Bison Men Hold off Army, 75-73, at West Point

Wednesday, February 25

West Point, N.Y.

11 a.m.

Bucknell University

9-21,6-11Patriot

Army

11-19,5-12Patriot

Bucknell

Army West Point

Photo by: Mady Salvani

2/25/2026 1:09:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

WEST POINT, N.Y. – Amon Dörries scored 17 of his game-high 23 points in the second half to help Bucknell outlast Army West Point 75-73 on Wednesday morning at Christl Arena. Achile Spadone added 21 points, including the two clinching free throws with 6.9 seconds left, and Pat Curtin added 16 points and a career-high 11 rebounds to help the Bison win an important game in terms of postseason seeding.

The Bison entered the penultimate round of Patriot League regular-season play in a three-way tie with Army and Holy Cross for the No. 8 spot, so Bucknell at least temporarily moved into sole possession of eighth pending the Crusaders' game at Boston University later on Wednesday. The 7 and 8 seeds host first-round tournament games.

Army came into the game ranked eighth nationally in 3-point attempts per game, and 45 of its 64 attempts came from beyond the arc in this one. After an 0-for-8 start against Bucknell's zone, the Black Knights did end up with 14 treys in the game, including 10 in 26 attempts in the second half.

The last of those was a Ryan Curry bomb, his only make in 11 tries, that cut what had been an 18-point deficit down to one at 72-71 with 20 seconds left. Curtin split a pair of free throws to up the margin to two, and Curry's long three at the other end was too strong off the glass. The Bison had trouble at times on the defensive glass, but Spadone's eighth carom of the day was a big one, and he made two charity tosses with 6.9 seconds left to make it a two-possession game. Kevin McCarthy threw in a consolation bucket at the buzzer to make the final margin two.

McCarthy finished with 21 points for the Black Knights, as did Tate Laczkowski, who blew past his previous career high of 11. Laczkowski entered the game 5-for-26 from the arc on the season but went 3-for-3 in this one. Jaxson Bell also had a big day with 11 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds, and five steals.

Army finished with a 36-35 rebounding edge, including 12 offensive boards, but the Bison got some big rebounds down the stretch. Perhaps none was bigger than Curtin's offensive rebound and dish to Dörries for a layup with 3:53 left after Army had just pulled within three. A minute later, Jayden Williams got back on defense to knock the ball loose from Bell in transition, and Spadone raced the other way and lobbed an alley-oop to Dörries to make it 68-61.

One of the biggest plays of the game right here! Jayden didn't give up on the run-out, Achile grabbed the loose ball and delivered the lob to Amon to put the Bison up by 7 with 2:48 left. #rayBucknell #Team131 @PatriotLeague | @ESPN pic.twitter.com/PH7raU34Tn
— Bucknell MBasketball (@Bucknell_MBB) February 25, 2026

Bucknell (9-21, 6-11 PL) led by as many as 15 in the first half and by 10 at intermission at 36-26, but 3-pointers from Bell and McCarthy got the Black Knights (11-19, 5-12 PL) within five two minutes into the second stanza. The Bison responded with a 15-2 run, keyed by threes from Spadone and Williams and three free throws from Curtin. Williams' steal led to a Curtin layup, and after the Bison survived a six-shot Army possession, Dörries drove for a layup and a 52-34 lead.

The Black Knights used the 3-ball to make a late push, as seven of their next eight field goals came from downtown. The Bison never relinquished the lead, however, thanks to some timely stops and 5-for-6 shooting from the foul line in the final minute.

Bucknell shot 52.2 percent in the second half and 48.1 percent overall. The Bison went 9-for-22 from the arc and 14-for-19 from the foul line. Army shot 40.6 percent overall, 31.1 percent from three, and 7-for-10 from the foul line. Both teams turned the ball over 16 times and had 10 steals.

Down 4-2 in the early stages, Aleksander Pachucki's turnaround jumper on the baseline ignited a 10-0 Bucknell run. Curtin followed with five straight points, and Williams hit a left-wing 3-pointer for a 12-4 lead. The Bison led the rest of the way.

Army started the game 0-for-8 from 3-point range before Jackson Furman hit a couple, but the Bison grew their lead to as many as 15 at 27-12 after a Spadone 3-pointer. Bucknell went four minutes without a point before Spadone hit another triple, but the Black Knights managed only five points in that stretch, and the Bison led by at least eight for the rest of the half.

Dörries, the five-time Patriot League Rookie of the Week, recorded his third straight 20-point game and ninth of the season. Spadone hit the 20-point mark for the third time this season and fifth time in his career.

Bucknell closes out the regular season at Lehigh on Saturday at 2 p.m.