Bucknell Advances in PL Tourney with 62-43 Win Over Navy

Donald Brown Scores Game-High 15 Points in Return from Injury as Bison Win 13th Straight

Abe Badmus splits two Navy defenders in the second half of Bucknell's PL Tournament win over Navy.

Feb. 28, 2007

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LEWISBURG, Pa. - Playing for the first time in nearly a month because of an injured hand, Bucknell senior Donald Brown registered game highs with 15 points and nine rebounds to lead the second-seeded Bison to a 62-43 victory over No. 7 Navy in the quarterfinal round of the Patriot League Tournament on Wednesday night at Sojka Pavilion.

Chris McNaughton, who played in his school record-tying 123rd career game, added 14 points and eight rebounds, and John Griffin also reached double figures with 10 points for Bucknell. The Bison (21-8) won their 13th straight game and advanced to the Patriot League Tournament semifinals for the 14th time in 17 years.

Tickets for Sunday's Patriot League Tournament semifinal game will go on sale beginning at noon on Thursday. Fans can order tickets online at www.Bucknell.edu/Boxoffice, over the phone at 570-577-1000, or in person at the Weis Center or Elaine Langone Center Box Offices.

Bucknell, the two-time defending Patriot League champion, will play sixth-seeded Army in the semifinals on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. at Sojka Pavilion. The Black Knights pulled off the lone upset of the first round, knocking off Lehigh 47-46 in Bethlehem, Pa. No. 1 Holy Cross and No. 4 American both won home games and will meet in Sunday's other semifinal game.

Kaleo Kina scored 12 points to lead the Midshipmen, who finish their season at 14-16. Bucknell had been 0-3 against Navy in Patriot League Tournament games.

Bucknell never trailed in this one and took control with about six minutes to play in the first half. After Navy had just scored seven straight points to pull within 15-14, the Bison rattled off 16 straight points. Griffin's 3-pointer with 4:12 left made it 24-14, and it was a double-digit margin the rest of the way.

McNaughton scored six of Bucknell's final eight points for a 33-16 halftime lead, but Brown was the story of the first half for the Bison. The co-captain had missed the last seven games since breaking a bone in his right hand in a win at Colgate on Jan. 30. Bucknell won all seven games in his absence, and Brown showed no signs of rust after checking in to a standing ovation at the 16:54 mark.

Brown had four points and four rebounds in his first stint on the court, which lasted 4:47. By the end of the half he nearly had a double-double with eight points and nine rebounds, and he added two blocked shots and two steals to his final ledger.

Bucknell made it a rout with a 17-4 run early in the second stanza. Brown had an emphatic dunk, Griffin and Abe Badmus hit 3-pointers, and Darren Mastropaolo scored four straight points to end the run, which left the Bison with a 50-23 lead.

After making only nine of their first 35 shots from the floor, including three of their first 19 3-point attempts, Navy finally warmed up midway through the second half. Bryce Brigham canned two treys and T.J. Topercer hit another in a quick 11-0 run that lasted only 2:30.

The latter bomb brought Navy within 16 at 50-34 with 9:45 left, but Griffin's third 3-pointer of the night, coming with the shot clock about to expire, stopped the run. A Justin Castleberry free throw and an elbow jumper from Brown pushed the lead back over 20 to 56-34.

The Bison shot 45.5 percent from the floor and outrebounded Navy 33-28, but it was defense that carried Bucknell for most of the night. The Bison held Navy to 33.3 percent shooting and forced 21 turnovers. Greg Sprink, who came in ranked second in the league in scoring at 17.2 points per game, was held nine points on 3-for-9 shooting, and he committed eight turnovers.

Bucknell's winning streak has now reached historic proportions. The 13-game run is the longest within one season in school history. There have been five other streaks of 13 or more wins, but each of them bridged from one year to the next and none occurred after 1919.

The Bison also extended their winning streak in home games against Patriot League opponents to 34. It was their seventh straight PL Tournament victory and their sixth straight win against Navy.

Bucknell swept the regular-season series with Army, winning 74-49 in Lewisburg on Jan. 27 and 54-49 at West Point this past Saturday.