Bucknell Comes Along in December

The Patriot League preseason poll was a close call, and understandably so. Just ten points separated first from fifth, with all five teams getting at least two first place votes. With last season’s champion, Lehigh, losing key seniors from that team, and plenty of teams bringing back several key players, the league looked wide open entering the season and the preseason poll reflected it. Bucknell was picked second, and right now the Bison look to be as good a pick to win as anyone.

Bucknell’s starting lineup consists of an underrated senior point guard, a junior who has started since arriving and was the league’s Defensive Player of the Year last season, and three sophomores who were all part of the league’s all-rookie team last season. They have seasoned reserves and some talent among their freshmen to add depth. And in Dave Paulsen’s third season, there’s certainly no concern about any lasting effects of a coaching change.

The Bison started slowly, going 2-6 against a pretty tough schedule that included just two home games. Both wins were of the blowout variety, a 66-38 thumping of Binghamton and a 71-47 blowout of Presbyterian in the CBE Classic. There’s no shame in losing at Villanova or Marquette to start the season, while they also lost to Princeton and James Madison, two teams that project to contend in their conferences.

After that, they won four straight, including double-digit wins at La Salle and Cornell. So they looked to be hitting their stride when they came to Chestnut Hill, and impressed despite losing as their offense was clicking all night long. The Bison scored the game’s first eight points and at one point led 37-21. They shot 49.2 percent from the field, going 15-29 from long range, and they didn’t commit a turnover for the first 13 minutes of the game (they finished with seven).

The Bison’s 84-80 loss was certainly not what they wanted, but it was a show of what they’re capable of. The offense is run by the perfect point guard for this team in senior Darryl Shazier, who had a career-high 10 assists without a turnover against the Eagles. That moves his assist-to-turnover ratio on the season to an incredible 4.8, something not often seen these days, and that helps them give the ball away less than any team in the Patriot League.

“We really try to stress (taking care of the ball),” Paulsen said. “I bust (Shazier’s) chops, but 10 assists and no turnovers at BC, where they play different defenses, that’s really good.”

Shazier and running mates Bryan Cohen and Bryson Johnson look better together now. Johnson is coming into his own as a sophomore after showing some potential last season. His shooting percentage is up significantly, as he is shooting over 45 percent from long range, and he’s making shots off the dribble instead of just off the catch.

Johnson is a year older, and that helps, as he’s learned the game at this level more and is better physically. But he found another area in his adjustment to the college game besides the usual that took some work, and it’s a big reason for his better numbers.

“I’m very confident in my shooting, and I take some bad shots,” Johnson said. “This year, I’m playing more within the offense and only taking good shots. I don’t think I’ve become a better shooter, just better shot selection and waiting for the opportunity.”

Johnson was joined on the all-rookie team last season by Mike Muscala and Joe Willman, who also start. Muscala, the team’s leading scorer and rebounder, still needs to get stronger but is already one of the best frontcourt players in the Patriot League. He’s very skilled and a shot-blocking presence inside. He joins Willman, whose numbers are modest but impact isn’t, in a solid, unspectacular frontcourt. Muscala is easily their best big man since Chris McNaughton and has a chance for a better career.

“Mike has been our best player so far this year, he’s been really consistent down low,” said Johnson. “We’ve just got to get in there and help him rebound.”

Johnson wasn’t making an idle point about rebounding, as Muscala had just two on the night as Boston College out-rebounded the Bison 36-30. Johnson and Shazier combined for 11 boards in that game. With the defenders they have – Cohen and senior Stephen Tyree have each won a league Defensive Player of the Year award – there’s no reason they shouldn’t get better in that respect.

Shazier said he thinks the Bison have started to find themselves. The winning streak certainly gave them more confidence, and it showed against Boston College although they came up short. The three sophomores have put in the work to improve, knowing they weren’t going to become bigger stars just by being a year older. Veterans like Shazier and classmates Tyree and G.W. Boon, along with Cohen, a tough defender and leader, will make sure of that as well. Paulsen thinks the loss at Boston College can help them if they take the right idea from it.

“As I told our guys, everyone’s going to pat them on the back and say you did great, and if it makes them angry, thinking, hey, we’ve got to fight through, then this experience will help us,” Paulsen said.

Non-league play is winding down, and the evidence thus far suggests the Bison should be right there in the mix in the Patriot League race. As close as it appears to be, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they came out on top based on what they have shown of late.