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Saturday, November 25, 2006
Bucknell 72, Yale 57 FINAL (gameblog)
Technology is not a priority in Yale's John J. Lee Ampitheater. The wireless is hit or miss and there are no stats monitors on press row. Matter of fact, they are not even handing out the occasional updated box score on press row here. Hell -- truth be told, there is not even any press row. We are perched in the first couple of rows of the bleachers, with a rudimentary table top rigged between rows of the bleachers.


  • Bison pulling out all stops to shake their four-game losing streak. John Griffin got his hair buzzed and they are wearing the orange sneakers. For those who didn't hear about them after the exhibition against Mansfield, we're talking bright, shiny, orange, patent-leather kicks that could cause permanent damage to the retina if you stare at them without proper protection.

  • It is not real bright in the John J. Lee Ampitheater, and the Bison, mercifully, are wearing their blue road uniforms. With the orange unis, and bright lights, they could do some serious damage.

  • This seems almost like a home game for the Bison, or at least neutral court. There is easily as much, if not more, orange and blue Bucknell swag being shown as Yale-wear. Noise-wise, it is about even early.

  • Bucknell's rotation very deep in the first half. Pat Flannery has gone 11 deep, with early minutes for sophomore guard Justin Castleberry, who entered the game around midway through the half and shortly after drained his first career three-point attempt. Later in the half, Castleberry hit two foul shots, giving him a new career-high and leaving Castleberry one point shy of tying his career-total of 6 points coming into the game. He exceeded that

  • The Bison by and large stayed out of foul trouble in the first half. Chris McNaughton did pick up two, the second coming with around 4 minutes to play in the half, but Flannery stayed with him. Badmus showed signs of playing smarter, at least early in the first half when he wisely backed off an allowed a yaale player a pretty much uncontested layup on a fast break. But with a little over a minute to go in the half, he was up to his old tricks, trying to run down a guy on a break to block the layup. The result was a chance for a three-point play by Yale's Eric Flato, who squandered the opportunity to complete it at the line.

  • Bucknell seemed to be taking control with a 10-0 run late in the half. But Yale responded with a 7-2 spurt to close out the half. Badmus had a chance to stretch the Bison lead, but his runner over one of Yale's big men rolled out at the buzzer.

  • Best news for Bucknell in the first half: McNaughton with 9 points in the half.

  • Not so good news: Yale shooting 52 percent in the first half. Also disheartening: 10 Bucknell turnovers.

  • Bison are shooting 50 percent from the field and have a 16-10 edge on the boards, yet are only up by 2 points, 31-29, at the half

    SECOND HALF

  • McNaughton with two quick buckets in the second half, Bison looking inside more after being outscored 18-8 in the paint in the first half. BU's first 8 points of the second half came in the paint. The next 3 on foul shots after being hacked trying to score in the paint.

    15:12 Bucknell 42, Yale 33

  • No wonder Flannery left McNaughton in the final 4 minutes of the first half. Turns out he did not have two personals after all. The announcer mistakenly credited him with one that was actually called on freshman Patrick Behan.

    Bucknell 52, Yale 41 (7:58 to play)

  • During a timeout the 5:47 mark, BU sports information director Jon Terry and I debate whether or not McNaughton's elbow jumper early in the half counts as "in the paint." Terry concedes with size 17 shoes, McNaughton probably was at least one foot over the line. Depending how you count that shot, the Bison have either one, or two, buckets this half that came from play outside the paint. They have made six free throws, but all came as the result of fouls in the paint, so theoretically, they count.

  • Donald Brown has two second half dunks. No argument. They count.

  • Brown with 16 points leads Bucknell at the 3 minute mark.

    Bucknell 60, Yale 48 (3:00 to play)

  • Griffin reaches double figures at the 1:37 mark by completing a four-point play, draining the three while being bulldozed by Caleb Holmes

  • With 1:22 to go, Castleberry reaches double figures by hitting both ends of a one and one.

    Postgame audio and story to follow.

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    • Published at 2:49 PM by Hoop Time.
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