By Paul Gotham
NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, NY — It didn’t matter whom. It didn’t matter where . When the Bucknell men’s basketball team got untracked, derailment seemed impossible.
Six different players tallied in an 18-0 decisive run as the Bucknell Bison rallied from an early deficit to defeat the Niagara Purple Eagles, 88-71 Friday night in the 2K Sports Classic benefitting Wounded Warrior Project at the Gallagher Center.
Ryan Frazier started the rally late in the first half. The freshman connected twice from the free throw line and followed that on the next possession with a pull-up jumper coming off a Mike Muscala ball screen.
Ryan Hill kept the Bison going with a catch-and-shoot three in front of the Niagara bench, and Bucknell trailed 43-38 going into halftime.
“We’re thrilled with the result and the resolve that our guys showed,” said Bucknell head coach Dave Paulsen. “We feel like we dodged a bullet.”
Bucknell picked up where it left off in the second half.
Bryson Johnson hit a step back pull up jumper from the baseline for the Bison’s first points of the second stanza.
Hill went end-to-end and finished a lay up.
Bucknell took its first lead of the game when Johnson grabbed a rebound and outlet and threaded a pass through a tangle of unsuspecting defenders ahead to Joe Willman for an easy deuce and a 44-43 edge.
Niagara called a timeout, but Bucknell continued its assault.
Muscala used an upfake and one dribble to his right for a free-throw-line jumper. Steven Kaspar capped the run with a layup when Muscala hit him in stride with a bounce pass.
Ameen Tanksley stopped the bleeding momentarily with a three, but it didn’t matter. Bucknell continued its relentless offense.
“That’s a real good basketball team,” said Niagara head Joe Mihalich. “They understand their roles. They play well together and are very unselfish. They make shots and produce when they have to.”
Muscala got active around the rim tapping back a pair a lay up attempts. Johnson stretched the lead to six with a pull up three for a 58-52 advantage.
“I give our guys a lot of credit,” Paulsen added. “They really buckled down defensively in the final 22 minutes and got the game more at the pace that we wanted, and got the ball inside to Mike.”
The Purple Eagles raced to an early 12-point advantage.
Marvin Jordan and Juan’ya Green connected on three straight from behind the arc for an 11-3 lead out of the gate. Green drove inside the arc in transition and laid off a pass for Jordan and a catch-and-shoot trifecta. Green followed with a pull up trey and then found Jordan open in the left corner for another three-ball.
Scooter Gillette finished back-to-back shots in the paint, and Niagara led 15-5.
“Niagara is a really talented team,” Paulsen continued. “They are really scary offensively. They create dilemmas for us. After the first 18 minutes I thought they were going to score 120 on us.”
Green and Tanksley gave Niagara its largest lead of the game five minutes before the break. Antoine Mason penetrated the lane and pitched to Green for an open triple. After a stop on the defensive end, Green fed Tanksley in transition. The 6-6 guard used an upfake and drive from the wing to get to the rim for a 38-26 lead.
Bucknell used its first timeout of the game 4:07 remaining in the half.
“From my vantage point, this is the most talented offensive team that we have played against,” said Paulsen whose team improved to 3-0 with previous wins over George Mason and Purdue.
Bad timing might have been a contributing factor to Niagara’s struggles. The Purple Eagles have used a variety of pressing defenses in the past to disrupt the offensive rhythm of opponents. Friday night, Niagara had little success and created just five turnovers.
“We were pressed for 40 minutes by George Mason on Tuesday,” Paulsen explained. “Luckily, that helped us. We’ve got a veteran group. With the exception of Frazier, who’s a freshman who played with a lot of poise, the other guys have all been here. We have skilled front court guys, so we can play through them even against pressure. Their guards are very athletic and really got up on us in the first half and made it hard for us to run offense.”
Despite hitting just one of four shots in the first half, Muscala finished with a game high 18 points. His 16 rebounds led the way on the boards. It was his third double-double of the season and 27th of his career. Muscala added a game-high seven assists.
Johnson hit five of ten from the field including three of eight behind the arc for 15 points.
Cameron Ayers, Frazier and Willman all chipped in with 12 points.
Kaspar had 11.
Mason led Niagara with 14. Green had 13 and Tanksley finished with 12.
Niagara falls to 1-2 on the season.
Plays continues Saturday in the Y2K Classic with Bucknell taking on New Mexico State in a 5:30 pm tipoff at Niagara’s Gallagher Center.
Both teams play Sunday. Bucknell squares off with West Alabama with a 1:30 start time. Niagara and New Mexico State follow after that.
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