The Eagles failed to start their conference play with a win, losing their Patriot League opener to Bucknell 57-47 in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.
The Eagles out-rebounded by Bucknell 35-23, and their struggles under the hoop stood as a key factor in the loss. Twelve of the rebounds were on the offensive end, which led to 12 second-chance points. The Bison also outscored AU in the paint, 26-18.
The loss was AU’s first loss in a Patriot League opener in five years.
"Bucknell is a tough team and they showed that today,” said head coach Mike Brennan, according toa press release. “They are really good at what the do and really executed. We didn't play to the level we needed to in order to win."
The Eagles shot 53 percent from the field in the first 10 minutes, but they failed to maintain their success. They shot seven out of 21 from the field and two out of nine from behind the three-point line in the second half.
AU jumped out to a 12-7 lead, but they quickly ran into foul trouble. Senior guard Pee Wee Gardner, junior center Zach Elcano, and junior forward Marko Vasic each racked up two fouls in the first half, allowing Bucknell to gain momentum. The Bison tied the game before halftime, and the Eagles never managed to re-exert their dominance in the game.
The Eagles were led by sophomore forward Charlie Jones, who scored 17 points and hit a career high of three three-pointers. Junior guard Jesse Reed also had a strong showing, scoring 12 points and 7 rebounds.
mholt@theeagleonline.com
