Monday, November 6
Lewisburg, Pa.
7 p.m.
Bucknell University
0-1,0-0Patriot
57
vs
78
Delaware
1-0,0-0CAA
1
2
F
Delaware
44
34
78
Bucknell
25
32
57
Photo by: Jon Lambert
Men's Basketball Opens Season with 78-57 Loss to Delaware
11/6/2023 9:05:00 PM | Men's Basketball
LEWISBURG, Pa. -- The Bucknell men's basketball team opened its 129th season with a 78-57 loss to Delaware on Monday evening at Sojka Pavilion. The Bison battled an experienced Blue Hens team that went on a pair of 13-0 scoring runs early in the contest to establish an early double-digit lead and were able to maintain that lead throughout the contest. Jack Forrest scored a team-high 18 points for Bucknell, while Elvin Edmonds IV and Noah Williamson each scored nine. Williamson collected eight rebounds, and Josh Bascoe added a career-high eight assists off the bench.
The Blue Hens held a 44-25 lead at the half, but the Bison maintained their energy throughout and the second-half score was tightly contested, with Delaware outscoring Bucknell 34-32. Jyare Davis led Delaware with 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Cavan Reilly scored 18 points.
The game's first five field goals were all threes, with back-to-back treys from Ruot Bijiek and Forrest giving the Bison their lone lead of the night at 6-3. But Delaware quickly stormed in front as Reilly hit two 3-pointers in a row, Davis hit a long jumper with a toe on the line, and reserve center Tyler Houser hit Delaware's fourth triple in six attempts to make it 16-6.
Williamson had a dunk and a short jumper in the lane to bring the Bison back within four at 17-13, but Gerald Drumgoole Jr. and Davis canned two more 3-pointers to ignite Delaware's second 13-0 run of the opening 12 minutes. Davis' free throws made it 30-13, and the Blue Hens would go on to lead by as many as 24 points early in the second half.
For the contest, Bucknell shot 21-for-54 (.389), while the Blue Hens were 27-for-53 (.509) from the field. Both teams hit 10 3-pointers, and both struggled from the foul line (Delaware 14-18, Bucknell 5-13). Delaware won the battle of the boards, 41-31.
Bucknell did corral 11 steals, led by three each from Edmonds, Forrest, and Josh Adoh.
More than 1,000 students were on hand for the game, providing a spirited atmosphere early on. Griffin praised the strong student turnout.
"I had some flashbacks to what Sojka was like when I was a player at Bucknell," said Griffin, a 2008 graduate who played on Bucknell's 2005 and 2006 Patriot League championship teams. "The crowd gave us great energy, and I want to thank them all for coming out. We're going to need them all year."
The Bison have a short turnaround before traveling to Penn on Wednesday night at 7 p.m.
The Blue Hens held a 44-25 lead at the half, but the Bison maintained their energy throughout and the second-half score was tightly contested, with Delaware outscoring Bucknell 34-32. Jyare Davis led Delaware with 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Cavan Reilly scored 18 points.
The game's first five field goals were all threes, with back-to-back treys from Ruot Bijiek and Forrest giving the Bison their lone lead of the night at 6-3. But Delaware quickly stormed in front as Reilly hit two 3-pointers in a row, Davis hit a long jumper with a toe on the line, and reserve center Tyler Houser hit Delaware's fourth triple in six attempts to make it 16-6.
Williamson had a dunk and a short jumper in the lane to bring the Bison back within four at 17-13, but Gerald Drumgoole Jr. and Davis canned two more 3-pointers to ignite Delaware's second 13-0 run of the opening 12 minutes. Davis' free throws made it 30-13, and the Blue Hens would go on to lead by as many as 24 points early in the second half.
For the contest, Bucknell shot 21-for-54 (.389), while the Blue Hens were 27-for-53 (.509) from the field. Both teams hit 10 3-pointers, and both struggled from the foul line (Delaware 14-18, Bucknell 5-13). Delaware won the battle of the boards, 41-31.
Bucknell did corral 11 steals, led by three each from Edmonds, Forrest, and Josh Adoh.
More than 1,000 students were on hand for the game, providing a spirited atmosphere early on. Griffin praised the strong student turnout.
"I had some flashbacks to what Sojka was like when I was a player at Bucknell," said Griffin, a 2008 graduate who played on Bucknell's 2005 and 2006 Patriot League championship teams. "The crowd gave us great energy, and I want to thank them all for coming out. We're going to need them all year."
First bucket of the season... and Sojka Pavilion is ELECTRIC! 🔶⚡️ @PatriotLeagueTV #rayBucknell @ESPN https://t.co/SgifV2cg2l pic.twitter.com/oyaDs3dCLs
— Bucknell MBasketball (@Bucknell_MBB) November 7, 2023
The Bison have a short turnaround before traveling to Penn on Wednesday night at 7 p.m.
Team Stats
UD
Buck
FG%
.509
.389
3FG%
.435
.357
FT%
.500
.385
RB
41
31
TO
14
15
STL
6
11
Game Leaders
Pts
18
FGM
7
3FGM
4
FTM
0
Pts
9
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
9
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballC
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