Saturday, February 15
Easton, Pa.
1 p.m.
Bucknell University
13-14,9-5Patriot
75
at
69
Lafayette
10-17,5-9Patriot
1
2
F
Bucknell
32
43
75
Lafayette
30
39
69
Photo by: Rick Smith
Bucknell Men Hold Off Lafayette 75-69 to Get to 9-5 in Patriot League
2/15/2025 3:34:00 PM | Men's Basketball
EASTON, Pa. – Noah Williamson scored 24 points and Brandon McCreesh registered a career-high 14 off the bench, including two critical free throws in the final 20 seconds of the game, leading the Bucknell men's basketball team to a 75-69 win over Lafayette on Saturday afternoon at Kirby Sports Center. The Bison have now won five of their last six to get to 9-5 in Patriot League play.
With Army losing at Navy and Colgate falling in double overtime at Boston University on Saturday, Bucknell moved back into a tie for second place with Army at 9-5. Colgate is alone in fourth at 8-6, followed by Boston University and Navy at 7-7. First-place American (10-3) plays at Loyola later on Saturday.
Bucknell led by two at the half, and it was a 40-40 game after a Caleb Williams 3-pointer early in the second. McCreesh broke the tie with a 3-pointer off a drive and dish from Josh Bascoe, and the Bison were off and running.
Bucknell started 13-for-17 from the field in the second half and ran its lead into double digits with a 19-3 run. Bascoe's elbow jumper made it 55-45, Elvin Edmonds IV followed with a 3-pointer, and then Lafayette needed a timeout after Ruot Bijiek finished a nice high-low feed from Williamson. After the break, Achile Spadone picked off a pass with a little help from a carom off the referee, and his breakaway layup made it 62-45.
Leading 64-47 with 7:24 to play, the Bison suddenly hit a scoring drought, and Lafayette got back in it with a 15-3 surge of its own. Ryan Pettit and Luka Savicevic hit 3-pointers during the run, and the Leopards chipped away even more thanks to a wide disparity in fouls.
Alex Vander Baan's free throw made it a 67-62 game with 44 seconds to play, but the Bison held on thanks to some good free-throw shooting. Reserve guards Jayden Williams and McCreesh both made both ends of 1-and-1s, McCreesh scored on a breakaway after a long inbounds pass, and Williamson iced it with two more free throws with 1.2 seconds remaining.
Lafayette finished 18-for-31 from the foul line, compared to Bucknell's 11-for-12. Seven of Bucknell's 12 attempts came when the Leopards were forced to foul, however. In the game's first 39 minutes the free-throw attempts were 31-5, and Lafayette was left lamenting some costly misses.
Williamson went 8-for-13 from the field, 4-for-7 from the 3-point arc, and 4-for-4 from the foul line on the way to his 10th 20-point game of the season. He also led the Bison with eight rebounds. Bascoe was held to eight points in the game, but he handed out a season-high eight assists.
Bucknell shot 62.5 percent in the second half and 51.9 percent overall. The Bison connected on 8 of 19 from the arc and outrebounded the Leopards 35-29.
Freshman Alex Chaikin scored a career-high 23 points for Lafayette. Caleb Williams added 13 and Vander Baan 10. The Leopards shot 40.4 percent on the day, including a 9-for-26 showing from long range.
Lafayette led 14-9 seven minutes into the game after Chaikin scored eight straight points. Bucknell shot back with its own 8-0 run thanks to a 3-pointer by Bijiek and five straight points from McCreesh.
Williamson's jumper gave the Bison their largest lead of the first half at 32-25, but a second-chance layup by Vander Baan and another 3-pointer from Chaikin made it a 32-30 game at intermission.
Bucknell swept the season series from Lafayette for the first time since 2019. The Bison play their next two at home, where they are 7-0 against Patriot League foes this season.
Next up is a quick turnaround against Lehigh on Monday night. The game will be televised on CBS Sports Network, and an Orange Out has been declared.
With Army losing at Navy and Colgate falling in double overtime at Boston University on Saturday, Bucknell moved back into a tie for second place with Army at 9-5. Colgate is alone in fourth at 8-6, followed by Boston University and Navy at 7-7. First-place American (10-3) plays at Loyola later on Saturday.
Bucknell led by two at the half, and it was a 40-40 game after a Caleb Williams 3-pointer early in the second. McCreesh broke the tie with a 3-pointer off a drive and dish from Josh Bascoe, and the Bison were off and running.
Bucknell started 13-for-17 from the field in the second half and ran its lead into double digits with a 19-3 run. Bascoe's elbow jumper made it 55-45, Elvin Edmonds IV followed with a 3-pointer, and then Lafayette needed a timeout after Ruot Bijiek finished a nice high-low feed from Williamson. After the break, Achile Spadone picked off a pass with a little help from a carom off the referee, and his breakaway layup made it 62-45.
Jayden to Pip for the jam! Bison trying to gain some separation in the second half. #rayBucknell
— Bucknell MBasketball (@Bucknell_MBB) February 15, 2025
Watch: https://t.co/T7kWvoJECm@ESPN | @PatriotLeagueHQ pic.twitter.com/8dsAaLE9nB
Leading 64-47 with 7:24 to play, the Bison suddenly hit a scoring drought, and Lafayette got back in it with a 15-3 surge of its own. Ryan Pettit and Luka Savicevic hit 3-pointers during the run, and the Leopards chipped away even more thanks to a wide disparity in fouls.
Alex Vander Baan's free throw made it a 67-62 game with 44 seconds to play, but the Bison held on thanks to some good free-throw shooting. Reserve guards Jayden Williams and McCreesh both made both ends of 1-and-1s, McCreesh scored on a breakaway after a long inbounds pass, and Williamson iced it with two more free throws with 1.2 seconds remaining.
Lafayette finished 18-for-31 from the foul line, compared to Bucknell's 11-for-12. Seven of Bucknell's 12 attempts came when the Leopards were forced to foul, however. In the game's first 39 minutes the free-throw attempts were 31-5, and Lafayette was left lamenting some costly misses.
Williamson went 8-for-13 from the field, 4-for-7 from the 3-point arc, and 4-for-4 from the foul line on the way to his 10th 20-point game of the season. He also led the Bison with eight rebounds. Bascoe was held to eight points in the game, but he handed out a season-high eight assists.
Bucknell shot 62.5 percent in the second half and 51.9 percent overall. The Bison connected on 8 of 19 from the arc and outrebounded the Leopards 35-29.
Freshman Alex Chaikin scored a career-high 23 points for Lafayette. Caleb Williams added 13 and Vander Baan 10. The Leopards shot 40.4 percent on the day, including a 9-for-26 showing from long range.
Lafayette led 14-9 seven minutes into the game after Chaikin scored eight straight points. Bucknell shot back with its own 8-0 run thanks to a 3-pointer by Bijiek and five straight points from McCreesh.
Williamson's jumper gave the Bison their largest lead of the first half at 32-25, but a second-chance layup by Vander Baan and another 3-pointer from Chaikin made it a 32-30 game at intermission.
Bucknell swept the season series from Lafayette for the first time since 2019. The Bison play their next two at home, where they are 7-0 against Patriot League foes this season.
Next up is a quick turnaround against Lehigh on Monday night. The game will be televised on CBS Sports Network, and an Orange Out has been declared.
Team Stats
Buck
Laf
FG%
.519
.404
3FG%
.421
.346
FT%
.917
.581
RB
35
29
TO
14
9
STL
3
9
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
24
FGM
8
3FGM
4
FTM
4
Pts
14
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
9
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Pts
8
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballC
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