American Uses Late Surge to Turn Back Bucknell Men, 68-58

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Noah Williamson recorded 23 points and 11 rebounds, but low-post counterpart Matt Rogers scored 20, including the go-ahead bucket with 1:50 remaining, and American came from behind to beat Bucknell 68-58 on Saturday at Bender Arena.

The Bison led by 11 points at the half, ceded the lead for the first time just inside six minutes to play, and then after Williamson scored with 2:13 to go to give them a 58-57 edge, American finished the game on an 11-0 run.

Williamson recorded his sixth double-double and fourth 20-point game of the season. Bascoe joined him in double figures with 12 points, but the Bison (6-11, 2-2 Patriot League) saw their two-game winning streak come to an end. Greg Jones added 14 points, including eight in the final 61 seconds, as the Eagles improved to 8-9, 2-2 PL.

Bucknell led 33-22 at the half and was still up by seven at 42-35 when American used a five-point possession to get back in it. Lincoln Ball was fouled while finishing a layup after the Eagles rebounded an air ball. He missed the free throw, but Mason Whittaker grabbed the offensive rebound, and then Colin Smalls was fouled shooting a corner three and made them all from the line.

After Williamson missed the front end of a 1-and-1, backup center Eric Michaels, in the game with Patriot League Preseason Player of the Year Rogers on the bench with four fouls, hit a short jumper in the lane to tie the game for the first time all day at 42-42.

Bucknell went back up by five at 52-47 on a breakaway layup by Achile Spadone, but Rogers came back in the game and moments later hit a tying 3-pointer and a go-ahead layup to give the Eagles their first lead of the day with 5:49 to go.

Bascoe tied it back up with a jumper, but then Julen Iturbe hit a deep three at the end of the shot clock for his only points of the game. Bascoe answered with two free throws, and then the Bison came up with two defensive stops before Williamson powered in for two and a 58-57 lead with 2:13 left.

Those would be Bucknell's final points of the day, however. After Rogers scored to give AU the lead back with 1:50 left, the Bison turned it over in the paint, and Jones hit a dagger 3-pointer to make it 62-58. American rebounded four Bison misses and went 6-for-8 from the foul line to ice it.

Bucknell shot 37.0 percent from the field and could only manage two 3-pointers in 19 attempts. American shot 51.9 percent in the second half and 46.9 percent in the game after a slow start. Bucknell finished with a 39-29 edge on the glass.

The Bison got out to a great start with four layups sending them to an early 9-2 lead. After starting the game 4-for-6 from the field, the Bison missed 12 of their next 13 attempts but kept the lead thanks to some tenacious defense.

Brandon McCreesh's 3-pointer capped a 9-2 run and stretched the margin into double figures for the first time at 21-10 with 6:41 to go in the half. American pulled within five on a Rogers 3-pointer later in the half, but after Rogers picked up his third foul, Bucknell scored the final six points of the half to go up 33-22 at the break.

The Bison return to action on Wednesday at home against Loyola.

American Uses Late Surge to Turn Back Bucknell Men, 68-58

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Team Stats

Noah Williamson

Josh Bascoe

Ruot Bijiek

Brandon McCreesh

Players Mentioned

Brandon McCreesh

Achile Spadone

Noah Williamson