and improved to 9-3 after winning just 10 games all of last season.
The Explorers have been getting it done with defense, holding opponents under 40 percent shooting on the season. In this one, La Salle limited the Bison to 35.3 percent shooting and forced 23 turnovers.
Bucknell did close the game on a positive note, holding La Salle to two field goals in the final 12 minutes while cutting a 23-point deficit down to 10. The Bison collected 11 steals from La Salle's 16 turnovers and outrebounded the Explorers 38-30. Bucknell also had a perfect day at the free-throw line, finishing 18-for-18. That is the fifth-most free throws without a miss in team history.
La Salle took control early. After a Funk driving layup tied the game at 4-4, the Explorers outscored the Bison 13-0 over the next seven minutes. Deas started the surge with a 3-pointer, and then La Salle followed with five straight layups to go up 17-4.
Bruce Moore ended the drought with a 3-point play, and treys by Sotos and Avi Toomer helped the Bison get back within nine, but another Deas triple sparked a 9-0 spurt that gave La Salle a 31-13 edge. The Explorers led 37-21 at intermission after neither team scored in the final 3:37 of the half.
La Salle pushed the margin up to 23 at 46-23 after a Scott Spencer 4-point play 2:56 into the second half. Sotos was the catalyst in a 12-5 run over the next five minutes. He scored six quick points and made a nice pass to Paul Newman for a dunk and a foul.
The Bison trailed 64-42 with seven minutes to go but made things interesting with a 9-0 run to close within 13. They had a chance to get even closer but turned the ball over, and David Beatty ended La Salle's near-four-minute scoreless drought with a free throw. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Toomer and Walter Ellis made it a 10-point game at 69-59, but the Bison could not get any closer.
After shooting 24.0 percent in the first half, the Bison shot 46.2 percent in the second to finish at 35.3. They were 5-for-19 from 3-point distance. La Salle finished at 47.2 percent overall, including a 7-for-19 showing from downtown.
Moore and Funk shared game-high honors with eight rebounds apiece, and Funk added three steals. John Meeks had five points and three rebounds in his first career start.
Bucknell and Army West Point kick off Patriot League play on Thursday at Sojka Pavilion. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
Gallery: (12/28/2019) Men's Basketball at La Salle
Jared Kimbrough scored 16 points and Isiah Deas had 15 for a resurgent La Salle team that won its fifth game in a row and improved to 9-3 after winning just 10 games all of last season.
The Explorers have been getting it done with defense, holding opponents under 40 percent shooting on the season. In this one, La Salle limited the Bison to 35.3 percent shooting and forced 23 turnovers.
Bucknell did close the game on a positive note, holding La Salle to two field goals in the final 12 minutes while cutting a 23-point deficit down to 10. The Bison collected 11 steals from La Salle's 16 turnovers and outrebounded the Explorers 38-30. Bucknell also had a perfect day at the free-throw line, finishing 18-for-18. That is the fifth-most free throws without a miss in team history.
La Salle took control early. After a Funk driving layup tied the game at 4-4, the Explorers outscored the Bison 13-0 over the next seven minutes. Deas started the surge with a 3-pointer, and then La Salle followed with five straight layups to go up 17-4.
Bruce Moore ended the drought with a 3-point play, and treys by Sotos and Avi Toomer helped the Bison get back within nine, but another Deas triple sparked a 9-0 spurt that gave La Salle a 31-13 edge. The Explorers led 37-21 at intermission after neither team scored in the final 3:37 of the half.
La Salle pushed the margin up to 23 at 46-23 after a Scott Spencer 4-point play 2:56 into the second half. Sotos was the catalyst in a 12-5 run over the next five minutes. He scored six quick points and made a nice pass to Paul Newman for a dunk and a foul.
The Bison trailed 64-42 with seven minutes to go but made things interesting with a 9-0 run to close within 13. They had a chance to get even closer but turned the ball over, and David Beatty ended La Salle's near-four-minute scoreless drought with a free throw. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Toomer and Walter Ellis made it a 10-point game at 69-59, but the Bison could not get any closer.
After shooting 24.0 percent in the first half, the Bison shot 46.2 percent in the second to finish at 35.3. They were 5-for-19 from 3-point distance. La Salle finished at 47.2 percent overall, including a 7-for-19 showing from downtown.
Moore and Funk shared game-high honors with eight rebounds apiece, and Funk added three steals. John Meeks had five points and three rebounds in his first career start.
Bucknell and Army West Point kick off Patriot League play on Thursday at Sojka Pavilion. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
Team Stats
Buck
LaS
FG%
.353
.472
3FG%
.263
.368
FT%
1.000
.609
RB
38
30
TO
23
16
STL
11
13
Game Leaders
Pts
17
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
6
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
7
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
6
FGM
2
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
C
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
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