Thursday, January 5
Lewisburg, Pa.
7 p.m.
Bucknell University
7-9,0-3Patriot
64
vs
72
Lehigh
6-8,1-2Patriot
1
2
F
Lehigh
34
38
72
Bucknell
26
38
64
Men's Basketball Drops 72-64 Decision to Lehigh
1/5/2023 8:55:00 PM | Men's Basketball
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Alex Timmerman scored a career-high 27 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, but Bucknell's long-distance shooting struggles continued in a 72-64 loss to Lehigh on Thursday night at Sojka Pavilion.
It was a game of runs, as both teams battled turnovers that led to extended dry spells. Bucknell bridged the halftime break with a 15-2 run to cut a 14-point deficit down to one at 34-33, but Lehigh quickly responded with a 14-2 surge to go back up by 13. The Bison shot back with a 9-2 run to get within six, only for the Mountain Hawks to score 11 of the next 13 to go up 61-46. Bucknell again got within six after a 12-3 spurt, but three straight layups by Tyler Whitney-Sidney closed it out for Lehigh.
Whitney-Sidney hit 10 of 13 shots in the game and finished with 23 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. Evan Taylor added 20 points and eight boards, and Keith Higgins Jr. tallied 12 points. Those three guards accounted for 55 of Lehigh's 72 points.
Xander Rice finished with 14 points, seven assists, and three steals for the Bison, who dropped to 7-9 overall and 0-3 in the Patriot League. Bucknell came up with a season-high 11 steals in the game, but Lehigh (6-8, 1-2 PL) had 14 as the two teams combined for 32 turnovers.
Going into the Merrimack game on Dec. 18, Bucknell was shooting better than 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from 3-point range as a team to rank in the top 10 nationally in both categories. But the Bison have suddenly hit a dry spell from downtown. They hit just 4 of 20 from the 3-point arc against Lehigh and are now 12-for-63 (.190) in Patriot League play.
Timmerman connected on 12 of his 18 field goal attempts on the way to his sixth career double-double. He scored 21 of his 27 points in the second half, including 19 of Bucknell's final 28 points.
Bucknell was strong on the glass, outrebounding Lehigh 34-24. The Bison limited the Mountain Hawks to one offensive rebound and finished with a 12-0 edge in second-chance points.
Lehigh shot 61.5 percent in the second half and 54.0 percent for the game, including a 9-for-19 mark from 3-point range.
The game was knotted at 14-all after Andre Screen's tip-in at the 10:37 mark of the first half, but Lehigh scored 11 straight points to close out an 18-4 run. Back-to-back threes from Whitney-Sidney and Taylor gave the visitors a 32-18 lead.
The Bison closed the half well, outscoring Lehigh 8-2 over the final 2:11, with Rice's floater just before the buzzer making it a 34-26 game at the half. Screen scored with his left hand on the wraparound possession to start the second half, and Bucknell scored the first seven of the period while holding Lehigh scoreless for the first 4:43.
But the Mountain Hawks came out of the under-16 timeout on fire, scoring 14 points in just 2:59 to take a 48-35 lead. Timmerman's free throws after the under-8 break cut it to 50-44, but Lehigh's guards came up big when needed. Whitney-Sidney drove for a layup and Higgins hit a three, and after Timmerman scored at the rim, a layup each from Whitney-Sidney, Taylor, and Higgins made it a 61-46 game.
Elvin Edmonds IV ended Bucknell's run of 11 straight missed 3-pointers, and then Timmerman hit a 17-footer followed by a three. Ruot Bijiek's put-back made it a 64-58 game with 2:19 still to play. Taylor and Timmerman swapped buckets but two quick layups by Whitney-Sidney gave the Mountain Hawks a 10-point cushion with 57 seconds to play.
Bucknell is back in action on Sunday at Lafayette at 1 p.m. The Leopards fell 73-69 in overtime at Boston University on Thursday to drop to 0-3 in Patriot League play. All three Bucknell-Lafayette games last season were decided in overtime, including a dramatic Bison win in the Patriot League Tournament.
