LATEST HEADLINES

Sunday, December 03, 2006
Bucknell 60, George Mason 57 FINAL (gameblog)
Relive the game as we blogged it live from the Verizon Center.

35 minutes to game time:

  • Looking at the rosters, Bucknell would seem to have an edge on George Mason inside. The Patriots have nobody on their roster over 6-7. But take a look at those 6-7 guys. They are strong, widebody types like Will Thomas -- 6-7 230 -- who leads the team in rebounds (7 rpg) and averages 13.8 points per game.

  • Thomas scores his points inside. He has taken one three-pointer all season.

  • That is actually the norm for this Mason team. For once Bucknell, which has struggled to find points on the arc, should not need to spend a lot of time worrying about the perimeter. John Vaughn, a 6-3 redshirt sophomore, has hit 11 of 29 in Mason's first five games. He leads the Patriots with a 15.2 ppg average. (Yes, Vaughn
    would have been a perfect matchup for Charles Lee.)

  • Folarin Campbell, a 6-4 junior guard, has 7 threes. He is averaging 14.6 ppg. Nobody else has made more than three treys.

  • Mason's inside attack is reflected by its shooting percentage -- 48.6 percent from the field.

  • Four seniors on the Mason roster, but none start. Only one, Gabe Norwood, plays significant minutes (29.2 per game, he has started three times).

  • The the house for the BB&T Classic,Yoni Cohen and Kyle Whelliston. It must be a big event.

    6 minutes to game time
  • From the looks of things, the lower bowl of this arena will be fairly empty for the opener. It appears most of the Bucknell fans are in the second level, in the corner behind the BU bench, with a few sprinkled behind the bench and behind the basket at that end.

  • The Mason crowd is distributed in similar fashion. The gar side of the lower bowl is nearly empty, though. Just guessing here, but I'd suppose Maryland had a pretty big chunk of the tickets sold for the three-game event.

  • Bucknell's pep band is here, but at pre-GKU strength. That is too say about a dozen kids, mostly reeds and woodwinds. We will have more thoughts on the BU students jumping off the bandwagon in the next day or so, including a defense of the sparse student turnout for the Northern Iowa game from the Bucknellian's basketball beat guy, who sent a thoughtful e-mail last evening.

    Gametime

  • Bucknell changes up the starting lineup, Brown at the four, Vegotsky at the three. Mastropaolo sits.

  • Vegotsky with two threes on his first two tries. Mason all about the paint.

    Bucknell 6, GMU 6 15:52 first

  • First BU subs at 15:52 ... Castleberry and Mastropaolo for McNaughton (who just picked up his first foul) and Badmus

  • Quick 6-0 run featuring two buckets by Donald Brown give Bison the lead and bring s a quick Mason timeout. Brown's first a put back of a Vegotsky miss (10-foot pull up j), The second on a nice one-on-one move on a semi-break.

    Bucknell 12 GMU 8 (13:15 first)

  • Brown with a nice block of a Gabe Norwood layup attempt.

  • 11:30 Rob Thomas makes a heads up play to call a timeout while lying on the floor after coming up with a loose ball in a scramble. Thomas, Andrew Morrison, McNaughton, Badmus and now the combo on the floor. Expect Flannery to rotate troops frequently to preserve legs after having played yesterday.

    Bucknell 15, GMU 8 (11:09 first)

  • Bucknell shooting 57 percent from the floor, 4 for 8 from three-point arc through first eight minutes. Mason at 44 percent (7-16) , 1-3 from the arc. Nobody has shot a free throw.

    Bucknell 20, GMU 15 (7:51 first)

  • Just noticed, Bison wearing white kicks with their orange uniforms for this one.

  • 6:11 Donald Brown with a steal, draws an intentional foul. Bison fail to take full advantage when Griffin (shooting the T) and Brown each make just one of two

  • Brown is playing very well today. He will be at the line shooting one after being fouled while making a tough driving shot over Will Thomas. Brown now 5 for 5 from the field, 11 points, with 5 rebounds

    Bucknell 27, GMU 17 (3:24 first)

  • Brown having a monster afternoon, gets his second block around the 2:00 mark.

  • Castleberry, who went to HS nearby at Archbishop Spalding, entertaining his friends from home with 7 first half points, shooting 3 for 4

    At the half, Bucknell shooting 13 of 23 from the field (57 percent) 5 of 11 from the arc (45 percent). Mason is 9 of 24 (38 percent) 2 of 7 from the arc (29 percent). Bucknell leading in rebounding 15-10

    Bucknell 33, GMU 20 (HALFTIME)

  • GMU opens the second half with a 6-2 spurt. Bucknell scored on its first possession, a John Griffin buzzer beater, but has not scored since, though McNaughton will be at the line to shoot two when play resumes.

  • Legs have to be a real concern in the second half for the Bison, who played yesterday afternoon, then bussed here. Watch for tell-tale signs, like jumpers that draw front iron or are just plain short.

    Bucknell 35, GMU 27 (15:48 2nd)

  • The always talked about first five minutes of the second half are a draw, 5-5

  • 14:27 You'd have to assume the intentional foul on Jason Vegotsky, trying to stop Folarin Campbell's breakaway layup, was a makeup call. Replays show Vegotsky clearly making a play on the ball, albeit one that missed.

  • Mason has begun pressing fullcourt and is giving the Bison a bit of trouble. Patriots on a little 6-2 spurt, fueled in part by BU turnovers against the press.

    Bucknell 41, GMU 35 (10:45 2nd)

  • Badmus beats the shot clock for two at around the 5:50 mark. It is BU's first FG in over 4 minutes. Defense keeping them ahead. John Vaughan's fast break layup just before this timeout is Mason's first FG in around 5 minutes.

    Bucknell 47, GMU 40 (4:48 left)

  • Badmus hits a three, again with the shot clock about to go off, pushing BU lead back to double digits

    Bucknell 50, GMU 40 (3:57 to play)

  • Bison getting the karmic backside of all those buckets Northern Iowa hit late in the clock yesterday. Griffin hits a three with 2 seconds on the clock for a 53-44 lead.

  • Looks like it will be a free throw shooting contest the final 44.5 seconds if Bucknell can inbound the ball successfully against the pressure. Griffin starts the parade at the 41.2 mark, makes both of a one and one

  • Mason hanging in thanks to three-point shooting of Dre Smith, who has three of Mason's four in the second half with 30.8 seconds left.

  • With 30.8 left, Bucknell trouble inbounding after a Smith three, has to call a timeout. They have one left.

  • 29.7: Abe Badmus misses front of a one and one -- other end, Campbell scores to cut it to 55-52. 16.5: Badmus again, this time he hits two that should ice it. Bison up 57-52

  • 11:6: GMU still alive after Campbell gets the call, bailed out after missing a driving shot as Brown, trying to get out of the way, is called for the foul.

  • 10.7 Vegotsky hits one of two, at the other end, McNaughton grabs a GMU miss. With 2.8 he will shoot two, he makes both. Campbell hits a desperate three from near midcourt at the buzzer. It doesn't matter.

    Bucknell 60, GMU 57 (final)

  • If Bucknell goes on to a big season, this could well be the turning point. A gutty performance against a very good team, playing for the second time in 24 hours. A big, big win for Bucknell.

  • Brown leads BU with 16 points, 9 rebounds

    Labels: ,

    • Published at 12:46 PM by Hoop Time.
    Help Hoop Time