Saturday, March 1
Worcester, Mass.
2 p.m.
Bucknell University
17-14,13-5Patriot
94
at
81
Holy Cross
13-18,5-13Patriot
1
2
F
Bucknell
50
44
94
Holy Cross
43
38
81
PATRIOT LEAGUE REGULAR-SEASON CO-CHAMPS! Men’s Basketball Downs Holy Cross 94-81 to Claim Share of 14th Regular-Season Title
3/1/2025 4:24:00 PM | Men's Basketball
POSTGAME MESSAGE FROM COACH JOHN GRIFFIN III:
WORCESTER, Mass. – In a season that required a high level of resiliency, the Bucknell men's basketball team has earned a share of its 14th Patriot League regular-season title. Overcoming key injuries, a record-setting number of overtimes, and some tough losses mixed in, the Bison defeated Holy Cross 94-81 on Saturday afternoon to close the regular season with six straight wins and nine of the last 10 to tie American for first place.
UPDATE: After Navy's 81-68 win over Loyola, Bucknell will be the No. 1 seed in the Patriot League Tournament. The Bison will be heading into the postseason on a roll and will host a quarterfinal game against the winner of No. 8 Loyola and No. 9 Lehigh on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Sojka Pavilion.
All five Bison starters scored in double figures, led by 22 from Noah Williamson in only 19 minutes and 21 with six assists from Josh Bascoe. Achile Spadone added 14 points, Ruot Bijiek had 13 points and eight rebounds, and Elvin Edmonds IV logged 13 points and eight assists.
Max Green (22), Joe Nugent (22), and Caleb Kenney (21) accounted for 65 of Holy Cross' 81 points. The Crusaders, the Patriot League's top 3-point shooting team, went 10-for-23 in this one and outscored the Bison 25-11 from the foul line. But the Bison manufactured good looks at the basket all day, scoring 54 points in the paint while shooting 61.7 percent from the floor.
Bucknell's lead was just six at 50-44 in the opening minutes of the second half, but a lightning-quick 15-0 run in a span of only three minutes changed the game. The key sequence came around the 17-minute mark, when Bascoe hit a 3-pointer in transition off a great find by Edmonds. Away from the ball, Williamson was shoved to the ground, and on the ensuing inbounds, Bijiek hit another bomb for a six-point possession. Williamson splashed a trey of his own on the next possession, and suddenly it was a 65-44 game.
Bucknell led by as many as 23 at 73-50 after an Edmonds 3-pointer. Holy Cross stayed engaged at the free-throw line and pulled as close as 10 on a Jaiden Feroah 3-pointer with 1:29 to go. Spadone answered with a runner in the lane, and the Bison finished it off by forcing two turnovers in the final 45 seconds.
Bucknell got out to a quick 11-3 lead thanks to a 5-for-6 start from the field. The one miss in that stretch was pulled off the offensive glass by Spadone and kicked out to Edmonds for a 3-pointer. Green got going for Holy Cross and sparked a 21-6 run, with Nugent's 4-point play giving the hosts a 24-17 lead.
Back-to-back 3-pointers from Bascoe and Bijiek kicked off a 23-7 Bison surge. Pip Ajayi's layup capped the run and gave Bucknell a 40-31 lead with 4:59 left in the half, and the Bison went to the locker room with a 50-43 advantage.
Bucknell will enter the postseason with its first six-game winning streak since 2017-18. This is the team's first regular-season title and best PL record since 2018-19. Holy Cross (13-18, 5-13 PL) will be seeded 10th in the tournament and play at Lafayette in a first-round game on Tuesday night.
WORCESTER, Mass. – In a season that required a high level of resiliency, the Bucknell men's basketball team has earned a share of its 14th Patriot League regular-season title. Overcoming key injuries, a record-setting number of overtimes, and some tough losses mixed in, the Bison defeated Holy Cross 94-81 on Saturday afternoon to close the regular season with six straight wins and nine of the last 10 to tie American for first place.
UPDATE: After Navy's 81-68 win over Loyola, Bucknell will be the No. 1 seed in the Patriot League Tournament. The Bison will be heading into the postseason on a roll and will host a quarterfinal game against the winner of No. 8 Loyola and No. 9 Lehigh on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Sojka Pavilion.
All five Bison starters scored in double figures, led by 22 from Noah Williamson in only 19 minutes and 21 with six assists from Josh Bascoe. Achile Spadone added 14 points, Ruot Bijiek had 13 points and eight rebounds, and Elvin Edmonds IV logged 13 points and eight assists.
Max Green (22), Joe Nugent (22), and Caleb Kenney (21) accounted for 65 of Holy Cross' 81 points. The Crusaders, the Patriot League's top 3-point shooting team, went 10-for-23 in this one and outscored the Bison 25-11 from the foul line. But the Bison manufactured good looks at the basket all day, scoring 54 points in the paint while shooting 61.7 percent from the floor.
Bucknell's lead was just six at 50-44 in the opening minutes of the second half, but a lightning-quick 15-0 run in a span of only three minutes changed the game. The key sequence came around the 17-minute mark, when Bascoe hit a 3-pointer in transition off a great find by Edmonds. Away from the ball, Williamson was shoved to the ground, and on the ensuing inbounds, Bijiek hit another bomb for a six-point possession. Williamson splashed a trey of his own on the next possession, and suddenly it was a 65-44 game.
Bucknell led by as many as 23 at 73-50 after an Edmonds 3-pointer. Holy Cross stayed engaged at the free-throw line and pulled as close as 10 on a Jaiden Feroah 3-pointer with 1:29 to go. Spadone answered with a runner in the lane, and the Bison finished it off by forcing two turnovers in the final 45 seconds.
Bucknell got out to a quick 11-3 lead thanks to a 5-for-6 start from the field. The one miss in that stretch was pulled off the offensive glass by Spadone and kicked out to Edmonds for a 3-pointer. Green got going for Holy Cross and sparked a 21-6 run, with Nugent's 4-point play giving the hosts a 24-17 lead.
Back-to-back 3-pointers from Bascoe and Bijiek kicked off a 23-7 Bison surge. Pip Ajayi's layup capped the run and gave Bucknell a 40-31 lead with 4:59 left in the half, and the Bison went to the locker room with a 50-43 advantage.
Bucknell will enter the postseason with its first six-game winning streak since 2017-18. This is the team's first regular-season title and best PL record since 2018-19. Holy Cross (13-18, 5-13 PL) will be seeded 10th in the tournament and play at Lafayette in a first-round game on Tuesday night.
Team Stats
Buck
HolyCr
FG%
.617
.442
3FG%
.529
.435
FT%
.579
.781
RB
35
25
TO
10
10
STL
4
4
Game Leaders
Pts
22
FGM
9
3FGM
1
FTM
3
Pts
21
FGM
8
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Pts
14
FGM
7
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
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