Feb. 15, 2002
Bucknell and Colgate, tied for third place in the Patriot League standings, meet today in the final Patriot League basketball game ever scheduled to be played in Davis Gym. Senior Day festivities will precede the contest, as seniors Pete Santos and Bryan Bailey get set to play in their final career home games. History and hoopla aside, today's game is vitally important in the Patriot League race, as teams continue to jockey for position in the crowded standings with only three regular-season games remaining. Colgate is perhaps the league's hottest team, having won three straight and six of its last seven after a 1-4 conference start. Despite an 11-point loss to American on Wednesday, the Bison have won two of their last three, and today look for the season sweep of the Raiders. Bucknell outscored Colgate 80-75 at Cotterell Court on Jan. 23, and the Bison have won seven of the last eight meetings with the Raiders.
The State of the Bison
Bucknell on Wednesday missed a chance to leap back into a tie for first place in the Patriot League standings, instead slipping into a three-way tie for third with a 78-67 loss to American. After two tough defensive efforts in back-to-back wins over Navy and Army, the Bison allowed American to shoot 62.2% from the field. It was the highest percentage and most points scored by a Bison foe this season.
Scouting Colgate
The red-hot Raiders have won three straight and six of their last seven games following a 66-65 nailbiter at Navy on Wednesday. Colgate has excelled in winning the close ones recently, as four of its last six victories have been decided by four points or less. The Patriot League's highest-scoring team at 72.6 ppg., Colgate's 45.7 team field-goal percentage ranks second in the loop. Senior forward Pat Campolieta averages 15.0 ppg. and 6.8 rpg., both team bests. Campolieta and Bucknell's Boakai Lalugba are the only players in the league to rank in the top five in both scoring and rebounding. Guard Mark Linebaugh (13.3) and forward Howard Blue (10.7) also score in double figures.
Series Notes
Bucknell's 80-75 win at Colgate last month pushed the Bison's all-time series lead to 39-36. Bucknell has won seven of its last eight games against the Raiders, including a 75-68 win in the first round of last season's Patriot League Tournament. The Bison have won three straight meetings in Davis Gym.
The First Bucknell-Colgate Clash
Boakai Lalugba tallied a game-high 16 points with eight rebounds and Bucknell used a balanced offensive attack to run past Colgate 80-75 at Cotterell Court Jan. 23. Bucknell, which led for the game's final 31 minutes, shot a season-high 54.3 percent from the field en route to a season-high 80-point showing. The Orange and Blue received a major spark from Bryan Bailey, who returned to the lineup after a six-game absence due to a knee injury. In 17 minutes off the bench, the senior co-captain contributed 13 points, four rebounds and two assists. Four Bucknell players scored in double figures and seven had at least seven points as the Bison reached the 80-point mark for the first time in 22 games. Dan Blankenship totaled 14 points, while Chris Rodgers made all three of his 3-point attempts and tied his career high with 12 points. Rodgers also led all players with four assists. Pat Campolieta led Colgate with 14 points and 13 rebounds.
Bison First to Capture 100th Patriot League Win
No Patriot League team has won more regular-season conference games than Bucknell since the start of league play in 1990-91, and last Saturday the Bison reached a milestone by becoming the first team to register 100 regular-season league wins. The Bison carry a 100-51 (.662) conference record and have had only two losing seasons in 11 years.
Davis Domination
Large, noisy crowds have helped Davis Gym gain a reputation through the years as a miserable place for visiting teams to play. The Bison were 9-4 in the friendly confines last season and are 6-3 this year, making their all-time record 457-232 (.663) in 63-plus seasons in the facility. Today's game will be the last Patriot League contest in Davis.
New Arena on the Horizon
The Bucknell basketball team will have a new home in 2003, as the Bison will depart Davis Gym for a sparkling new 4,000-seat arena. The multi-purpose arena is but one part of a state-of-the-art Recreation and Athletics Center that is under construction adjacent to the current gymnasium. The first phase of the project, a new aquatics center and fitness and conditioning facility, is slated to open next August. The arena is projected to open for the Patriot League portion of the 2002-03 basketball schedule.
Bailey Climbing Bison Scoring Charts
Senior guard Bryan Bailey scored his 1,000th career point at Lafayette on Jan. 9, becoming the 28th Bucknell player to reach the milestone. After scoring 23 points against Army the last time out, Bailey currently has 1,068 career markers, placing him 21st on Bucknell's all-time scoring chart (see complete list, page 6). Bailey also became the 37th Patriot League player to reach the 1,000-point barrier. Holy Cross' Ryan Serravalle scored his 1,000th point only about an hour before Bailey.
Bailey Healthy
Senior guard Bryan Bailey returned to the Bison lineup Jan. 23 at Colgate after a six-game absence due to a sprained MCL in his right knee. Bailey entered the game with Bucknell trailing 12-7 at the 15:21 mark of the first half. He made his first field goal attempt 14 seconds later. Playing in 3-4 minute stretches, Bailey totaled 13 points, four rebounds and two assists in 17 minutes. He has started the last six games, and has averaged 17.9 ppg. since his return.
20/20 Vision
Bucknell did not have two players score 20 or more points in the same game in any of its first 22 contests, but now it has been done in each of the last two. Boakai Lalugba and Bryan Bailey have each spun back-to-back 20-point games. Lalugba had 25 against Army and 20 against American, while Bailey scored 23 in both games.
