WORCESTER, Mass. – Aleksander Pachucki matched his career high with 17 points off the bench to lead all scorers, but the Bucknell men’s basketball team dropped its Patriot League opener to Holy Cross, 65-58 at the Hart Center on Wednesday afternoon.

Pachucki went 5-for-9 from 3-point range and his bucket 7:20 into the second half helped the Bison tie the game after they trailed by 10 at the half. Pat Curtin added 11 points in his first collegiate start, and Jayden Williams tallied 10 points, three assists, and three steals.

Four Crusaders scored in double figures, led by Gabe Warren and Declan Ryan with 14 each.

The Bison made two more total field goals and seven more from the arc, but they were outscored 20-2 from the free-throw line. Holy Cross went just 1-for-9 from downtown, with the lone make coming in the game’s first two minutes, but the hosts built a 42-28 edge in points in the paint.

Bucknell hit six of its first 10 attempts from 3-point range but went to the locker room down 37-27 as Holy Cross shot 62.5 percent in the opening half. The Bison led 7-5 in the early moments after a Curtin layup, but the Crusaders answered with a 9-0 run to take the lead.

Pachucki’s third 3-pointer of the half pulled the Bison within 29-24, but the Crusaders scored eight of the last 11 points to take their largest lead of the day to the locker room.

The Bison emerged with a spirited start to the second half, outscoring Holy Cross 13-3 over the first 7:20. Pachucki hit a 3-pointer and then drove for a layup to tie the game at 40. After John St. Germain split a pair at the line, Williams finished a high-arcing floater to give Bucknell its first lead since the 17:01 mark of the first half.

Curtin followed with a driving finish to make it 44-41 with 10:59 left, but the Bison were held to two field goals over the next nine minutes while Holy Cross surged back ahead. Warren’s 3-point play gave the Crusaders a 46-44 lead with 9:55 left, and the hosts led the rest of the way. DeAndre Williams scored on a backdoor cut to push the margin all the way back to nine at 58-49 with 3:32 to go, and Holy Cross finished it off at the foul line.