Bucknell University Athletics
Tuesday, November 10
Charlottesville, Va.
9 p.m.
Bucknell University
at
Virginia
Photo by: Keith Lucas
11/9/2026 9:30:00 AM | Men's Basketball
GAME DIGEST
What:Â Bucknell (0-2) at #6 Virginia (3-0)Â
When:Â Tuesday, Nov. 10, 9 p.m.Â
Where:Â John Paul Jones Arena, Charlottesville, Va.
Watch:Â ACC Network
Listen: Eagle 107 and BucknellBison.com
Live Stats: VirginiaSports.com
COMPLETE GAME NOTES
LEWISBURG, Pa. --Â Bucknell's challenging early season slate continues on Tuesday, as the Bison travel to Charlottesville to take on a top-10 Virginia squad that is coming off a blowout win over No. 12 Arkansas. It's a 9 p.m. tip at John Paul Jones Arena, with Doug Sherman and Randolph Childress on the call on ACC Network.Â
The Bison have dropped games to Maryland and Old Dominion thus far, and both games followed similar themes. Bucknell was right in the game for awhile before big runs by the opponent changed the complexion. At Maryland, the Bison led 25-23 with seven minutes left in the half, but the Terrapins closed the half on a 21-5 run and then outscored Bucknell 52-37 in the second. Against ODU, the game was tied at 43 with 12 minutes to go before the Monarchs went on a long-range shooting barrage and finished the game on a 39-19 run.
Â
It's been a tale of two halves for the Bison defensively. Opponents are 21-for-60 (.350) from the field in the first half but 41-for-66 (.621) in the second half through two games. Aleksander Pachucki and Luca Soroa Schaller have been Bucknell's scoring leaders in the first two games, and both did it with career highs. Pachucki canned seven 3-pointers on the way to a 23-point night at Maryland, and Soroa Schaller logged 17 points, three assists, and four steals against Old Dominion.Â
The Cavaliers opened the season ranked No. 9 in the Associated Press poll and No. 10 in the coaches' poll. They have moved up to No. 6 in the AP poll after a 3-0 start that includes a 91-72 rout of No. 12 Arkansas on Sunday in the Capital Showcase in D.C. Virginia has also beaten Drexel 89-60 and Northeastern 97-72, and the team brings a gaudy 92.3 ppg scoring average into Tuesday's game against Bucknell. The Cavaliers are shooting 49.2% from the floor and 37.0% from the 3-point arc.Â
Thijs De Ridder and Sam Lewis are both averaging 18.7 ppg, and Chance Mallory (14.3) and Johann Grunloh (13.0) are also in double figures. Virginia is +7.7 on the glass thus far, led by De Ridder at 8.3 rpg. The 6'9" Belgian was a First Team All-ACC and ACC All-Rookie Team honoree after posting 15.6 ppg and 6.2 rpg as a freshman last season. Ryan Odom is off to a 33-6 start as head coach at Virginia after successful runs at VCU, Utah State, UMBC, and Lenoir-Rhyne. He has taken all five of those teams to the NCAA Tournament, with the most memorable game being UMBC's stunning upset of Virginia, the first-ever win for a No. 16 seed over a No. 1 seed. The Cavaliers went 30-6 last season and brought back 10 players from that squad. After falling to Duke 74-70 in the ACC Tournament final, UVA beat Wright State 82-73 in the NCAA First Round before bowing out with a 79-72 loss to Tennessee in Philadelphia.Â
These two teams are meeting for just the fourth time, and for the first time since the 2000-01 season. Bucknell won the first matchup 99-81 on Jan. 27, 1961 in Memorial Gymnasium. The Cavaliers returned the favor with a 64-45 win on Nov. 28, 1980 and a 99-49 rout on Dec. 28, 2000. All three games were played in Charlottesville, but this will be Bucknell's first visit to John Paul Jones Arena.Â
In the first meeting in 1961, Bruce Babich went 14-for-18 from the field and finished with 31 points and 16 rebounds to lead Bucknell to the 99-81 win. Dick Kniffin added 27 points and 10 boards, Joe Steiner had 19 and 11, and Don Lampus tallied 8 and 12 as Bucknell outrebounded Virginia 64-51 in a fast-paced game. Bucknell went 40-for-90 from the field, while the Cavaliers went 31-for-73. Tony Laquintano led four UVA players in double figures with 21 points. Virginia was ranked No. 8 in the AP Poll when the teams met in the 1980-81 season opener. The Bison hung in there behind 20 points from Al Leslie and some solid defense, but the Cavaliers' strong inside-outside combo of Ralph Sampson (16 points, 8 rebounds) and Jeff Lamp (16 points) proved to be too much. Virginia was also ranked No. 8 in the most recent meeting in 2000, and they rolled to the 50-point win behind 14 points and 11 rebounds from Travis Watson, 13 points from Adam Hall, and 12 from Chris Williams. The Bison shot just 33.3% and committed 27 turnovers, 18 coming in the first half. Boakai Lalugba led Bucknell with 14 points.Â
Bucknell is seeking its first win over a ranked team since Nov. 22, 2005 (74-69 at No. 17/19 Syracuse) and its first over a top-10 team since Jan. 2, 2005 (69-66 at No. 7/10 Pittsburgh). That is Bucknell's highest-ranked win in team history. The Bison's last win over a team from a Power 5 conference was a 75-72 verdict at Vanderbilt in 2016.Â
After returning home from Virginia, Bucknell starts a three-game homestand on Friday when Columbia visits Sojka Pavilion for a 7 p.m. start. The Bison will also host Akron (Nov. 17) and Siena (Nov. 21) before playing four straight away from home.Â
What:Â Bucknell (0-2) at #6 Virginia (3-0)Â
When:Â Tuesday, Nov. 10, 9 p.m.Â
Where:Â John Paul Jones Arena, Charlottesville, Va.
