Wednesday, November 29
Lewisburg, Pa.
7 p.m.
Bucknell University
2-7,0-0Patriot
71
vs
85
Princeton
7-0,0-0Ivy League
1
2
F
Princeton
40
45
85
Bucknell
45
26
71
Photo by: Jon Lambert
Princeton Makes Big Late Run to Overtake Bison, 85-71
11/29/2023 8:57:00 PM | Men's Basketball
LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Bucknell men's basketball team put together some of its best play of the season over the game's first 30 minutes, but Matt Allocco and undefeated Princeton simply wouldn't miss in the final 10 minutes, and the Tigers stormed back from 11 points down to defeat the Bison 85-71 on Wednesday night at Sojka Pavilion.
Jack Forrest scored 21 points and Josh Bascoe recorded 14 points and six assists for Bucknell (2-7), which shot 51.0 percent on the night and hit 9 of 18 from behind the 3-point arc. Princeton (7-0), the reigning Ivy League champion and an NCAA Sweet Sixteen team a year ago, shot 58.9 percent for the game, including 60.0 percent in the second half. The Tigers hit 12 straight shots over a 10-minute stretch, with Allocco canning six of the first eight, and they ended the contest on a 28-6 run to stay undefeated on the season.
It was a well-played game throughout, with the teams combining to shoot better than 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3-point range, and 80 percent from the free-throw line. There were just 14 combined turnovers and 32 total assists. Princeton had 20 assists with only four turnovers, and Bucknell logged 12 assists with 10 turnovers, but eight of those miscues came in the second half as the Tigers held the Bison to only two field goals in the game's final 9:40.
Allocco and Caden Pierce scored 22 points apiece for Princeton. Allocco, who came into the game shooting 52 percent from 3-point range and better than 60 percent from the field, was 8-for-11 overall, 4-for-6 from the arc, and also dished out eight assists.
There were seven lead changes and three ties over the game's opening 10 minutes, and then Bascoe's swished 30-footer at the end of the shot clock ignited a 9-0 run that grew to 15-4 after Brandon McCreesh's 3-pointer at the 7:17 mark have the Bison a 29-21 lead.
Princeton tied the game at 40-all on a Xaivian Lee 3-pointer before Bucknell closed out the half with a Bascoe driving layup and a Forrest buzzer-beating 3-pointer. The Bison emerged from the locker room with a 45-40 lead and then quickly stretched the margin to 10 on a Forrest 3-pointer and two free throws by Ruot Bijiek.
Noah Williamson's layup off a nice wraparound dish from Bascoe made it 55-44 before Princeton answered with 10 straight points. After Zach Martini's 3-pointer cut the gap to one, Quin Berger buried a three from the left corner and Forrest turned a mid-range jumper into a 3-point play. Williamson's free throws at the 9:06 mark put the Bison ahead 65-57, but it was all Tigers from there.
Allocco hit a 3-pointer and an elbow jumper, Pierce finished a layup, and Allocco hit another short jumper to give the Tigers a 66-65 lead, their first advantage since 17-14 at the 12:28 mark of the first half. Forrest fed Pip Ajayi for a layup to give the Bison the lead back with 6:46 to go, but Martini answered with a deep three, kicking off a decisive 19-2 run. Allocco and Lee both threw in shots at the end of the timer, and later Pierce scored seven in a row by himself to make it 83-69.
Pierce missed a shot at the 10:51 mark of the second half, and Princeton's next miss didn't come until just 38 seconds remained in the game.
Williamson was Bucknell's third double-digit scorer with 10 points, and Ajayi finished with a season-high eight. The final rebounding ledger was deadlocked at 23-23, with Forrest leading Bucknell with six boards.
Princeton, which has a win over Rutgers and is receiving 14 votes in this week's Associated Press poll, improved to 7-0 for the fifth time in team history and is off to its best start since 1997-98.
Bucknell is back in action on Saturday at Penn State. The noon tip will be televised on the Big Ten Network.
