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Basketball Men Sports

Q & A Mike Muscala ’13

By Greg Stevenson

Senior Writer

After finishing the 2011-2012 season with a regular-season Patriot League title and despite coming just five points away from advancing to the NCAA Tournament, the men’s basketball team took its talents west over spring break for its first-ever berth in the National Invitational Tournament (NIT).

The first round of the tournament was highlighted by the Bison’s 65-54 upset victory over top-seeded Arizona. Leading the way was Lou Henson All-American Mike Muscala ’13, who recorded 20 points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots in 33 minutes of play. Even in their narrow defeat in the second round of the NIT on March 18 versus Nevada, Muscala kept the Bison close with another double-double, his record-tying 16th of the season.

The Bucknellian caught up with last season’s Patriot League Most Outstanding Player to discuss his experience in the postseason.

The Bucknellian: What was the experience like playing in the NIT?
Mike Muscala: It was fun. We spent our spring break playing basketball in Arizona and Nevada, two places I had never been before.

Bucknellian: What was it like going against a Pacific-12 team with such a rich basketball history, like Arizona?
MM: Seeing all the great players’ names that had played at Arizona on banners and plaques throughout their arena was cool. They have been an elite level program for many, many years.

Bucknellian: Going into the Arizona game as the eighth seed, playing against the top seed, what did you feel like your chances were?

MM: I wasn’t worried about the seeding. Men’s college basketball is changing a lot in this aspect. I think that for the most part, any team that reaches the postseason is a quality team. I knew we would have a great chance to win if we came out aggressive and poised.

Bucknellian: Did you feel like people were counting you out in the game, and if so, how did that make you feel?

MM: There are always going to be people that count you out in big games, so that didn’t affect me. I try my best to just stay focused on what the team needs from me, and use whatever negativity or doubt or whatever it may be that I do encounter as motivation.

Bucknellian: When you fouled out late against Arizona with the game still on the line, what was going through your head knowing you had to watch the rest of the game from the bench?

MM: Fouling out towards the end of the game like that was really tough for me.  But Bryson [Johnson ’13] hit a huge shot and I think we ended the game on like a 9-0 run after I fouled out, so maybe it was a good thing!
Bucknellian: What was it like winning a post-season game and advancing to the second round of the NIT?

MM: It was a good win for our team. Arizona was the first high-major team that we had beaten since I got to campus. It was also special that so many fans and supporters were able to watch it since it was on national television.

Bucknellian: Against both Arizona and Nevada, you seemed to dominate the paint. What did it mean for you to play that well?
MM: I knew that for us to have a chance against teams like that I had to be aggressive and draw attention in the paint. That opened it up for a lot of good looks from our outstanding shooters on the perimeter.

With the experience of winning a tournament game under his belt, Muscala will head into his final season in a Bison uniform looking to build on the success from this year’s NIT run. Four starters and three key reserves from this year’s squad return to the court next season for what could be another banner year for the Orange and Blue.

 

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Golf Men Sports

Men’s golf tees off in Williamsburg

By Scott Padula

Staff Writer

The men’s golf team kicked off its spring season at the Kingsmill Resort where they competed in the C&F Bank Invitational this past weekend. Represented by Will Bachman ’12, Dan Bernard ’13, Schuyler Stitzer ’14, Thomas Walter ’14 and Pete Scialabba ’15, the Orange and Blue placed 24th in a field of 29.

In wet conditions, Stitzer and Scialabba started the weekend strong for the Bison, both posting 75 in the first round. On the day, the Orange and Blue recorded a team score of 306 with contributions from Walter and Bernard who recorded a 77 and 79, respectively.

In the second day of action, the Orange and Blue shot a team score of 323. Fast winds and increasingly difficult conditions accounted for the 17-stroke difference between the first and second days. Again, Stitzer led the way for the Orange and Blue with a score of 80. Bachman, Bernard and Scialabba rounded out the official scorers for the Bison, each scoring an 81. By the end of the second round, the Orange and Blue fell to 26th place overall.

“A reoccurring theme for us this weekend was that several members of the team, myself included, had a difficult time finishing our rounds strong. As a result, the scores did not really reflect how well we played. I think going forward this season our goal is to work on course management decisions and eliminate mistakes that cost us unnecessary strokes,” Stitzer said.

