Looking Live, Ft. Myers, FL

The MBB now moves to a Thanksgiving MTE, this time with the Bucknell Bison of the Patriot League.  First things first, both of the games are during the workday AND not on the Family of Networks.  Video is passtheballlive.com.  They will charge you $25 for both games.  Also, on the radio or Varsity app, Ken Piel will be bringing live play-by-play.

So, about Bucknell.  

We have never played Bucknell. BG is 4-3 against the Patriot League and Bucknell is 4-9 against the MAC.

Between 2004 and 2018, they played in 6 NCAA Tournaments.  In 2005, they were a 14-seed and beat #3 Kansas in the opening round in one of the biggest upsets in tournament history.  The next year, they were a #9 seed and beat Arkansas in the first round.  That team was 25-7, and John Griffen III, their current coach, was a reserve on that team.

Blue Ribbon picked them to be #3 in the Patriot League. They were #5 in the Patriot League pre-season poll.  Last year, they were 18-15 and 13-5, co-champs for the regular season.

The Bison are 2-4 this year, all against D1 opponents. They beat Delaware and @Mt. St. Mary's to open the season and then lost to @Princeton, Hofstra, @Pittsburgh, and @St. John's. They started with a kenpom of 299 and today are 287.

They play slightly slower than average in terms of tempo.  They are struggling to score. with .93 points per possession, #322 in the country. They are #309 in shooting, #299 in turnovers and #307 in offensive rebounding.  They make 44% from 2FG, which is terrible.  They do get to the line and make 75% which is good.  

Defense is better but still not great, allowing 1.11 points per possession, which is #236 in the country. They are well below average in defending the shot and defensive rebounding. They do force some turnovers, but give up a lot of FTs.

Like most teams, they lost their key player to transfer, as 7'0" Noah Williamson transferred to Alabama. Josh Bascoe graduated, both were all-Patriot.

They have brought in a significant addition. Amon Dorries is a FR who turns 20 in January.  He has played high level basketball there, including 11 games in Germany's top league and five in the Euroleague.  He also played in every game of Germany's run to the silver medal in the U19 tournament last year.  He's 6'11" and scoring 13.8 PPG to go with 4.7 RPG. He's making 53% of his 2FGS.

Their other double-figurer scorer is Ruot Bijiek, who was born and grew up in Iowa.  He is scoring 12.5 PPG on 42% and 32% shooting, plus 4.8 RPG.  

Jayden Williams leads them with 4 assists and 2 steals a game.  He was born on the day Bucknell beat Kansas.

BG is -6.5.