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Username Post: Lafayette Game
Bison137
Professor
Posts 16147
Bison137
02-01-19 10:38 PM - Post#274674    

Bison Article
https://bucknellbison.com/news/2019/2/1/mens-ba ske...



Bison137
Professor
Posts 16147
Bison137
02-01-19 10:41 PM - Post#274676    

Lafayette is coming off an OT loss to Lehigh. They have been erratic but can beat anyone when they hit a lot of threes.



MrPhillie
Postdoc
Posts 2757
MrPhillie
02-01-19 10:55 PM - Post#274680    

Seems like anyone can beat anyone else this year.
Bison137
Professor
Posts 16147
Bison137
02-02-19 01:32 AM - Post#274702    

  • MrPhillie Said:
Seems like anyone can beat anyone else this year.




Games at Easton have generally been a struggle over the past 11 years, even with the Bison usually having a much better team.

BU results at Lafayette in past 11 years:

2008 - lost by 12
2009 - Lost by 3
2010 - lost by 4
2011 - won by 5 in OT (Enoch Andoh)
2012 - won by 14
2013 - lost by 1
2014 - won by 10 (but lost at home by 8)
2015 - lost by 10 in OT (then lost by 6 in PLT)
2016 - won by 3 in 2OT
2017 - won by 23
2018 - won by 5 in OT

Since ND became coach, the Bison are 3-0 in Easton, but two have gone at least one overtime.



bison63
Postdoc
Posts 3857
02-02-19 08:29 AM - Post#274709    

We are 7-2 in PL play. More specifically we are 5-0 at home and 2-2 on the road. With 5 road games during the second half of the league schedule, this one is one the Bison cannot afford to lose. LC is 2-7 with plenty of close losses, including two to Lehigh. If the Bison overlook this team, which I do not think they will, they will get beat.
jkrun80
Postdoc
Posts 3305
02-02-19 08:40 AM - Post#274710    

This one is a trap. We'll need to shoot much better than the last two games.
MrPhillie
Postdoc
Posts 2757
MrPhillie
02-02-19 04:00 PM - Post#274768    

I’m not a fan of some of the cocky, arrogant actions at times by certain Bucknell players.
jkrun80
Postdoc
Posts 3305
02-02-19 04:02 PM - Post#274769    

Good 1st half without Sestina on the floor. Bench is stepping up again today and Kimbal carrying the team.
raymondbucknell
Junior
Posts 295
02-02-19 04:23 PM - Post#274770    

BRW is that you I spotted behind the Bucknell bench?
raymondbucknell
Junior
Posts 295
02-02-19 04:24 PM - Post#274771    

Anybody have an update on Sotos? Good thing we are so deep.
BisonKid
Sophomore
Posts 154
02-02-19 04:50 PM - Post#274773    

A little off topic, but I’m curious, did Nathan forget his suit? I like the casual look but haven’t seen it before.
Shot Clock
Masters Student
Posts 883
02-02-19 05:00 PM - Post#274779    

Kimbal running the point looked good.
B.A. Bucknell University, 1993

crd012
Junior
Posts 262
02-02-19 05:05 PM - Post#274782    

That was easy. Glad we took care of business. Nice that we have another game left against them.
BisonFan4
Junior
Posts 211
02-02-19 06:26 PM - Post#274787    

In response to several posts...yes that was brw you spotted, Sotos is wearing a shoulder brace & his motion is limited but was just ok'ed to lift in shooting motion & looking to possibly have him back 2 games from now, & finally Coach Davis had a "wardrobe malfunction" in the first half 😂.
raymondbucknell
Junior
Posts 295
02-02-19 10:05 PM - Post#274818    

Thanks for the scoop. It took a while but this game really became a mismatch. I always enjoy the Lafayette announcers. I think they do a nice job. They’re very objective and pretty knowledgeable IMHO. I hadn’t really thought about it but they said Kimbal is the favorite to be PL MVP. He sure played like one today. Wish Fran and his team were having a better season...
BisonRoadWarrior
Professor
Posts 5203
BisonRoadWarrior
02-03-19 12:47 AM - Post#274873    

  • raymondbucknell Said:
BRW is that you I spotted behind the Bucknell bench?


Good eye!

jkrun80
Postdoc
Posts 3305
02-03-19 09:15 AM - Post#274886    

Andrew Funk certainly had a great game. If there's a silver lining to Sotos's injury, it might be more playing time for Funk. He looks ready to step into Kimbal's shoes next season.

I'm still concerned about the poor 3 pt shooting. Take out Kimbal's 3-4 and the rest of the team was 3-21.

Foul trouble was again a factor in the game, but affected Lafayette more than us. Not sure how much of that was the officiating and how much was them being over matched inside.
jkrun80
Postdoc
Posts 3305
02-03-19 09:41 AM - Post#274887    

  • raymondbucknell Said:
Thanks for the scoop. It took a while but this game really became a mismatch. I always enjoy the Lafayette announcers. I think they do a nice job. They’re very objective and pretty knowledgeable IMHO. I hadn’t really thought about it but they said Kimbal is the favorite to be PL MVP. He sure played like one today. Wish Fran and his team were having a better season...


