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Saturday, December 01, 2007
Posted live from courtside, how it happened, as it happened.
Shake it up baby. that is the song they should have played in the pregame warmups. Bucknell with two new starters in the lineup. Freshmen Todd O'Brien and Daryl Shazier replacing Josh Linthicum and Justin Castleberry.
O'brien pays immediate dividends. In the first 4:17 of the game, he has 2 points -- a dunk to open the scoring -- two assists and one rebound and his defensive presence has already forced Saint Francis players to alter a few shots.
The result is a Bucknell 8-2 lead at the first media timeout.
Linthicum and Castleberry check in at the timeout. Linthicum playing with his left elbow heavily wrapped.
The crowd is pitiful by Bucknell standards. Both student sections only about half full, which is not surprising given the historically bandwagon-jumping nature of the Bucknell students.
The season ticket holder sections on the sides also have lots of empty seats.
Bucknell shooting 6 for 9 thus far. Bison leading 13-9 at the second media timeout with 11:32 to go in the half.
O'Brien now 2 for 2 after a nice 10-foot jumper from the baseline. He has 2 assists, 2 rebounds and would have 3 assists if you could credit him on one for Stephen Tyree's putback after G.W. Boon missed a three on a nice O'Brien kickout.
Before I could finish typing that, O'Brien with a layup for his 6th points.
Bucknell picks up team foul number 7 at the 10:08 mark, putting SF into the bonus early.
O'Brien will be playing a lot of minutes tonight, and not just because he is a more complete player than Linthicum. Linthicum is having a lot of trouble against SF's 6-9 junior Bassitou Dieng, and has picked up three fouls already in very limited first half minutes. Dieng is a handful -- he has 11 points and 5 rebounds already with 3:16 to play in the half.
It's Bison basketball, up 26-23 out of the timeout thanks to a heady play by John Griffin, who drew a charge from Nelson after Nelson had already dished the ball off on a 3 on 2 break. It was Nelson's third foul.
At the third media timeout, with 7:11 to go, Bucknell is up 22-14, thanks in no small part to its defense, which is holding SF to 20 percent (6 of 20) from the field, The Bison shooting 62.5 percent (10 of 16), and the good news, not settling for jumpers. Only four shots from the arc, two made.
What was Cabe Nelson thinking when he tried to challenge O'Brien at the 6:44 mark? Nelson, who is listed at 5-10, but looks like he would have to get a stepladder to look Derrick Mercer in the eyes, had his shot deposited in the second row of the corner bleachers, O'Brien's first block of the game.
Saint Francis with back to back cherry-picking dunks has cut the Bucknell lead to 22-18 with 5:20 to go, bringing Pat Flannery off the bench for a quick timeout.
Boon's first in Bucknell's 10th personal with 1:44 to go. Dieng at the line misses both. He is 1-4 ... to bad there are not enough big guys on the Bison bench to play Hack-a-Shaq defense on him. He goes to the line again 40 seconds later on a questionable call against O'Brien -- his first -- and makes 1 of 2.
At the half, Bucknell 30, Saint Francis 24
First half stats: Bucknell 13 of 26 from the field, 2 for 7 from the arc, 2 for 2 at the foul line.
Saint Francis is 10-28 (35.7 percent), 1-9 from three-point range and 3-9 at the foul line.
Rebounds are 19-15, Saint Francis, 10 of those on the offensive end. Saint Francis with 9 turnovers, Bucknell 8.
Behan with 8, O'Brien and Tyree with 6 each for Bucknell. Dieng with 12 for SF.
O'Brien's full line: 3 for 5 from the field, 6 points, 2 assists, 5 rebounds and a block.
Dieng 12 points and 7 rebounds, 3 offensive. He is 2 for 7 at the foul line.
By the way, chatted with Bucknell's injured Jason Vegotsky prior to the game. The boot is off his injured foot and barring any setbacks, he hopes to be back in action when the Bison travel to Wake Forest Dec. 16. Bucknell's next game is Monday against LaSalle, then they are off for 13 days for finals before the Wake Forest trip.
No word on the progress of Rob Thomas and Darren Mastropaolo.
SECOND HALF
O'Brien starts the half strong with a bucket,a block and a free throw in the first minute. Should have been credited with a steal, too, but from the stats monitor, it appears they missed it. He picked up his third block around the 15:00 mark.
Bucknell up 33-31 with the ball out of the first media timeout at 14:43.
After a Bucknell turnover, Nelson hits a three with 14:15 to play, giving SF its first lead, 34-33. Bison 1 for 8 in the first 7:22 of the half. 0 for 4 from the arc.
At the media timeout with 11:54 to go, Bucknell still trails 34-33. Neither team has scored since Nelson's trey. Bucknell is now 1 for 11 in the second half.