To conclude the C&F Bank Invitational, the Bison registered a final-round 302; a score that pushed them back to 24th in the standings. Walter led all Bison with a season-best 74, while Stitzer finished with a 75 and the best score on the weekend with a 230. Bernard also posted a 75 on the day and Scialabba shot a 78.

“As a team, I thought we had a successful off-season and were more prepared for this event than we have been in years past. Nevertheless, I hope to see improvement in our final results. Hopefully we will continue to improve each tournament leading up to Patriot Leagues. Our competitive tournament schedule should help us prepare mentally and physically. By the time Patriot Leagues come around in April, we will be ready to win a championship,” Bachman said.

The Orange and Blue will head to Malvern, Pa. where they will compete in the Wildcat Invitational this weekend.

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Men Sports Tennis

Men’s tennis falls to Navy

By Cooper Mead

Contributing Writer

The men’s tennis team took on Navy at home this past Saturday in a highly contested match but fell to the Midshipmen 4-3. The close loss marked the third time in a row that the Bison have lost to Navy by just one point.

“It was a tough loss because as a team we know we are capable of beating any team, including Navy,” Josh Katten ’13 said. “However, the upside is that we know what we need to do differently in order to beat them in the conference tournament.”

The team had a strong showing in doubles as partners Katten and Evan Zimmer ’13, who were playing together for the first time, defeated Chris Kenney and Marcus Rebersak. Partners Kelly Morque ’13 and Scott Bernstein ’14 then won the doubles point for the Bison, defeating Nicholas Gutsche and Blake Daniel 8-4. With the doubles victory, the Bison were able to clinch the doubles point for just the second time since 1953.

Despite their promising doubles victory, the Bison struggled in singles, losing four of six. Katten won his singles match against Blake Daniel (6-2, 7-5), giving him his fourth consecutive singles victory. Katten has also won seven of his last eight contests and, at 17-7, has won more singles matches than any other member of the team this year. Gregory Maxson ’12 also won his singles match at the No. 6 spot against Chris Kenney (6-2, 6-1).

The Bison did hold a slim 3-2 team lead, but Gregg Cohenca ’12 was defeated by Rebersak at the No. 1 spot (6-3, 6-4), and Kyle Rosen ’14 was defeated by Gutsche (6-4, 6-3) in tough matches, allowing the Midshipmen to pull ahead to and win the match 4-3.

“We got off to a great start winning the doubles point but Navy was just tough,” Aidan Lynch ’14 said. “We’re looking forward to seeing them again down the line. We’ll be ready.”

The Bison will take on Georgetown on Friday and will complete their previously postponed match against Mount St. Mary’s on Saturday.

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Baseball Men Sports

Baseball earns three wins with split

Andrew Arnao

Staff Writer

The men’s baseball team went 3-3 over the past week, splitting a four-game series at Saint Joseph’s over the weekend and also splitting a doubleheader at home against Binghamton on Tuesday. The Orange and the Blue are now 12-11 for the season.

“The Saint Joseph’s series was very competitive, with three games decided by one run,” head coach Gene Depew said. “I think the biggest positive for us was that we got quality pitching throughout the weekend.”

Friday’s game against Saint Joseph’s was incredibly close, with the Bison taking the lead twice, but the Hawks managed to tie the score in the bottom of the inning both times. The Bison went ahead for good on a two-out RBI single by Robb Scott ’13 in the eighth inning, and finished the game with a 4-3 victory. Pitcher Dan Weigel ’14 pitched 7.2 innings to improve his record to 5-1, and Alex Cillo ’12 recorded his fourth save.

“We played very well defensively, and since most of our pitchers are not big strikeout guys, we rely heavily on the defense to make plays, which they have done very well all year,” Weigel said. “Shortstop Robb Scott also had a huge weekend, hitting over .500 including a game winning RBI single in game one while playing great defense all weekend.”

Games two and three on Saturday were both low-scoring, with the Bison winning game two by a final score of 4-3 and the Hawks winning game three 2-1. In game two, pitcher Ryan Ebner ’12 received four runs of support in the second inning and made it last, giving up only two runs over six innings. In game three, Bryson Hough ’15 threw a complete game while allowing only two runs, but the Bison offense was unable to back him up, scoring only one run on an error. The offense struggled again in game four, resulting in a 7-1 defeat.

“The pitching was overall very solid against St. Joseph’s this past weekend,” Hough said. “Even though the hitting was a little off this past weekend, we’re not particularly worried about it. I’ve seen our hitters do some amazing stuff in our past games, so I know it’s definitely there.”