Jack Forrest scored 21 points and Josh Bascoe recorded 14 points and six assists for Bucknell (2-7), which shot 51.0 percent on the night and hit 9 of 18 from behind the 3-point arc. Princeton (7-0), the reigning Ivy League champion and an NCAA Sweet Sixteen team a year ago, shot 58.9 percent for the game, including 60.0 percent in the second half. The Tigers hit 12 straight shots over a 10-minute stretch, with Allocco canning six of the first eight, and they ended the contest on a 28-6 run to stay undefeated on the season.
It was a well-played game throughout, with the teams combining to shoot better than 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from 3-point range, and 80 percent from the free-throw line. There were just 14 combined turnovers and 32 total assists. Princeton had 20 assists with only four turnovers, and Bucknell logged 12 assists with 10 turnovers, but eight of those miscues came in the second half as the Tigers held the Bison to only two field goals in the game's final 9:40.
Allocco and Caden Pierce scored 22 points apiece for Princeton. Allocco, who came into the game shooting 52 percent from 3-point range and better than 60 percent from the field, was 8-for-11 overall, 4-for-6 from the arc, and also dished out eight assists.
There were seven lead changes and three ties over the game's opening 10 minutes, and then Bascoe's swished 30-footer at the end of the shot clock ignited a 9-0 run that grew to 15-4 after Brandon McCreesh's 3-pointer at the 7:17 mark have the Bison a 29-21 lead.
BINGO!!! Jack bangs a trey just before the horn and the Bison go to the locker room with a 45-40 lead on the unbeaten Princeton Tigers. #rayBucknell
— Bucknell MBasketball (@Bucknell_MBB) November 30, 2023
Watch: https://t.co/Pursqo0tsl@PatriotLeagueTV | @ESPN pic.twitter.com/pSJCJr9hAn
Princeton tied the game at 40-all on a Xaivian Lee 3-pointer before Bucknell closed out the half with a Bascoe driving layup and a Forrest buzzer-beating 3-pointer. The Bison emerged from the locker room with a 45-40 lead and then quickly stretched the margin to 10 on a Forrest 3-pointer and two free throws by Ruot Bijiek.
Noah Williamson's layup off a nice wraparound dish from Bascoe made it 55-44 before Princeton answered with 10 straight points. After Zach Martini's 3-pointer cut the gap to one, Quin Berger buried a three from the left corner and Forrest turned a mid-range jumper into a 3-point play. Williamson's free throws at the 9:06 mark put the Bison ahead 65-57, but it was all Tigers from there.
Josh Bascoe is having himself a night! He had 14 first-half points and now has 5 assists after this sweet dime to Noah Williamson to give the Bison an 11-point lead. #rayBucknell
— Bucknell MBasketball (@Bucknell_MBB) November 30, 2023
Watch: https://t.co/Pursqo0tsl@PatriotLeagueTV | @ESPN pic.twitter.com/nNMlvai2fb
Allocco hit a 3-pointer and an elbow jumper, Pierce finished a layup, and Allocco hit another short jumper to give the Tigers a 66-65 lead, their first advantage since 17-14 at the 12:28 mark of the first half. Forrest fed Pip Ajayi for a layup to give the Bison the lead back with 6:46 to go, but Martini answered with a deep three, kicking off a decisive 19-2 run. Allocco and Lee both threw in shots at the end of the timer, and later Pierce scored seven in a row by himself to make it 83-69.
Pierce missed a shot at the 10:51 mark of the second half, and Princeton's next miss didn't come until just 38 seconds remained in the game.
Williamson was Bucknell's third double-digit scorer with 10 points, and Ajayi finished with a season-high eight. The final rebounding ledger was deadlocked at 23-23, with Forrest leading Bucknell with six boards.
Princeton, which has a win over Rutgers and is receiving 14 votes in this week's Associated Press poll, improved to 7-0 for the fifth time in team history and is off to its best start since 1997-98.
Bucknell is back in action on Saturday at Penn State. The noon tip will be televised on the Big Ten Network.
Team Stats
PU
Buck
FG%
.589
.510
3FG%
.435
.500
FT%
.818
.800
RB
23
23
TO
4
10
STL
6
2
Game Leaders
Pts
21
FGM
8
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Pts
14
FGM
6
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
10
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
6
Players Mentioned
G
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/ Men's BasketballC
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