The Bucknell men’s basketball team caused a national tremble Jan. 2 — one day after Kansas University beat Georgia Tech in a classic nonconference battle at Allen Fieldhouse.
Then, the Bison — who were heating up under the national radar — stunned No. 10 Pittsburgh on the road, 69-66, handing the Panthers their first loss of the season. It was the highest-ranked team Bucknell has beaten in school history.
Now comes the NCAA Tournament, a field ripe with stunners ready to be picked. Bucknell will meet KU at 8:50 p.m. Friday in the first round of the Big Dance in Oklahoma City, ready to feel the jubilation that lingered for days after stopping the defending Big East champions at their place.
“For the last two days, since we beat Holy Cross in the (Patriot League) championship, we have all been dreaming about the possibilities of who and where we might play,” Bucknell coach Pat Flannery said. “I think once we saw Kansas come up on the board, the reality is starting to sink in that we have to prepare to go play a really good team.”
Bucknell and Kansas will meet for the first time ever Friday, but the two schools had three common opponents this season. Just before the Bison’s thrilling victory over Pittsburgh, they beat Saint Joseph’s, 69-62, in late December. They also fell to Villanova, 89-51, last month, and to Iowa State, 62-55, in an early season tournament in Ames, Iowa.
Kansas also beat Saint Joseph’s and fell to Villanova, and split a pair of games with the Cyclones.
Bucknell’s back-to-back wins over Saint Joseph’s and Pittsburgh marked win Nos. 5 and 6 of an 11-game winning streak that boosted Bucknell’s season from so-so to super.
The Bison were 4-4 before the surge, and finished the season by winning 18 of 23 games.
The Bison gained an automatic bid to the tournament by beating Holy Cross, 61-57, in the Patriot League tournament championship game Friday. Chris McNaughton, a 6-foot-11 center from Germany, scored 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead the Bison against Holy Cross. McNaughton, Charles Lee and Kevin Bettencourt each average between 12.2 and 12.7 points per game for Bucknell, meaning the Bison like to spread out the scoring.
| Location: Lewisburg, Pa.Record: 22-9.Nickname: Bison.Coach: Pat Flannery.Seed: No. 14.Road to NCAAs: Patriot League champion.Tournament record: 0-2, 2 years.Last NCAA appearance: 1989.Top scorers: Kevin Bettencourt 12.7 ppg; Charles Lee 12.5; Chris McNaughton 12.2.Top rebounders: Charles Lee 6.3 rpg; Chris Naughton 4.7.Top assists: Abe Badmus 3.2 apg; Kevin Bettencourt 2.3.Top three-point shooters: Kevin Bettencourt 72 this season; John Griffin 45; Charles Lee 44.Last 10 games: 7-3. |
Friday’s game will mark Bucknell’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1989.
“Everyone that’s part of a college basketball program should get to experience the NCAA Tournament,” Flannery said. “It’s really a thrill, and I’m so happy that our players and our school have the chance to go through it.”
Even if it’s against Kansas, a team that’s been to two Final Fours and an Elite Eight in the past three years.
“Kansas is obviously one of the premier programs in the country,” Flannery said. “We know all about their history and their star players. Our guys are all college basketball fans, and I’m sure they have seen Kansas on television numerous times.
“We will be ready to play them, though. We play a tough non-league schedule to hopefully prepare for a situation like this. We have played right with teams like Pitt and Saint Joseph’s and Iowa State, so I certainly don’t expect any intimidation factor at all.”
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