Sunday, December 18
Lewisburg, Pa.
2 p.m.
Bucknell University
7-4,0-0Patriot
61
vs
55
Merrimack
2-12,0-0NEC
1
2
F
Merrimack
21
34
55
Bucknell
23
38
61
Photo by: Phil Inglis
Men's Basketball Holds Off Merrimack, 61-55, in First Game After Final Exams
12/18/2022 3:59:00 PM | Men's Basketball
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Alex Timmerman scored nine of his team-high 15 points in the second half and Xander Rice registered all 11 of his points after halftime to lead the Bucknell men's basketball team to a 61-55 victory over Merrimack Sunday afternoon at Sojka Pavilion. It was the third win in the last four games for the Bison, who improved to 7-4 on the year.
Bucknell held a 23-21 advantage at halftime and opened the second half on a 24-12 run to build its largest lead (47-32) of the game with just over 13 minutes to play. The Bison still led by double figures with just over five minutes to go, but Merrimack knocked down two straight 3-pointers to draw to within one possession with just over 2:30 to play.
With its lead down to 56-53, Bucknell allowed only two more points the rest of the way, and Timmerman, Rice, and Jake van der Heijden combined to make 5 of 6 free throws down the stretch to clinch the victory.
Rice totaled a career-high nine assists along with his 11 points, while Timmerman pulled down five rebounds. Elvin Edmonds IV, who hit two 3-pointers to help the Bison stretch out their lead, also tallied a career-high eight rebounds as Bucknell finished with a 37-21 edge on the glass.
Bucknell shot 45.2 percent (19 of 42) from the field and 90 percent (18 of 20) from the free throw line, but offensively the Bison struggled at times to take care of the ball against Merrimack's swarming zone defense.
The Warriors, who were picked as the preseason favorite in the Northeast Conference, came in forcing 17.5 turnovers per game while averaging 10.2 steals per game. The Bison obliged with 20 turnovers, including 12 in the first half, but Bucknell's own solid defense negated some of that impact. Merrimack was only able to parlay those 20 takeaways into 10 points, and the Bison actually finished with a 24-10 edge in points off turnovers thanks to 15 Warriors miscues.
The first half was a bit of a slog offensively, as Merrimack shot under 30 percent for most of the half while the Bison frequently had the ball taken away. The Warriors led 17-13 as the clock dipped inside four minutes, but Ian Motta got Bucknell going with the team's first two 3-pointers of the day.
Ziggy Reid's layup tied the game on the first possession of the second half, but Bucknell scored the next six to take the lead for good. Up 33-29, Timmerman scored in the lane, Edmonds hit a 3-pointer, Rice made all three free throws after being fouled on a corner three attempt, and Ruot Bijiek scored in the lane for a 44-29 lead. Jaylen Stinson halted Bucknell's 10-0 run with a 3-pointer before Jack Forrest, making his Bison debut, struck back with a 4-point play to make it 47-32 with 13:07 to play.
Bucknell was 7-for-8 from the field in the second half after Forrest's shot, but the Warriors didn't go away. Down 56-45, Merrimack scored the next eight on a Stinson jumper from the baseline and consecutive threes from Mykel Derring and Jordan McKoy.
Timmerman split a pair at the line with 2:11 to play, and then the Bison forced a turnover. At the other end, van der Heijden corralled a loose ball and was fouled just before the expiration of the shot clock. He made both ends of the 1-and-1 to make it 59-53.
Reid's shot jumper brought Merrimack within 59-55 with 1:05 left, and then Jordan Minor came up with his fifth steal of the day. Rice came up with Bucknell's biggest defensive play of the game when he took a charge on Minor, drawing the fifth foul on Merrimack's leading scorer. Rice iced it with two more free throws with 16 seconds left.
Minor, an All-NEC senior who came in averaging 17.7 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, was held to nine points on 3-for-12 shooting. He did block eight shots, one shy of the Sojka Pavilion record along with his five steals. Reid scored a team-high 20 points for the Warriors, who fell to 2-12.
Forrest, who missed the first 10 games due to injury, tallied six points in 20 minutes in his first game since transferring from Saint Joseph's. Bucknell also got a big lift from 7'0" freshman Noah Williamson, who had six points and four rebounds in 12 minutes while filling in for injured center Andre Screen.
Bucknell will be on the road twice this week to finish up non-conference play. The Bison visit Richmond on Wednesday and Rutgers on Friday.
POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE:
Bucknell held a 23-21 advantage at halftime and opened the second half on a 24-12 run to build its largest lead (47-32) of the game with just over 13 minutes to play. The Bison still led by double figures with just over five minutes to go, but Merrimack knocked down two straight 3-pointers to draw to within one possession with just over 2:30 to play.
With its lead down to 56-53, Bucknell allowed only two more points the rest of the way, and Timmerman, Rice, and Jake van der Heijden combined to make 5 of 6 free throws down the stretch to clinch the victory.
Rice totaled a career-high nine assists along with his 11 points, while Timmerman pulled down five rebounds. Elvin Edmonds IV, who hit two 3-pointers to help the Bison stretch out their lead, also tallied a career-high eight rebounds as Bucknell finished with a 37-21 edge on the glass.
Bucknell shot 45.2 percent (19 of 42) from the field and 90 percent (18 of 20) from the free throw line, but offensively the Bison struggled at times to take care of the ball against Merrimack's swarming zone defense.
The Warriors, who were picked as the preseason favorite in the Northeast Conference, came in forcing 17.5 turnovers per game while averaging 10.2 steals per game. The Bison obliged with 20 turnovers, including 12 in the first half, but Bucknell's own solid defense negated some of that impact. Merrimack was only able to parlay those 20 takeaways into 10 points, and the Bison actually finished with a 24-10 edge in points off turnovers thanks to 15 Warriors miscues.
The first half was a bit of a slog offensively, as Merrimack shot under 30 percent for most of the half while the Bison frequently had the ball taken away. The Warriors led 17-13 as the clock dipped inside four minutes, but Ian Motta got Bucknell going with the team's first two 3-pointers of the day.
Ziggy Reid's layup tied the game on the first possession of the second half, but Bucknell scored the next six to take the lead for good. Up 33-29, Timmerman scored in the lane, Edmonds hit a 3-pointer, Rice made all three free throws after being fouled on a corner three attempt, and Ruot Bijiek scored in the lane for a 44-29 lead. Jaylen Stinson halted Bucknell's 10-0 run with a 3-pointer before Jack Forrest, making his Bison debut, struck back with a 4-point play to make it 47-32 with 13:07 to play.
Jack Forrest hits a trey and is fouled. It is a four point play and it gives the Bison our largest lead of the game! Watch: https://t.co/r7F9ljOUaV @PatriotLeagueTV @ESPN #rayBucknell #TheBisonWay pic.twitter.com/Hjx397fr03
— Bucknell MBasketball (@Bucknell_MBB) December 18, 2022
Bucknell was 7-for-8 from the field in the second half after Forrest's shot, but the Warriors didn't go away. Down 56-45, Merrimack scored the next eight on a Stinson jumper from the baseline and consecutive threes from Mykel Derring and Jordan McKoy.
Timmerman split a pair at the line with 2:11 to play, and then the Bison forced a turnover. At the other end, van der Heijden corralled a loose ball and was fouled just before the expiration of the shot clock. He made both ends of the 1-and-1 to make it 59-53.
Reid's shot jumper brought Merrimack within 59-55 with 1:05 left, and then Jordan Minor came up with his fifth steal of the day. Rice came up with Bucknell's biggest defensive play of the game when he took a charge on Minor, drawing the fifth foul on Merrimack's leading scorer. Rice iced it with two more free throws with 16 seconds left.
Minor, an All-NEC senior who came in averaging 17.7 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, was held to nine points on 3-for-12 shooting. He did block eight shots, one shy of the Sojka Pavilion record along with his five steals. Reid scored a team-high 20 points for the Warriors, who fell to 2-12.
Forrest, who missed the first 10 games due to injury, tallied six points in 20 minutes in his first game since transferring from Saint Joseph's. Bucknell also got a big lift from 7'0" freshman Noah Williamson, who had six points and four rebounds in 12 minutes while filling in for injured center Andre Screen.
Bucknell will be on the road twice this week to finish up non-conference play. The Bison visit Richmond on Wednesday and Rutgers on Friday.
POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE:
Team Stats
Merri
Buck
FG%
.352
.452
3FG%
.296
.357
FT%
.750
.900
RB
21
37
TO
15
20
STL
14
4
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
15
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
5
Pts
11
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
7
Pts
6
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
C
/ Men's BasketballC
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballC
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