LEWISBURG Bucknell coach Dave Paulsen had the perfect perspective on his team's Patriot League season thus far following his team's 81-76 overtime win over previously co-leading Lehigh on Wednesday night.
"We could be sitting here 0-6 or sitting here 6-0," said Paulsen. "I guess we're somewhere in the middle in the league."
He's right.
Five of Bucknell's six league games this season have been decided by five points or less and it now stands in a four-way tied for third place a game before the halfway point.
The victory gave the Bison (8-14, 3-3) back-to-back wins for the first time since Nov. 18 and Nov. 21 when they defeated Delaware and St. Francis (Pa.). It was also their third victory in four overtime home games this season.
"This feels good and relieving, but at the same time as coach said after the game, this should make us more hungry, said Bucknell freshman Mike Muscala, who scored 16 points with 10 rebounds for his first double-double of the season.
Bucknell trailed by 10 points with just 3:22 remaining before tying the game with a 10-0 run. G.W. Boon sparked the rally with 3-point plays, one the old-fashioned way and one from beyond the arc. A pair of Muscala free throws tied the score at 67-all with 30 seconds remaining.
Lehigh's Marquis Hall had an opportunity to win the game in regulation but his jumper rolled around the rim before falling to the Sojka Pavilion floor and giving the Bison a much-needed reprieve.
"Credit Bucknell for coming through and making key plays in pressure situations that ultimately whittled away our lead toward the end and put themselves in position to secure it in overtime," said Lehigh coach Brett Reed.
Gabe Knutson's free throws gave Lehigh a two-point lead to open overtime, but Boon extinguished that with the first of his two 3-pointers in overtime. His second one gave Bucknell a four-point lead.
A Hall 3-pointer with 20 seconds remaining cut the lead to one, but Shazier made a pair of free throws and made the steal that set up two more foul shots by Muscala.
Lehigh (13-8, 4-2) slipped into second place in the league standings after Lafayette's win Wednesday,
Boon scored a season-high 18 points, a game after matching a season-high 17 points in a win over Colgate.
Muscala's 16 points came off the bench, an area where Bucknell outscored Lehigh, 34-3. Patrick Behan added 14 and Shazier 13.
LEHIGH(13-8)
Carrington 4-10 6-11 14, Knutson 4-7 5-5 13, Hall 6-14 5-5 21, McCollum 9-17 0-1 20, Buchberger 2-3 0-0 5, Adams 0-0 0-0 0, Small 0-0 0-0 0, Keefer 0-0 0-0 0, Greiner 0-0 0-0 0, Shamis 1-2 0-0 3, Ojo 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 26-54 16-22 76.
BUCKNELL(8-14)
Willman 3-4 0-0 6, Muscala 4-8 8-8 16, Shazier 4-13 5-6 13, Tyree 1-1 3-5 5, Cohen 2-8 2-2 7, Johnson 1-4 0-0 2, Boon 7-14 1-1 18, Behan 6-8 2-3 14. Totals 28-60 21-25 81.
Halftime-Bucknell 34-33. End Of Regulation-Tied 67. 3-Point Goals-Lehigh 8-16 (Hall 4-7, McCollum 2-5, Shamis 1-1, Buchberger 1-2, Ojo 0-1), Bucknell 4-21 (Boon 3-7, Cohen 1-4, Muscala 0-2, Johnson 0-3, Shazier 0-5). Fouled Out-Carrington. Rebounds-Lehigh 27 (Hall 6), Bucknell 37 (Muscala 10). Assists-Lehigh 16 (Hall 6), Bucknell 11 (Shazier 7). Total Fouls-Lehigh 23, Bucknell 21. A-2,041.
