Thursday, November 21
Lewisburg, Pa.
7 p.m.
Bucknell University
81
vs
64
NJIT
Photo by: Lianne Garrahan
Men's Basketball Improves to 4-2, Tops NJIT 81-64
11/21/2024 9:04:00 PM | Men's Basketball
POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE:
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Ian Motta scored 15 points, one of five Bucknell players to reach double figures in scoring, and the Bison men's basketball team defeated NJIT 81-64 on Thursday night at Sojka Pavilion. Motta drained a three-pointer on Bucknell's first possession, and the Bison led the Highlanders wire-to-wire on the way to a second straight win and a 4-2 start to the season.
It was a balanced attack for the Bison, who hit 10 3-pointers and led by as many as 25 points in the second half. Achile Spadone, starting in place of the injured Elvin Edmonds IV, had his best game at the college level with 14 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and three steals. Noah Williamson also had 14 points in just 21 minutes, and Ruot Bijiek (13) and Brandon McCreesh (11) also hit double digits. Josh Bascoe tallied seven points and six assists, and as a team the Bison totaled 19 assists with only 11 turnovers.
Bucknell took control by limiting the Highlanders to a 1-for-12 shooting start, and the Bison piled up 29 points off NJIT's 14 turnovers. NJIT finished the night at 36.1 percent from the field and 6-for-20 from 3-point range, while the Bison shot 48.1 percent and hit 10 of 23 from downtown.
Other than one NJIT run in each half, it was a dominant performance by the Bison, who led by as many as 25 points at 66-41 with 10:30 remaining. The runaway victory was much needed, as Bucknell was coming off back-to-back double-overtime games and had already played a Division I-high three OT contests in the first two weeks of the season. Only Spadone was used for more than 30 minutes in this one, with a game against a tough Rider team coming up in just two days.
Bucknell led 27-15 after two straight 3-pointers by Ruot Bijiek 12 minutes into the contest, but a 10-0 spurt brought the Highlanders within two at 29-27. Motta hit a 3-pointer to stem the tide, and then McCreesh scored six straight points to spark a 12-0 Bison run to end the half.
Bijiek hit another trey, Motta blocked a shot in the deep corner and then ran ahead for a layup, and Bascoe's free throw made it a 44-29 game at the half.
Motta and Bascoe hit threes on consecutive possessions early in the second half. McCreesh lobbed to Pip Ajayi for a thunderous alley-oop jam, and later free throws from McCreesh and Josh Fulton gave the Bison their largest lead of 25 points.
Bucknell then went scoreless for three minutes while NJIT rattled off 11 straight points. The Highlanders got as close as 14 at 66-52 on an Ari Fulton layup with 8:07 to go. Williamson ended the run with a layup and then assisted on Spadone's 3-pointer from the top of the key. After the under-8 timeout, Williamson pushed the ball up the floor in transition and then caught a pass from Bascoe in the left corner and buried a 3-pointer to stretch the margin back to 20 at 74-54 with 6:09 to play.
The Bison came into the game leading the Patriot League in scoring at 80.2 points per game and hit just above that number in this one. Tariq Francis, the reigning America East Rookie of the Year, led NJIT (0-6) with 19 points and six rebounds.
Bucknell has a quick turnaround before hosting Rider on Saturday at 7 p.m. The Broncs are 3-2, with the losses coming at UCLA and Iowa. One of their wins was over a Patriot League squad in Navy, 90-79 in Annapolis on Nov. 12.
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Ian Motta scored 15 points, one of five Bucknell players to reach double figures in scoring, and the Bison men's basketball team defeated NJIT 81-64 on Thursday night at Sojka Pavilion. Motta drained a three-pointer on Bucknell's first possession, and the Bison led the Highlanders wire-to-wire on the way to a second straight win and a 4-2 start to the season.
It was a balanced attack for the Bison, who hit 10 3-pointers and led by as many as 25 points in the second half. Achile Spadone, starting in place of the injured Elvin Edmonds IV, had his best game at the college level with 14 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and three steals. Noah Williamson also had 14 points in just 21 minutes, and Ruot Bijiek (13) and Brandon McCreesh (11) also hit double digits. Josh Bascoe tallied seven points and six assists, and as a team the Bison totaled 19 assists with only 11 turnovers.
Bucknell took control by limiting the Highlanders to a 1-for-12 shooting start, and the Bison piled up 29 points off NJIT's 14 turnovers. NJIT finished the night at 36.1 percent from the field and 6-for-20 from 3-point range, while the Bison shot 48.1 percent and hit 10 of 23 from downtown.
Other than one NJIT run in each half, it was a dominant performance by the Bison, who led by as many as 25 points at 66-41 with 10:30 remaining. The runaway victory was much needed, as Bucknell was coming off back-to-back double-overtime games and had already played a Division I-high three OT contests in the first two weeks of the season. Only Spadone was used for more than 30 minutes in this one, with a game against a tough Rider team coming up in just two days.
Bucknell led 27-15 after two straight 3-pointers by Ruot Bijiek 12 minutes into the contest, but a 10-0 spurt brought the Highlanders within two at 29-27. Motta hit a 3-pointer to stem the tide, and then McCreesh scored six straight points to spark a 12-0 Bison run to end the half.
Bijiek hit another trey, Motta blocked a shot in the deep corner and then ran ahead for a layup, and Bascoe's free throw made it a 44-29 game at the half.
Motta and Bascoe hit threes on consecutive possessions early in the second half. McCreesh lobbed to Pip Ajayi for a thunderous alley-oop jam, and later free throws from McCreesh and Josh Fulton gave the Bison their largest lead of 25 points.
👀⚡️ McCreesh to Pip for the alley-oop jam, and the Bison are running away with this one in the second half! #rayBucknell #team130
— Bucknell MBasketball (@Bucknell_MBB) November 22, 2024
Watch: https://t.co/CA9HX3c8PN@ESPN | @PatriotLeagueHQ pic.twitter.com/Dvb12yhCWE
Bucknell then went scoreless for three minutes while NJIT rattled off 11 straight points. The Highlanders got as close as 14 at 66-52 on an Ari Fulton layup with 8:07 to go. Williamson ended the run with a layup and then assisted on Spadone's 3-pointer from the top of the key. After the under-8 timeout, Williamson pushed the ball up the floor in transition and then caught a pass from Bascoe in the left corner and buried a 3-pointer to stretch the margin back to 20 at 74-54 with 6:09 to play.
The Bison came into the game leading the Patriot League in scoring at 80.2 points per game and hit just above that number in this one. Tariq Francis, the reigning America East Rookie of the Year, led NJIT (0-6) with 19 points and six rebounds.
Bucknell has a quick turnaround before hosting Rider on Saturday at 7 p.m. The Broncs are 3-2, with the losses coming at UCLA and Iowa. One of their wins was over a Patriot League squad in Navy, 90-79 in Annapolis on Nov. 12.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
C
/ Men's BasketballIn The Herd: Cornell Game Preview And Mark Mulhern Feature
Thursday, October 16
In The Herd: American Game Preview And Sarah Althouse Feature
Thursday, October 16
In The Herd: Season Opener And Shane Wynn And Kyla Kelly Features
Wednesday, October 15
2025 Bucknell Athletics Hall of Fame Inductee Bob Rhein
Monday, October 13