Bucknell Bison vs. Gonzaga Bulldogs Pick & Prediction DECEMBER 21st 2024
Preview and Prediction
Upon reviewing the schedule, it appears that Bucknell will have had a total of 13 days to prepare for their upcoming game against No. 13 Gonzaga in Spokane, Washington on Saturday night.
However, this is not entirely accurate as the Bison are currently dealing with their final exams.
According to Bucknell coach John Griffin III, the players are facing three-hour exams and multiple 10-page papers, which has caused a sense of academic fatigue among the entire Patriot League. Griffin, a 2008 graduate and current coach of his alma mater, can relate to the pressure and challenges that the student-athletes are facing.
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"You can see it on their faces, and being a graduate and having been in their shoes, my job when I can is to give them a little bit of a respite," he stated.
However, it can be argued whether or not a trip to the Pacific Northwest to face Gonzaga can truly be considered a break for the Bison. With a current record of 4-7 and a five-game losing streak, they have already faced tough opponents such as Kentucky (resulting in a 100-72 loss) and Maryland (ending in a 91-67 defeat). They also had back-to-back double-overtime games at home last month, losing 93-89 to Mount St. Mary's and then beating Richmond 80-76.
Despite the challenges, Griffin sees Saturday's game as a "great opportunity for our program." He believes that playing against such a renowned basketball program like Gonzaga, who is predicted to make it to the Final Four, is a chance for Bucknell to showcase their brand.
Leading the Bison in points and assists per game is Josh Bascoe, with Noah Williamson close behind with an average of 13.4 points and a team-high 6.5 rebounds.
On the other side, the Bulldogs (8-3) are coming off a 77-71 loss to No. 18 UConn last Saturday in New York, but bounced back with a 102-72 victory over Nicholls on Wednesday. Braden Huff led the team with 25 points off the bench, while Graham Ike added 20 points and six rebounds and Ryan Nembhard recorded a double-double with 18 points and 10 assists.
Nembhard, who currently leads NCAA Division I with 113 assists, had an uncharacteristically high number of turnovers in the last game.
Gonzaga coach Mark Few acknowledged this, stating, "This wasn't one of his better games. He was a little loose with the ball, but he sets such an incredibly high standard. He is human. Up to this point, he's been pretty super-human. Obviously, we lean into him pretty hard."
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Ike, the team's leading scorer with an average of 14.6 points per game, had a rough game against UConn with only three points. However, he remains positive and focused on the team's upcoming games.
"One bad game is not the end of the world. You have to come back to work the next day and just keep pushing forward, as coach says," Ike stated. "Listen to the game plan and just understand who we are as a squad and who I am as an individual, and what I bring to this team."
After Saturday's game, Gonzaga will face UCLA on December 28th in the West Coast Hoops Showdown in Inglewood, California, followed by their first West Coast Conference game on December 30th against Pepperdine in Malibu, California.