The only guy who seems to be able to find the bottom of the net is Nelson, who hit back-to-back treys about a minute apart to make it a 40-33 Saint Francis lead with 9:23 to go. Bucknell still with one field goal -- O'Brien's to open the half, since intermission.
O'Brien finally breaks Bucknell's draught with a power layup with 8:53 to play.
With 8:14 to go, the ref signals a charge on SF's Devin Sweetney. Then mysteriously the call is reversed and Sweetney goes to the line to finish a three-point play. SF then gets what we can only call a "very physical steal", leading to a Sweetney layup and a 45-35 Saint Francis lead with 7:30 to play.
Nelson has fouled out with 2:26 to go. It doesn't matter. He has done his damage and the way Bucknell is shooting, the Saint Francis 54-40 lead would probably hold up if they didn't score and played with four guys the rest of the way.
To say this half has been ugly would be a gross understatement. How ugly? Can't put it in numbers. Our stat monitor is frozen at the 7:57 mark, with Bucknell down 10. Says Bucknellian writer Matt Saylor, "I'm fine with it where it is. It reminds me of a happier time.
Perhaps we spoke a little prematurely. Griffin hit a three to ignite an 8-0 run and suddenly O'Brien is on the line for two with the Bison down 56-48 and 1:26 to play. He hit one of two. Then Bucknell stole the inbounds and Castleberry hit a three to make it a four point game.
Another steal and Castleberry is on the line shooting two with 1:04 to play. He makes both and it is a 56-54 game and the crowd is going nuts. How big is that turnaround call on the charge now?
32.8 an utter travesty of a call. Marquis Ford literally trips over his own feet and they call a foul on Shazier. Ford makes one of two and SF gets the offensive board, but Bucknell stays alive when Chris Berry misses the front end.
At the other end, Griffin's three is halfway down when it rims out.
The Bison get another chance when Ford misses the front end of another 1-1 with 10.5 to play, but Griffin's thee is off the mark. Bucknell bench and fans wanted a foul. I didn't get a good look at the play.
FINAL Saint Francis 57, Bucknell 54
Another curious officiating factor: Saint Francis tried to send the wrong guy to the foul line on Berry's free throws, which is supposed to be a technical.
Of course, had the Bison made some of the host of layups they missed, the officials would not have been a factor. Still, we can't help but be reminded of the night we started this whole thing we call Hoop Time.
Shake it up baby. that is the song they should have played in the pregame warmups. Bucknell with two new starters in the lineup. Freshmen Todd O'Brien and Daryl Shazier replacing Josh Linthicum and Justin Castleberry.
O'brien pays immediate dividends. In the first 4:17 of the game, he has 2 points -- a dunk to open the scoring -- two assists and one rebound and his defensive presence has already forced Saint Francis players to alter a few shots.
The result is a Bucknell 8-2 lead at the first media timeout.
Linthicum and Castleberry check in at the timeout. Linthicum playing with his left elbow heavily wrapped.
The crowd is pitiful by Bucknell standards. Both student sections only about half full, which is not surprising given the historically bandwagon-jumping nature of the Bucknell students.
The season ticket holder sections on the sides also have lots of empty seats.
Bucknell shooting 6 for 9 thus far. Bison leading 13-9 at the second media timeout with 11:32 to go in the half.
O'Brien now 2 for 2 after a nice 10-foot jumper from the baseline. He has 2 assists, 2 rebounds and would have 3 assists if you could credit him on one for Stephen Tyree's putback after G.W. Boon missed a three on a nice O'Brien kickout.
Before I could finish typing that, O'Brien with a layup for his 6th points.
Bucknell picks up team foul number 7 at the 10:08 mark, putting SF into the bonus early.
O'Brien will be playing a lot of minutes tonight, and not just because he is a more complete player than Linthicum. Linthicum is having a lot of trouble against SF's 6-9 junior Bassitou Dieng, and has picked up three fouls already in very limited first half minutes. Dieng is a handful -- he has 11 points and 5 rebounds already with 3:16 to play in the half.
It's Bison basketball, up 26-23 out of the timeout thanks to a heady play by John Griffin, who drew a charge from Nelson after Nelson had already dished the ball off on a 3 on 2 break. It was Nelson's third foul.
At the third media timeout, with 7:11 to go, Bucknell is up 22-14, thanks in no small part to its defense, which is holding SF to 20 percent (6 of 20) from the field, The Bison shooting 62.5 percent (10 of 16), and the good news, not settling for jumpers. Only four shots from the arc, two made.
What was Cabe Nelson thinking when he tried to challenge O'Brien at the 6:44 mark? Nelson, who is listed at 5-10, but looks like he would have to get a stepladder to look Derrick Mercer in the eyes, had his shot deposited in the second row of the corner bleachers, O'Brien's first block of the game.