The Bison won the first game of the Binghamton doubleheader 2-1 behind tremendous pitching from Russell Seidell ’12, who threw a complete game and gave up only one run. Infielder Will Mooney ’14 drove in the eventual winning run in the fifth inning. Binghamton managed to split the doubleheader by ending the second game in a 10-4 Bison loss.

The Bison have their first Patriot League matchup this weekend with a four-game homestead against Holy Cross, starting at 12 p.m. tomorrow.

“It’s an exciting part of the season for us as we head into Patriot League play this weekend,” Scott said. “It’s time to see what we’re made of.”

 

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Lacrosse Men Sports

Profile: Todd Heritage ’14

Eric Brod

Senior Writer

In the midst of just his second season as a member of the men’s lacrosse team, attackman Todd Heritage ’14 is already well on his way to establishing himself as one of the most complete players in program history. Just 10 games into the season, Heritage has a team-leading 28 goals while registering seven assists, giving him 35 points on the season.

With the Orange and Blue getting off to a slow 0-3 start in a season full of high expectations, Heritage’s recent strong play has been a major factor in the team’s seven straight victories to improve their record to 7-3 and 2-0 in league play.

“His greatest improvements can be seen in his strength and his off hand,” head coach Frank Fedorjaka said. “Todd is a natural lefty, and he has improved his stick skills with his RH and his shooting. He is one of the more accurate shooters in the country and he is now doing it with his RH as well. On top of that, he has improved his catching. He is always had unbelievable hand/eye coordination but I can’t believe some of the bad passes that he catches and turns into goals. He is amazing.”

Some of his most notable performances this year include his eight-goal outburst in the Bison’s 14-10 victory over Hobart for the team’s second win of the season and his three-goal, three-assist performance against league rival Lafayette that resulted in a 17-6 victory. While Orange and Blue fans know what Heritage brings to the team on the field, it is his leadership both on and off the field that may be most impressive as the season has progressed.

Heritage describes how his role has evolved on the team.

“This being my second year has helped me to learn the ropes much better,” Heritage said. “ I try as hard as possible to make sure I am setting good examples for my teammates and helping them out whenever I can and however I can, whether it be on or off of the field.”

As the team has continued moving up the national rankings, Heritage knows how important his role is to keep the team moving toward its goal of winning another Patriot League Championship.

“We have to keep playing both mentally and physically tough. We have done that the last six games that we have won and it is something we pride ourselves on he says. Every pre-game scouting report revolves around playing a perfect 60-minute game, and we know that it starts first when preparing in practice,” Heritage said. 

After knocking off No. 18 Penn State on March 27, Heritage and the rest of the Bison squad now look to extend their winning streak against Holy Cross tomorrow.

“We all have to remain mentally and physically tough,” Fedorjaka said. “Without question, that is our main focus. If we do that, we will continue to get better each game and that is our ultimate goal. Improvement from the last game to the next game. We are interested in peaking in May.”
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Featured Lacrosse Men Sports

Bison extend win streak to seven, defeat Albany and Penn State

By Reed Dempsey

Writer

The men’s lacrosse team collected a pair of wins against Albany and No. 18 Penn State this past week to extend its winning streak to seven straight games.

Coming off five straight victories, the Orange and Blue entered the week looking like a different team and continued to play at a high level.

“The team has great morale right now. Following the three straight losses to start the season, we’ve played incredible,” goalie Kyle Feeney ’13 said.

In their game against Albany, the defense held the Great Danes to just seven goals in a convincing 15-7 win. 

Nick Gantsoudes ’12 led the Bison offense with six points (five goals, one assist), while Todd Heritage ’14 and Chase Bailey ’13 upped their season goal tallies with three apiece. David Dickson ’15 registered five assists, and Feeney increased his save percentage with a solid 12-save performance.

On March 27, the Bison faced a tougher test with a game against Penn State on the road. Over the first 14 minutes of play, the Orange and Blue held the Nittany Lions scoreless as goals by Billy Eisenreich ’12 and Heritage gave the Bison a two-goal advantage.

Less than a minute after Penn State cut the Bison lead in half, Peter Burke ’14 found the back of the net with four seconds remaining in the first quarter. The Nittany Lions battled back in the second quarter with three goals compared to just one from Bison.

Coming out of halftime tied at four, the Orange and Blue dominated the third quarter with two goals from Bailey and a single from Heritage, his second of the day. Bailey attributes the offensive success to efficiency and teamwork.

