Wednesday, November 27
College Park, Md.
4:30 p.m.
Bucknell University
4-4,0-0Patriot
67
at
91
Maryland
6-1,0-0Big Ten
1
2
F
Bucknell
28
39
67
Maryland
51
40
91
Photo by: Keith Lucas
Maryland Rides Fast Start to 91-67 Win over Bison Men’s Basketball
11/27/2024 7:01:00 PM | Men's Basketball
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Tafara Gapare came off the bench to score 19 points, including 10 straight in one key juncture in the second half, to lead 6-1 Maryland to a 91-67 win over Bucknell on Wednesday at XFINITY Center. Ruot Bijiek matched his career high with 20 points to lead all scorers, but the Bison could not overcome a nervy start and fell to 4-4 on the season.
Josh Bascoe also hit double figures with 10 points to go with six rebounds and five assists. Brandon McCreesh (9) and Achile Spadone (8) combined for 17 points, and Noah Williamson finished with seven points and a game-high nine rebounds.
Bucknell was already playing shorthanded without starting guard Elvin Edmonds IV, and then Ian Motta left with an injury just 2:34 into the game. The Bison also battled foul trouble, with top scorer Williamson picking up his fourth foul with more than 16 minutes left in the second half.
Maryland took control early, as an opening-minute 3-pointer by Rodney Rice and then two more from deep by Selton Miguel sent the Terrapins on their way to a 15-2 lead.
Bucknell kept the margin at 13 at 25-12 after a Bijiek 3-pointer and a McCreesh layup, but the threes kept coming from the Terps. They hit nine in 17 tries in the first half, and two straight from reserve Jayhon Young pushed Maryland's lead to 25.
Bucknell scored on its first four possessions of the second half, and then Bijiek got hot from downtown. He hit one from the right corner with a toe on the line before draining two from well beyond the arc, the latter pulling the Bison within 58-42 with 15:26 still to play.
That was as close as Bucknell would get, as Gapare scored 10 straight points with two threes, a floater, and a dunk. The Georgia Tech transfer came into the game with 16 points on the season, an average of 2.7 per game, before scoring 19 in this one.
The Bison trailed by as many as 31 but battled to the end, as threes from Bascoe and McCreesh and a nice alley-oop dunk by Pip Ajayi off a Spadone lob sparked a late 9-3 run. Josh Fulton was effective in the final four minutes, hitting 5 of 6 at the foul line while grabbing a couple of rebounds.
Bucknell shot 43.4 percent overall and went 9-for-24 from 3-point range and 12-for-19 from the foul line. The Terrapins shot an even 50 percent and finished 12-for-31 from downtown and 13-for-20 from the foul line.
In addition to Gapare's 19 points, Maryland's two starting bigs Derik Queen (15) and Julian Reese (14) both scored in double figures, and Miguel finished with 13.
The Bison outrebounded Maryland 36-33 and held the bigger Terps to seven offensive boards, but Bucknell was held back by 20 turnovers, which led to a 22-7 edge in points off turnovers for Maryland.
Bucknell is back in action on Saturday against Siena at the Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. Tip time is 6 p.m., and tickets are available.
Josh Bascoe also hit double figures with 10 points to go with six rebounds and five assists. Brandon McCreesh (9) and Achile Spadone (8) combined for 17 points, and Noah Williamson finished with seven points and a game-high nine rebounds.
Bucknell was already playing shorthanded without starting guard Elvin Edmonds IV, and then Ian Motta left with an injury just 2:34 into the game. The Bison also battled foul trouble, with top scorer Williamson picking up his fourth foul with more than 16 minutes left in the second half.
Maryland took control early, as an opening-minute 3-pointer by Rodney Rice and then two more from deep by Selton Miguel sent the Terrapins on their way to a 15-2 lead.
Bucknell kept the margin at 13 at 25-12 after a Bijiek 3-pointer and a McCreesh layup, but the threes kept coming from the Terps. They hit nine in 17 tries in the first half, and two straight from reserve Jayhon Young pushed Maryland's lead to 25.
Bucknell scored on its first four possessions of the second half, and then Bijiek got hot from downtown. He hit one from the right corner with a toe on the line before draining two from well beyond the arc, the latter pulling the Bison within 58-42 with 15:26 still to play.
That was as close as Bucknell would get, as Gapare scored 10 straight points with two threes, a floater, and a dunk. The Georgia Tech transfer came into the game with 16 points on the season, an average of 2.7 per game, before scoring 19 in this one.
The Bison trailed by as many as 31 but battled to the end, as threes from Bascoe and McCreesh and a nice alley-oop dunk by Pip Ajayi off a Spadone lob sparked a late 9-3 run. Josh Fulton was effective in the final four minutes, hitting 5 of 6 at the foul line while grabbing a couple of rebounds.
Bucknell shot 43.4 percent overall and went 9-for-24 from 3-point range and 12-for-19 from the foul line. The Terrapins shot an even 50 percent and finished 12-for-31 from downtown and 13-for-20 from the foul line.
In addition to Gapare's 19 points, Maryland's two starting bigs Derik Queen (15) and Julian Reese (14) both scored in double figures, and Miguel finished with 13.
The Bison outrebounded Maryland 36-33 and held the bigger Terps to seven offensive boards, but Bucknell was held back by 20 turnovers, which led to a 22-7 edge in points off turnovers for Maryland.
Bucknell is back in action on Saturday against Siena at the Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. Tip time is 6 p.m., and tickets are available.
Team Stats
Buck
MD
FG%
.434
.500
3FG%
.375
.387
FT%
.632
.650
RB
36
33
TO
20
7
STL
3
6
Game Leaders
Pts
20
FGM
6
3FGM
4
FTM
4
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
9
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
C
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