Watch:Â ACC Network
Listen: Eagle 107 and BucknellBison.com
Live Stats: VirginiaSports.com
COMPLETE GAME NOTES
LEWISBURG, Pa. --Â Bucknell's challenging early season slate continues on Tuesday, as the Bison travel to Charlottesville to take on a top-10 Virginia squad that is coming off a blowout win over No. 12 Arkansas. It's a 9 p.m. tip at John Paul Jones Arena, with Doug Sherman and Randolph Childress on the call on ACC Network.Â
The Bison have dropped games to Maryland and Old Dominion thus far, and both games followed similar themes. Bucknell was right in the game for awhile before big runs by the opponent changed the complexion. At Maryland, the Bison led 25-23 with seven minutes left in the half, but the Terrapins closed the half on a 21-5 run and then outscored Bucknell 52-37 in the second. Against ODU, the game was tied at 43 with 12 minutes to go before the Monarchs went on a long-range shooting barrage and finished the game on a 39-19 run.
Â
It's been a tale of two halves for the Bison defensively. Opponents are 21-for-60 (.350) from the field in the first half but 41-for-66 (.621) in the second half through two games. Aleksander Pachucki and Luca Soroa Schaller have been Bucknell's scoring leaders in the first two games, and both did it with career highs. Pachucki canned seven 3-pointers on the way to a 23-point night at Maryland, and Soroa Schaller logged 17 points, three assists, and four steals against Old Dominion.Â
The Cavaliers opened the season ranked No. 9 in the Associated Press poll and No. 10 in the coaches' poll. They have moved up to No. 6 in the AP poll after a 3-0 start that includes a 91-72 rout of No. 12 Arkansas on Sunday in the Capital Showcase in D.C. Virginia has also beaten Drexel 89-60 and Northeastern 97-72, and the team brings a gaudy 92.3 ppg scoring average into Tuesday's game against Bucknell. The Cavaliers are shooting 49.2% from the floor and 37.0% from the 3-point arc.Â
Thijs De Ridder and Sam Lewis are both averaging 18.7 ppg, and Chance Mallory (14.3) and Johann Grunloh (13.0) are also in double figures. Virginia is +7.7 on the glass thus far, led by De Ridder at 8.3 rpg. The 6'9" Belgian was a First Team All-ACC and ACC All-Rookie Team honoree after posting 15.6 ppg and 6.2 rpg as a freshman last season. Ryan Odom is off to a 33-6 start as head coach at Virginia after successful runs at VCU, Utah State, UMBC, and Lenoir-Rhyne. He has taken all five of those teams to the NCAA Tournament, with the most memorable game being UMBC's stunning upset of Virginia, the first-ever win for a No. 16 seed over a No. 1 seed. The Cavaliers went 30-6 last season and brought back 10 players from that squad. After falling to Duke 74-70 in the ACC Tournament final, UVA beat Wright State 82-73 in the NCAA First Round before bowing out with a 79-72 loss to Tennessee in Philadelphia.Â
These two teams are meeting for just the fourth time, and for the first time since the 2000-01 season. Bucknell won the first matchup 99-81 on Jan. 27, 1961 in Memorial Gymnasium. The Cavaliers returned the favor with a 64-45 win on Nov. 28, 1980 and a 99-49 rout on Dec. 28, 2000. All three games were played in Charlottesville, but this will be Bucknell's first visit to John Paul Jones Arena.Â
In the first meeting in 1961, Bruce Babich went 14-for-18 from the field and finished with 31 points and 16 rebounds to lead Bucknell to the 99-81 win. Dick Kniffin added 27 points and 10 boards, Joe Steiner had 19 and 11, and Don Lampus tallied 8 and 12 as Bucknell outrebounded Virginia 64-51 in a fast-paced game. Bucknell went 40-for-90 from the field, while the Cavaliers went 31-for-73. Tony Laquintano led four UVA players in double figures with 21 points. Virginia was ranked No. 8 in the AP Poll when the teams met in the 1980-81 season opener. The Bison hung in there behind 20 points from Al Leslie and some solid defense, but the Cavaliers' strong inside-outside combo of Ralph Sampson (16 points, 8 rebounds) and Jeff Lamp (16 points) proved to be too much. Virginia was also ranked No. 8 in the most recent meeting in 2000, and they rolled to the 50-point win behind 14 points and 11 rebounds from Travis Watson, 13 points from Adam Hall, and 12 from Chris Williams. The Bison shot just 33.3% and committed 27 turnovers, 18 coming in the first half. Boakai Lalugba led Bucknell with 14 points.Â
Bucknell is seeking its first win over a ranked team since Nov. 22, 2005 (74-69 at No. 17/19 Syracuse) and its first over a top-10 team since Jan. 2, 2005 (69-66 at No. 7/10 Pittsburgh). That is Bucknell's highest-ranked win in team history. The Bison's last win over a team from a Power 5 conference was a 75-72 verdict at Vanderbilt in 2016.Â
After returning home from Virginia, Bucknell starts a three-game homestand on Friday when Columbia visits Sojka Pavilion for a 7 p.m. start. The Bison will also host Akron (Nov. 17) and Siena (Nov. 21) before playing four straight away from home.Â
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballSunday, November 08
Sunday, November 08
Saturday, November 07
Saturday, November 07