GETTING INSIDE
Coach Dave Paulsen’s debut with the Bison was a disaster last season, hurt by injuries and inconsistent play at both ends. They are a bit healthier this year, but the uneven basketball continues.
One of their avenues for hope comes in the form of their offense. In the first 12 games, senior Patrick Behan averaged 10.0 points and 5.1 rebounds and guard Darryl Shazier averaged 11.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists. G.W. Boon, a focal point of the Bison attack last season, struggled early on, averaging fewer than 7.0 points per game, but if he can get hot, Bucknell will feature three top-tier scorers.
The team is also benefiting from the healthy return of Stephen Tyree, a versatile guard/forward who missed last season with a knee injury.
Defense, however, has been problematic. The Bison continue to struggle defending the lane, allowing strong low-post players to have big games. They are also still wildly inconsistent. Against Boston University on Dec. 6, they coughed up 10 turnovers and shot just 5-for-26 in the first half before making a second-half run that was too little, too late.
Then they were mauled by Notre Dame 101-69 on Dec. 22.
As Navy proved last year, you can be successful in the Patriot League with a powerful offense even if the defense is lackluster. Whether Bison have the personnel to win with that formula remains to be seen.
NOTES, QUOTES
• The Bison allow 74.5 points per game, second worst in the conference.
• Dave Paulsen’s team loves to spread the ball around. Even though the Bison have the second-best offense in the league (70.8 ppg), only junior Darryl Shazier is in the top 15 scorers in the league (11.4 points).
January At A Glance: It remains to be seen whether the Bison offense is particularly good or if they strike early and pad their stats in garbage time. Like many teams that shoot often, they are prone to slumps. In what should certainly be a shootout between two high-octane offenses, the Bison will open conference play with a first-hand look at two teams (Navy on the ninth, Lafayette on the 20th) that put up big numbers of their own.
Quote To Note: “I thought we had some pretty good looks early on, especially in the first half, that we didn’t make. That kind of had us come unglued a little bit, and it was a train wreck after that.”—Bison coach Dave Paulsen, following his team’s 101-69 loss to Notre Dame on Dec. 22, as told to the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
Season Recap: The Bison have had the occasional awful half like the one against Boston University on Dec. 6, and they were run all over the floor against Cornell on Dec. 2. They lost to Cornell by just six in overtime, but that’s a dangerous game for a team without a game-changing scorer. The evolution of Mike Muscala as a defender has been the key for the Bison. The freshman is second in the league in blocked shots, and if he can keep it up in league play, he could be the defensive stopper Paulsen so desperately needs.
Player Rotation: Usual Starters—G Darryl Shazier, G Bryan Cohen, G Patrick Behan, PF G.W. Boon, G/F Stephen Tyree. Key Sub—C Mike Muscala.
Game Review:
La Salle 83, Bucknell 70
Notre Dame 101, Bucknell 69
Loyola-Maryland 55, Bucknell 49
Game Preview:
vs. Marist, Wednesday, Dec. 30
vs. Richmond, Saturday, Jan. 2
at Dartmouth, Monday, Jan. 4
vs. Navy, Saturday, Jan. 9
vs. American, Wednesday, Jan. 13
In Focus: Navy is a hugely important opponent to open Patriot League play in what will almost certainly be a shootout. Coach Dave Paulsen will try to double-cover Navy leading scorer Chris Harris and will have to take him (and the hot Navy shooters) out of the game early.
Roster Report:
• The 2008 Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year, 6-3 Stephen Tyree, has come back nicely from a knee injury that derailed his 2008-09 season. He has played in all of Bucknell’s games this season and is averaging 7.2 points per game.
• Freshman Joe Willman is coming on strong. After breaking both of his wrists on Jan. 22, 2008, he’s been a nice weapon off the bench for Coach Paulsen (4.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg).