“The offensive play as of late has been awesome,” Bailey said. “The middies and the attack are working well together; we’re averaging more than 10 goals per game and we’re ranked by Inside Lacrosse as the most efficient offense in the country.”

To complement the scoring attack, the Bison defense stifled Penn State throughout the third, holding them scoreless on just two shots.

The speed of the defense coupled with better decision-making has been the difference as the Bison have turned their season around.

“[The defense] is flying around and making smart decisions, and it’s paying off,” Feeney said.

The Bison opened the fourth quarter with Burke’s second goal of the game and held the Nittany Lions of the board until the 10-minute mark. 

Over the final 10 minutes, the Orange and Blue were held to just one shot, but Eisenreich made the most of it, scoring his 23rd of the year.

An increase in turnovers and failed clears plagued the Bison in the fourth quarter, but solid defensive play during man-down and six-on-six situations held Penn State in check. Feeney tied his season high with 13 saves in the 9-6 win.

The Bison look to extend their 10-game in-league winning streak tomorrow at Holy Cross.

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Basketball Men Sports

Basketball season filled with memories

Eric Brod

Senior Writer

When people think back on the 2011-2012 Bison men’s basketball season, many memories and performances will come to mind of a gritty, talented team that finished 25-10 overall and 12-2 in regular season league play. The team’s rivalry with Lehigh will certainly be one, with the heartbreaking 82-77 loss in the Patriot League Championship game perhaps most prominent. Many will remember the inspiring effort of Mike Muscala ’13, who produced 30 points and 14 rebounds only to be matched by a 29-point effort by Lehigh’s C.J. McCollum. Others will remember the heroics of Bryson Johnson ’13, who drained two clutch three-pointers to pull the Bison from seven points down to one down in a matter of seconds. Most will remember a second year of league domination that led to another regular season championship.

On top of all this, the most memorable moment of the season will definitely be the Orange and Blue’s awe-inspiring win against the Arizona Wildcats in the first round of the NIT.

“The win against Arizona was the best win throughout my college career,” Byran Cohen ’12 said. “We have had a couple opportunities to knock off a high-major school over the past four years but were unable to close the game out. Arizona was one that we were able to hold onto our lead till the end of the game and it was even sweeter beating them on their home court in front of a hostile crowd.”

Part of the last tournament of Cohen’s collegiate career, the win was a sweet sendoff for a player who will be remembered as one of the Bison’s all-time greats. For the rest of the team, the Arizona win represented a huge accomplishment in the context of the entire season.

“This season was a little up and down for us and I think the high point of the season for the team and I individually was our win against Arizona,” Johnson said. “Winning against a great team is always a high point and it always good to celebrate a win like that with your teammates.”

Faithful fans witnessed a team that came together and saw tremendous improvement among many players. Muscala continued his ascent as one of the top big men in the nation, saving his best performances for the league championship and NIT. Joe Willman ’13 established himself as a reliable and consistent forward to complement Muscala in the frontcourt, while noticeable improvements from Steven Kaspar ’15 and Ryan Hill ’14 over the course of the season helped ease the loss of guard Darryl Shazier ’11.

Cameron Ayers ’14 continued his development as one of the top shooting guards in the league, and Johnson continued to be one of the best sharp shooters in the league. Cohen completed a stellar collegiate career that saw him win three straight Defensive Player of the Year awards, while registering over 1000 career points. Cohen will certainly go down as one of the greatest defenders and all-around players in Patriot League history.

“[The award] is a great individual honor; however I would not have been able to receive this award if it weren’t for my teammates,” Cohen said. “Defense is a team effort and collectively as a team we were a very sound defensively game in and game out throughout my career.”

While the team ultimately fell short of its goal of winning the Patriot League Tournament and returning to the NCAA tournament, the Orange and Blue finished the season with one of the most exciting and impressive victories in program history.

“They way we stuck together when things got tough during certain parts of the season was something I’ll never forget.  I was lucky to be on a team with such great people,” Muscala said.

The team looks primed for another run at the league championship in 2013, bringing back all but three players and all but one starter next season. 

“Next season should be fun too but we have to get better individually this off season and hopefully that will translate into more success next season. But I’m excited to spend another year with my teammates and have some fun,” Johnson said.

