Wednesday, February 5
Lewisburg, Pa.
7 p.m.
Bucknell University
11-13,7-4Patriot
71
vs
49
American
14-10,8-3Patriot
1
2
F
American
18
31
49
Bucknell
32
39
71
Photo by: Lianne Garrahan
Men's Basketball Wins Sixth Straight Home Game, 71-49 over First-Place American
2/5/2025 9:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE:
LEWISBURG, Pa. -- Bucknell junior Noah Williamson scored 18 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for his Patriot League-leading ninth double-double, leading the Bison men's basketball team to its sixth straight home win, 71-49 over American on Wednesday night before a lively crowd at Sojka Pavilion. The Bison gained a split of the season series and moved within one game of the first-place Eagles (8-3), who saw their seven-game winning streak come to an end. Bucknell and Army are tied for second at 7-4, and those two teams will meet on Saturday at West Point.
In addition to Williamson's third straight double-double, teammate Josh Bascoe contributed 14 points and seven assists. Bascoe has recorded seven assists in each of the last three and four of the last six contests. Achile Spadone joined Williamson and Bascoe in double-figures with 11 points. The Orange and Blue shot 60 percent from the field, making 27 of their 45 shots, while holding the Eagles to 34.8% shooting (16-46). Bucknell outscored American 40-18 in the paint and outrebounded the Eagles 27-21.
Matt Mayock scored a team-high 10 points to lead American, which was limited to only nine players in uniform due to injury and illness.
Bucknell has had injury issues of its own this season, but the Bison have played their best basketball since losing 68-58 at American on Jan. 11. They are 5-2 since then, and the offense has generated 79.4 points per game while shooting 51.8 percent from the field and 45.1 percent from the 3-point arc.
Bascoe has been a key catalyst, with 40 assists and only 14 turnovers in those seven games, all while averaging 15.4 points per game. The senior was 6-for-7 from the field with a couple of 3-pointers to go with his seven assists in Wednesday's win over American, and he had an assist and a bucket in a key five-point possession that helped the Bison stretch the lead in the opening eight minutes.
It was a 12-8 game when Bascoe slashed through the lane and rifled a pass to Spadone for a 3-pointer from the left corner. American was called for a foul while the shot was in flight, and Bascoe scored on a layup after the inbounds. Williamson followed with another bucket, and suddenly the margin was 11 at 19-8.
Josh Fulton's layup off a Bascoe dish made it 21-10 with 9:44 remaining, and the Bison led by double digits the rest of the way.
Williamson missed a 3-pointer in the first half, ending his school record-tying streak of consecutive made threes at nine, but he swished one from the left wing on the first possession of the second half to build in Bucknell's 14-point halftime lead.
The margin hit 20 for the first time at 44-24 on Spadone's 2-on-1 fastbreak finish from Bascoe. Later in the period, Brandon McCreesh finished through contact to ignite a 10-0 run that vaulted the lead all the way up to 29. Spadone's bank shot in the paint made it 61-32 with 10:18 to play.
It was still a 29-point game at 71-42 after McCreesh's 3-pointer with 3:49 to go, but those would be Bucknell's final points as the game got a bit ragged down the stretch.
Williamson came into the game leading the Patriot League with a 20.3 scoring average in league contests, and he finished this one with 18 on 5-for-8 shooting from the field and 7-for-9 from the foul line.
Bucknell shot 60 percent from the field for the first time since last Feb. 7 at Navy (.612), and this was the fourth time in the last five outings hitting at least 50 percent. At the other end, the Bison held the Eagles to a season-low point total.
Bucknell and Army square off at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Christl Arena. This is the first of two meetings this season between the Bison and Black Knights.
LEWISBURG, Pa. -- Bucknell junior Noah Williamson scored 18 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for his Patriot League-leading ninth double-double, leading the Bison men's basketball team to its sixth straight home win, 71-49 over American on Wednesday night before a lively crowd at Sojka Pavilion. The Bison gained a split of the season series and moved within one game of the first-place Eagles (8-3), who saw their seven-game winning streak come to an end. Bucknell and Army are tied for second at 7-4, and those two teams will meet on Saturday at West Point.
In addition to Williamson's third straight double-double, teammate Josh Bascoe contributed 14 points and seven assists. Bascoe has recorded seven assists in each of the last three and four of the last six contests. Achile Spadone joined Williamson and Bascoe in double-figures with 11 points. The Orange and Blue shot 60 percent from the field, making 27 of their 45 shots, while holding the Eagles to 34.8% shooting (16-46). Bucknell outscored American 40-18 in the paint and outrebounded the Eagles 27-21.
Matt Mayock scored a team-high 10 points to lead American, which was limited to only nine players in uniform due to injury and illness.
Bucknell has had injury issues of its own this season, but the Bison have played their best basketball since losing 68-58 at American on Jan. 11. They are 5-2 since then, and the offense has generated 79.4 points per game while shooting 51.8 percent from the field and 45.1 percent from the 3-point arc.
Bascoe has been a key catalyst, with 40 assists and only 14 turnovers in those seven games, all while averaging 15.4 points per game. The senior was 6-for-7 from the field with a couple of 3-pointers to go with his seven assists in Wednesday's win over American, and he had an assist and a bucket in a key five-point possession that helped the Bison stretch the lead in the opening eight minutes.
It was a 12-8 game when Bascoe slashed through the lane and rifled a pass to Spadone for a 3-pointer from the left corner. American was called for a foul while the shot was in flight, and Bascoe scored on a layup after the inbounds. Williamson followed with another bucket, and suddenly the margin was 11 at 19-8.
Josh Fulton's layup off a Bascoe dish made it 21-10 with 9:44 remaining, and the Bison led by double digits the rest of the way.
Williamson missed a 3-pointer in the first half, ending his school record-tying streak of consecutive made threes at nine, but he swished one from the left wing on the first possession of the second half to build in Bucknell's 14-point halftime lead.
The margin hit 20 for the first time at 44-24 on Spadone's 2-on-1 fastbreak finish from Bascoe. Later in the period, Brandon McCreesh finished through contact to ignite a 10-0 run that vaulted the lead all the way up to 29. Spadone's bank shot in the paint made it 61-32 with 10:18 to play.
This feed is turning into the Josh Bascoe dime show. 🎯#rayBucknell #Team130
— Bucknell MBasketball (@Bucknell_MBB) February 6, 2025
Watch: https://t.co/1Xf24SVFow@ESPN | @PatriotLeagueHQ pic.twitter.com/19jzHqGfsQ
It was still a 29-point game at 71-42 after McCreesh's 3-pointer with 3:49 to go, but those would be Bucknell's final points as the game got a bit ragged down the stretch.
Williamson came into the game leading the Patriot League with a 20.3 scoring average in league contests, and he finished this one with 18 on 5-for-8 shooting from the field and 7-for-9 from the foul line.
Bucknell shot 60 percent from the field for the first time since last Feb. 7 at Navy (.612), and this was the fourth time in the last five outings hitting at least 50 percent. At the other end, the Bison held the Eagles to a season-low point total.
Bucknell and Army square off at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Christl Arena. This is the first of two meetings this season between the Bison and Black Knights.
Team Stats
Americ
Buck
FG%
.348
.600
3FG%
.238
.462
FT%
.706
.688
RB
21
27
TO
12
13
STL
5
5
Game Leaders
Pts
18
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
7
Pts
14
FGM
6
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
11
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballC
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