Saint Francis with back to back cherry-picking dunks has cut the Bucknell lead to 22-18 with 5:20 to go, bringing Pat Flannery off the bench for a quick timeout.
Boon's first in Bucknell's 10th personal with 1:44 to go. Dieng at the line misses both. He is 1-4 ... to bad there are not enough big guys on the Bison bench to play Hack-a-Shaq defense on him. He goes to the line again 40 seconds later on a questionable call against O'Brien -- his first -- and makes 1 of 2.
At the half, Bucknell 30, Saint Francis 24
First half stats: Bucknell 13 of 26 from the field, 2 for 7 from the arc, 2 for 2 at the foul line.
Saint Francis is 10-28 (35.7 percent), 1-9 from three-point range and 3-9 at the foul line.
Rebounds are 19-15, Saint Francis, 10 of those on the offensive end. Saint Francis with 9 turnovers, Bucknell 8.
Behan with 8, O'Brien and Tyree with 6 each for Bucknell. Dieng with 12 for SF.
O'Brien's full line: 3 for 5 from the field, 6 points, 2 assists, 5 rebounds and a block.
Dieng 12 points and 7 rebounds, 3 offensive. He is 2 for 7 at the foul line.
By the way, chatted with Bucknell's injured Jason Vegotsky prior to the game. The boot is off his injured foot and barring any setbacks, he hopes to be back in action when the Bison travel to Wake Forest Dec. 16. Bucknell's next game is Monday against LaSalle, then they are off for 13 days for finals before the Wake Forest trip.
No word on the progress of Rob Thomas and Darren Mastropaolo.
SECOND HALF
O'Brien starts the half strong with a bucket,a block and a free throw in the first minute. Should have been credited with a steal, too, but from the stats monitor, it appears they missed it. He picked up his third block around the 15:00 mark.
Bucknell up 33-31 with the ball out of the first media timeout at 14:43.
After a Bucknell turnover, Nelson hits a three with 14:15 to play, giving SF its first lead, 34-33. Bison 1 for 8 in the first 7:22 of the half. 0 for 4 from the arc.
At the media timeout with 11:54 to go, Bucknell still trails 34-33. Neither team has scored since Nelson's trey. Bucknell is now 1 for 11 in the second half.
The only guy who seems to be able to find the bottom of the net is Nelson, who hit back-to-back treys about a minute apart to make it a 40-33 Saint Francis lead with 9:23 to go. Bucknell still with one field goal -- O'Brien's to open the half, since intermission.
O'Brien finally breaks Bucknell's draught with a power layup with 8:53 to play.
With 8:14 to go, the ref signals a charge on SF's Devin Sweetney. Then mysteriously the call is reversed and Sweetney goes to the line to finish a three-point play. SF then gets what we can only call a "very physical steal", leading to a Sweetney layup and a 45-35 Saint Francis lead with 7:30 to play.
Nelson has fouled out with 2:26 to go. It doesn't matter. He has done his damage and the way Bucknell is shooting, the Saint Francis 54-40 lead would probably hold up if they didn't score and played with four guys the rest of the way.
To say this half has been ugly would be a gross understatement. How ugly? Can't put it in numbers. Our stat monitor is frozen at the 7:57 mark, with Bucknell down 10. Says Bucknellian writer Matt Saylor, "I'm fine with it where it is. It reminds me of a happier time.
Perhaps we spoke a little prematurely. Griffin hit a three to ignite an 8-0 run and suddenly O'Brien is on the line for two with the Bison down 56-48 and 1:26 to play. He hit one of two. Then Bucknell stole the inbounds and Castleberry hit a three to make it a four point game.
Another steal and Castleberry is on the line shooting two with 1:04 to play. He makes both and it is a 56-54 game and the crowd is going nuts. How big is that turnaround call on the charge now?
32.8 an utter travesty of a call. Marquis Ford literally trips over his own feet and they call a foul on Shazier. Ford makes one of two and SF gets the offensive board, but Bucknell stays alive when Chris Berry misses the front end.
At the other end, Griffin's three is halfway down when it rims out.
The Bison get another chance when Ford misses the front end of another 1-1 with 10.5 to play, but Griffin's thee is off the mark. Bucknell bench and fans wanted a foul. I didn't get a good look at the play.
FINAL Saint Francis 57, Bucknell 54
Another curious officiating factor: Saint Francis tried to send the wrong guy to the foul line on Berry's free throws, which is supposed to be a technical.
Of course, had the Bison made some of the host of layups they missed, the officials would not have been a factor. Still, we can't help but be reminded of the night we started this whole thing we call Hoop Time.
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