LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP, N.J. (Interstat) — Bucknell secured a 51-38 road victory over Rider on Tuesday night at Alumni Gymnasium, holding the Broncs to a season-low scoring total in a defensive struggle. The Bison led 26-16 at halftime and maintained control throughout the second half. Achile Spadone led all scorers with 14 points for Bucknell. Davis Bynum paced Rider with six points and three blocks. The 38 points are the fewest allowed by Bucknell this season. The Bison improved to 3-9, while Rider fell to 1-8. Attendance was 1,216.

LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP, N.J. (Interstat) — In a matchup of struggling teams searching for any positive momentum, Bucknell found a path to victory through defensive tenacity and the offensive spark of Achile Spadone. The Bison held Rider to a season-low in points and a frigid shooting performance to secure a 51-38 road win in a nonconference men’s basketball game Tuesday night at Alumni Gymnasium. The most important part of the game was Bucknell’s immediate and sustained defensive pressure, which completely stifled Rider’s offense from the opening tip and built an insurmountable first-half lead. The Bison set the tone in the game’s opening minutes, forcing the Broncs into missed shots and turnovers, and capitalized with a 13-0 run to start the contest. Rider did not score its first field goal until the 17:20 mark of the first half, and by then Bucknell had already established a commanding double-digit advantage it would never relinquish. Spadone, a guard from Geneva, Switzerland, led all scorers with 14 points over 37 minutes, adding three assists, a block and a steal. His early sequence of a steal leading to an assist, followed by a layup and a 3-pointer, fueled the initial burst that decided the contest’s trajectory. Jayden Williams of Bucknell added nine points. The Bison (3-9) led 26-16 at halftime and maintained control throughout the second half, with the Broncs never drawing closer than eight points. Rider’s offensive woes were comprehensive, as the team finished shooting under 30% from the floor and made only three 3-pointers. The 38 points scored were the fewest by a Bucknell opponent this season. Davis Bynum provided a brief spark off the bench for Rider (1-8), scoring six points and blocking three shots in just 12 minutes of action. Caleb Smith also scored six for the Broncs, who have lost eight straight since a season-opening win. Bucknell’s defense was a collective effort, registering six steals and five blocks while consistently contesting shots. The Bison also won the rebounding battle, limiting Rider’s second-chance opportunities. The victory snapped a three-game losing skid for Bucknell, which had lost its previous two games by a combined 34 points. Rider, which entered the game with a 61.2% probability to win according to National Statistical’s ELO system, instead continued its season of frustration. The Broncs have now failed to reach 70 points in any of their eight losses this season. The game’s final total of 89 points fell dramatically under the pregame over/under line of 139.5, a testament to the defensive struggle. A crowd of 1,216 watched as both teams combined for more turnovers than made field goals for long stretches of the game. Bucknell looks to build on the defensive performance when it travels to face Iowa in Des Moines on Dec. 20. Rider will attempt to regroup on the road at Delaware on Dec. 16.

Struggling Teams Seek Elusive Win as Bucknell Visits Rider LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP, N.J. (Interstat) — Two teams mired in lengthy losing streaks will look for a reset when Bucknell visits Rider in a nonconference men’s basketball game Tuesday night at Alumni Gymnasium. The Bucknell Bison (2-9) enter on a nine-game skid, while the Rider Broncs (1-7) have lost six straight. Both squads are desperate for momentum before the holiday break. Bucknell is coming off a 73-66 home loss to Maryland-Baltimore County on Saturday. The Bison have shown offensive flashes during their slide but have consistently struggled defensively, allowing an average of 82.2 points over their losing streak. Amon Dörries has been a consistent bright spot for Bucknell. The guard is averaging 13.5 points per game and is coming off a 16-point effort against UMBC. He scored a season-high 22 points in a narrow loss at Bowling Green on Nov. 24. Rider’s struggles have been pronounced, with its lone win an 86-54 rout of Division III Eastern University on Nov. 15. The Broncs are coming off a 72-58 loss at Quinnipiac on Sunday, where they were led by AB Coulibaly’s season-high 20 points and nine rebounds. Coulibaly’s performance marked a significant breakout after playing limited minutes in the preceding five games. The Broncs’ schedule has been arduous, featuring road losses to power conference opponents Texas and Houston by a combined 100 points. Historically, Rider holds a 10-6 advantage in the series, but Bucknell won the most recent meeting, 70-68, on Dec. 10, 2022. For both programs, Tuesday’s game represents a critical opportunity to halt negative momentum and find a winning formula before conference play begins next month. Bucknell will look to its offense, led by Dörries, to find rhythm, while Rider hopes Coulibaly’s emergence can spark a turnaround.