1/22- Bucknell-Lehigh Preview
By: Phil Schoener
Updated: January 23, 2013
Most Patriot League followers have had this one circled on their calendars since last March. Bucknell and Lehigh, the two clear-cut frontrunners in the Patriot League over the last two seasons, square off Wednesday night at Sojka Pavilion in the first of two 2013 regular-season meetings. Bucknell is ranked third in the College Insider Mid-Major Poll, while Lehigh is eighth.
Lehigh was picked first and Bucknell second in the Patriot League preseason poll. The Bison are the defending PL regular-season champions, while the Mountain Hawks are the defending PL Tournament champs.
Last season Lehigh became the first team ever to win twice in Sojka Pavilion in the same season, claiming the regular-season clash 56-53 on a C.J. McCollum 3-pointer with 0.8 seconds left and then taking the Patriot League championship game 82-77. Both teams went on to post first-round victories in the postseason. Lehigh knocked off Duke in the NCAA Tournament, while Bucknell ousted Arizona in the NIT.
Through Sunday's games, Bucknell is tied for sixth nationally with 16 victories, and the .842 winning percentage ranked 16th among all Division I teams.
At 16-3, Bucknell has equalled its second-best record after 19 games. The Bison were 17-2 in 1983-84.