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Basketball Men Sports

Basketball season recap

Chris McCree
Sports Editor

 

After falling just short of a second consecutive NCAA tournament bid and Patriot League title in a devastating loss to Lehigh on March 7, the men’s basketball team emphatically responded by recording one of the biggest upsets in school history, knocking off top-seeded Arizona 65-54 during the first round of the National Invitation Tournament on March 14.

The Bison followed up their first-round victory with a 75-67 loss to fifth-seeded Nevada in the second round.

“Our guys did a tremendous job bouncing back after a heartbreaking loss in the Patriot League Championship game,” head coach Dave Paulsen said. “It was hard the first few days, but it’s a testament to the great character and leadership within our team. It was great to get a win on the road against a team from the Pac-12 and I think it validated for our guys how good we were and opened some eyes on a national level.”

Over the course of the two games, All-Patriot League center Mike Muscala ’13 created massive matchup problems for both Arizona and Nevada and proved time and time again why he is one of the most talented big men in the country. After leading all scorers with 20 points and nine rebounds against Arizona, the 6’11” big-man put together a 25-point, 15-rebound performance against Nevada.

Appearing in front a of packed crowd at the McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz., the Orange and Blue got off to a fast start against Arizona, leading by as much as 13 points in the first half. Led by three-time defensive player of the year Bryan Cohen ’12, the Bison defense stifled the Wildcats’ offense, limiting them to just 16 points in the first 15 minutes of play. Playing in the final tournament of his career, Cohen anchored the Bison defense, limiting Arizona’s most talented offensive player Kyle Fogg to just five points in the contest, well below his season average of 13.7.

“We played exceptionally well against Arizona. Our team defense was excellent and we got solid contributions throughout the team,” Paulsen said. “We will miss our seniors. Bryan Cohen had an amazing career and will be remembered as one of the outstanding players in Bucknell history.”

During the final minutes of the half, the Bison offense stalled considerably, allowing the Wildcats to cut into the lead and go into the half down just six. Arizona carried their momentum into the second half and quickly claimed their first lead of the game behind the hot hands of Solomon Hill and Jesse Perry, who led the Wildcats with 17 and 14 points respectively.

But the Orange and Blue quickly regained the lead with a three by Cameron Ayers ’14 which kickstarted a 16-6 Bison run over the next eight minutes of play. Ayers finished the contest with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Despite their strong offensive play, the Bison got into foul trouble early in the half, allowing the Wildcats to get to the line often and climb back to within three with 4:27 left to play. Then, after a controversial blocking call, Muscala fouled out of the game with 2:59 left on the clock, leaving the Bison to finish out the game without their leading scorer and biggest shot-blocking presence.

The Bison pressed on and completely shut down the Wildcats offense for the remainder of the contest. Bryson Johnson ’13 hit a clutch fade-away three-pointer with 52 seconds left on the clock, giving the Bison a seven-point lead and erasing any real chance of a Wildcats comeback run.

“It was fun to hit a shot like that against a great team like Arizona,” Johnson said. “But at the same time it was just a shot and everyone on the team made great contributions throughout the game that were just as important.”

Against Nevada, the Orange and Blue fell behind to a hot Wolf Pack offense that shot 60 percent from the field in the first half. Despite Muscala’s 16th double-double of the season and a 21-point performance by Ayers, the Bison found themselves battling from behind for the entire contest.

After trailing at the half 42-29, the Orange and Blue managed to tighten the game considerably and trailed by just three points with under a minute left. Yet, unlike their first round game, the Bison struggled to convert from behind the arc and could not complete the late comeback.

“Nevada was a very talented team and, while we kept it close for most of the game, we were never able to play with a lead and were fighting from behind the whole game,” Muscala said.

The loss to Nevada marks the end to a season in which the Bison finished with 25 wins for just the third time in program history. The Bison will lose three seniors in Enoch Andoh ’12, Probese Leo ’12 and Cohen, but will return four of five starters next year.

“We had a great season and playing in the NIT and winning a game is a great feeling,” Joe Willman ’13 said. “Beating Arizona showed us that we can compete with anyone, so this tournament really gave us a lot of confidence and we are going to keep working hard to get to our ultimate goal next year of the NCAA tournament.”

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Lacrosse Men Sports

Men’s lax wins four straight

By Reed Dempsey

Contributing Writer

Heading into spring break, the Bison stood at 1-3 and were in desperate need of a string of wins that would help turn the season around. Playing Hobart, Drexel, Lafayette and Robert Morris over the past two weeks, the Orange and Blue were able to accomplish just this, reeling off four victories to place them back into the top 20 nationally.