Generally, I agree about the Lafayette announcers. But John Leone's comment that "Bucknell is not the Runnin' Rebels" made me laugh. No, we're the Breakin' Bison. Guess he didn't see what we did to UNLV on Christmas Day.
Bison89
Professor
Posts 5370
Bison89
02-03-19 09:49 AM - Post#274888    

I watched the game late last night after it was archived. Stupid fouls are difficult to coach if players don't want to listen. Somehow, Coach Davis needs to get through to Sestina, Toomer, and Moore. Otherwise, the PL Playoffs could be very short this season.
New season, new team, new dream . . .

candyfan
Masters Student
Posts 459
candyfan
02-03-19 12:13 PM - Post#274909    

For the record, Jimmy Sotos was out there pre-game shooting all his shots with the team. So he's progressed to that point. When he will actually suit up for a game remains day to day now.

Funk looked real good scoring while Kimbal ran the point AND scored big time. Bucknell team clearly much deeper and wider in talent than Lafayette, who now have one of nicest arenas in League. Now can Fran O' fill it up with better players?
bison63
Postdoc
Posts 3857
02-03-19 01:28 PM - Post#274923    

  • jkrun80 Said:
Andrew Funk certainly had a great game. If there's a silver lining to Sotos's injury, it might be more playing time for Funk. He looks ready to step into Kimbal's shoes next season.

I'm still concerned about the poor 3 pt shooting. Take out Kimbal's 3-4 and the rest of the team was 3-21.

Foul trouble was again a factor in the game, but affected Lafayette more than us. Not sure how much of that was the officiating and how much was them being over matched inside.


Re: 3 point shooting, we are 22 games in for the season. I think by this time we have a good read on what this team is capable of. When they are hot, they can compete with anybody. More importantly, they are 2-1 in the last three games without shooting particularly well. The road loss to a good team (AU) saw a comeback that gave us a definite chance to win, despite no better than fair shooting. 4 technical foul shots awarded to AU down the stretch did not help.

I see wins in the last two games, by comfortable margins, despite not shooting great, as examples of the glass being half full, not half empty. One thing I do know, we WILL have hot shooting nights again before this is all over, and, alas, we will have nights that are not so hot. How it all comes out is anybody’s guess. Given the situation in the PL this year, the biggest surprise to me will be if the tournament runs to form and Bucknell plays Lehigh I the final.

Bison89
Professor
Posts 5370
Bison89
02-03-19 04:20 PM - Post#274941    

  • candyfan Said:
Now can Fran O' fill it up with better players?



Does anybody else think that it is time for Fran O' to retire? He doesn't seem to recruit the quality players that are needed to win the PL or even be competitive.
New season, new team, new dream . . .

jkrun80
Postdoc
Posts 3305
02-03-19 05:13 PM - Post#274949    

  • Bison89 Said:
  • candyfan Said:
Now can Fran O' fill it up with better players?



Does anybody else think that it is time for Fran O' to retire? He doesn't seem to recruit the quality players that are needed to win the PL or even be competitive.


Yes. Even though Lafayette is only 4 years removed from their last championship, they have not been competitive the last few years. Keep in mind they were only 9-9 in the regular season in 2015 when they won the tournament. They seem to get good quality guards, but lack size and depth at the other positions.
bison63
Postdoc
Posts 3857
02-03-19 05:39 PM - Post#274952    

Suggest refraining from saying too much on this subject (Fran O) until after the PLT.
candyfan
Masters Student
Posts 459
candyfan
02-03-19 06:28 PM - Post#274956    

Can't disagree with most of what you said. However, aside from the shooting stats, if you saw the game in Easton on Saturday (?) you would have seen another aspect of the game that Bucknell has excelled in during their last two wins over Navy, then Lafayette.

That is teamwork/passing/hitting open man/out hustling the other guys down court/defense in general/rebounding/etc. Particularly, the gap between Bucknell passing/teamwork vs. Lafayette to me, was stark. We make it look like another day at the office. Lafayette struggled to match our level of play in getting people open.

Time and again, the Bucknell five on the floor made superior passes to get somebody a high percentage shot.
MrPhillie
Postdoc
Posts 2757
MrPhillie
02-03-19 06:45 PM - Post#274958    

I feel bad for Coach Fran...he seems like a good guy.
crd012
Junior
Posts 262
02-04-19 09:51 AM - Post#274997    

To me Coach Fran seems lost, it looks like the game has passed him by. Lafayette seems a few steps behind other programs.
candyfan
Masters Student
Posts 459
candyfan
02-05-19 06:16 PM - Post#275139    

I don't think Fran O' is lost nor has the game passed him by. He is still great on strategy. But something is wrong with the recruiting? It could be that potential recruits are reluctant to come to Lafayette fearing that he could retire at any time and then they end up playing for who knows who?

One of the strongest reasons kid sign up is knowing that the current coach is going to be there to see them through all four years.
HuskyColonial
PhD Student
Posts 1976
02-05-19 07:03 PM - Post#275146    

Coach Fran is a legend but it’s time to turn the page for Lafayette. There are zero pre-scholarship era coaches left. Except him.



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