Press Conference:
It was a game of runs, as both teams battled turnovers that led to extended dry spells. Bucknell bridged the halftime break with a 15-2 run to cut a 14-point deficit down to one at 34-33, but Lehigh quickly responded with a 14-2 surge to go back up by 13. The Bison shot back with a 9-2 run to get within six, only for the Mountain Hawks to score 11 of the next 13 to go up 61-46. Bucknell again got within six after a 12-3 spurt, but three straight layups by Tyler Whitney-Sidney closed it out for Lehigh.
Whitney-Sidney hit 10 of 13 shots in the game and finished with 23 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. Evan Taylor added 20 points and eight boards, and Keith Higgins Jr. tallied 12 points. Those three guards accounted for 55 of Lehigh's 72 points.
Xander Rice finished with 14 points, seven assists, and three steals for the Bison, who dropped to 7-9 overall and 0-3 in the Patriot League. Bucknell came up with a season-high 11 steals in the game, but Lehigh (6-8, 1-2 PL) had 14 as the two teams combined for 32 turnovers.
Going into the Merrimack game on Dec. 18, Bucknell was shooting better than 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from 3-point range as a team to rank in the top 10 nationally in both categories. But the Bison have suddenly hit a dry spell from downtown. They hit just 4 of 20 from the 3-point arc against Lehigh and are now 12-for-63 (.190) in Patriot League play.
Timmerman connected on 12 of his 18 field goal attempts on the way to his sixth career double-double. He scored 21 of his 27 points in the second half, including 19 of Bucknell's final 28 points.
Bucknell was strong on the glass, outrebounding Lehigh 34-24. The Bison limited the Mountain Hawks to one offensive rebound and finished with a 12-0 edge in second-chance points.
Lehigh shot 61.5 percent in the second half and 54.0 percent for the game, including a 9-for-19 mark from 3-point range.
The game was knotted at 14-all after Andre Screen's tip-in at the 10:37 mark of the first half, but Lehigh scored 11 straight points to close out an 18-4 run. Back-to-back threes from Whitney-Sidney and Taylor gave the visitors a 32-18 lead.
The Bison closed the half well, outscoring Lehigh 8-2 over the final 2:11, with Rice's floater just before the buzzer making it a 34-26 game at the half. Screen scored with his left hand on the wraparound possession to start the second half, and Bucknell scored the first seven of the period while holding Lehigh scoreless for the first 4:43.
But the Mountain Hawks came out of the under-16 timeout on fire, scoring 14 points in just 2:59 to take a 48-35 lead. Timmerman's free throws after the under-8 break cut it to 50-44, but Lehigh's guards came up big when needed. Whitney-Sidney drove for a layup and Higgins hit a three, and after Timmerman scored at the rim, a layup each from Whitney-Sidney, Taylor, and Higgins made it a 61-46 game.
Elvin Edmonds IV ended Bucknell's run of 11 straight missed 3-pointers, and then Timmerman hit a 17-footer followed by a three. Ruot Bijiek's put-back made it a 64-58 game with 2:19 still to play. Taylor and Timmerman swapped buckets but two quick layups by Whitney-Sidney gave the Mountain Hawks a 10-point cushion with 57 seconds to play.
Bucknell is back in action on Sunday at Lafayette at 1 p.m. The Leopards fell 73-69 in overtime at Boston University on Thursday to drop to 0-3 in Patriot League play. All three Bucknell-Lafayette games last season were decided in overtime, including a dramatic Bison win in the Patriot League Tournament.
Press Conference:
Team Stats
Lehigh
Buck
FG%
.540
.429
3FG%
.474
.200
FT%
.818
.667
RB
24
34
TO
15
17
STL
14
11
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
27
FGM
12
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
14
FGM
6
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
6
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballC
/ Men's BasketballC
/ Men's BasketballMichigan State at Bucknell Field Hockey Highlights 9-28-2025
Sunday, September 28
Saint Francis at Bucknell Football Highlights 9-27-2025
Sunday, September 28
Post Game Interview vs. SFU
Sunday, September 28
Boston University at Bucknell Men's Soccer Highlights 9-27-2025
Saturday, September 27