Coming off their first win at Navy on March 3, the Bison looked to extend their streak as they faced Hobart at home on March 10. After a close quarter and half of play, the Orange and Blue exploded for four straight goals to take a 9-5 lead before halftime. The Bison were led by attackman Todd Heritage ’14, who tallied eight goals to tie a school record. Strong offensive performances by Chase Bailey ’13 (two goals, two assists), Billy Eisenreich ’12 (one goal, three assists) and Nick Gantsoudes ’12 (three goals) in addition to a 13-save effort by goalie Kyle Feeney ’13 propelled the Bison to a 14-10 win.

Just three days later, the Orange and Blue traveled to Philadelphia to face the Drexel Dragons. Four straight goals to open the game propelled the Bison to a 5-2 first quarter lead, but a strong second quarter effort by the Dragons in combination with a tough outing for Feeney brought the game to 7-7 with three minutes left in the first half.

After the game-tying goal, Feeney was pulled and replaced by keeper Sam Grinberg ’15. Facing an onslaught of shots from the Dragons, Grinberg was able to keep the Bison in the game with 11 saves over the final 33 minutes. After a 12-11 win, Feeney was glad to have a backup like Grinberg on a day when he was not performing at his optimal level.

“Having someone who can step in and win us a game like that as a freshman is unbelievable,” Feeney said.

With their record back at .500, the Bison looked to extend their three-game winning streak at home against Patriot League rival Lafayette on March 17. The game was never in doubt as the Bison defense held the Leopards to just six goals while the Bison offense unloaded in a 17-goal effort. The Bison were led by a sevenpoint game for Heritage (four goals, three assists), in addition to solid performances by Eisenreich (four goals, one assist) and Ronjohn Dadd ’13 (three goals) in his first performance of the season. Feeney rebounded from the game against Drexel with 9 saves.

Capping off the four-game stretch, the Bison welcomed Robert Morris to Lewisburg, one of only three teams to beat the Orange and Blue in 2011. The Colonials proved to be no match for the high-powered Bison offense that entered the game as the nation’s most accurate shooting team and sixth highest in scoring offense, averaging 12.6 goals per game.

With goals from seven different players, the Bison once again featured a balanced scoring attack that any team would have difficulty preparing for.

“[It] makes us very tough to scout and very tough to stop,” said Eisenreich, whose 11-point effort tied a school record.

The Orange and Blue could have increased their 17-10 lead in the closing minutes of the game as the Colonials racked up penalty minutes, but elected to run out the clock instead.

With the team at 5-3 and back in the national top-20 rankings, Heritage feels the Bison have finally hit their stride and are now feeling more confident with their play.

“We have been able to get to where we felt our team should of been from the beginning of the season. We are starting to understand exactly what we need to do to win and with five straight our confidence keeps building and we know we must stay mentally focused,” Heritage said.

The Orange and Blue look to continue their winning streak against Albany at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium tomorrow at 12 p.m.

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Basketball Headline Men Sports

Men’s basketball falls to Nevada in NIT to end season

Cooper Sutton

Editor-in-Chief

 

Despite a record-tying double-double by Mike Muscala ’13, the men’s basketball team fell in the second round of the NIT to fifth-ranked Nevada, 75-67.

Muscala’s 25 points and 15 rebounds gave him his 16th double-double of the season, tying the program record for most double-doubles in one season. The only other Bison player to score over six points was Cameron Ayers ’14 (21 points).

The Orange and Blue got in a hole early, giving up the first six points. They trailed the entire game—by as much as 12 at the beginning second half and by as little as three with only 36 seconds left in the game.

Nevada’s Olek Czyz paced the scoring for the Wolfpack with 24 points, but Nevada saw a solid team effort in scoring with every player but one putting points on the board.

The Bison could not boast the same statistics, as Bryson Johnson ’13 (1-7 from three point range), Bryan Cohen ’12 and Joe Willman ’13 all scored six points. The only other Bison scorer was Ben Brackney ’14, who put up three points.

The loss to Nevada marks the final game of the season for the men’s basketball team. The Bison will lose Cohen and Enoch Andoh ’12 to graduation this year, but should return four out of their five starters next year.

This season has seen many milestones for the team, which reached 25 wins for only the third time in program history, was invited to the NIT for the first time, and saw three players reach 1,000 career points.