Inspirtation: Bucknell, 2005

Forum Forum Lehigh Sports Lehigh Men’s Basketball Inspirtation: Bucknell, 2005

This topic contains 5 replies, has 1 voice, and was last updated by  lfnadmin 14 years, 11 months ago.

Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #1910

    lfnadmin
    Keymaster

    First, my take:

    http://lehighfootballnation.blogspot.co … -2005.html

    And the Express-Times also weigh in:

    http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/lehigh/ … cknel.html

    In some ways, 2005 was similar – eerily similar. But Lehigh’s style of play and Bucknell’s are night and day different. You can look at Bucknell’s style and see a few things for Lehigh to look at for inspiration, but you can’t look at Flannery’s playbook too closely and try to copy it.

    #1917
    Bison137
    Bison137
    Participant

    "lfnadmin" wrote:
    In some ways, 2005 was similar – eerily similar. But Lehigh’s style of play and Bucknell’s are night and day different.

    While there are a number of similarities in the circumstances, there are a lot of things that would make a LU win over Kansas this year a MUCH MUCH larger upset than was BU over Kansas.

    For example, consider the following:

    1. Bucknell that year won at #7 Pitt – which is still the ONLY ooc game Pitt has ever lost in the Peterson Events Center.

    2. Bucknell that year won fairly easily at St. Joes – a St. Joes team that won the A-10 by three full games with a 14-2 record. (The previous year St. Joes had gone undefeated in the regular season.)

    3. Bucknell that year beat Niagara – who was the MAAC regular season champ and the MAAC tournament champ.

    4. Bucknell that year blew out Rider by 19 points – when Rider was the runner-up in the MAAC regular season and the MAAC tournament.

    5. To get to the NCAA, Bucknell had to beat one of the five best PL teams of all time on their home court (i.e. Holy Cross at the Hart). Holy Cross had an RPI of #66 that year and had gone 13-1 in PL play, losing only at Sojka. HC only had one loss that year to a team that didn’t make the NCAA tournament and they ended up winning at Notre Dame in the NIT.

    6. Bucknell that year entered the game with Kansas with an RPI of #64 in the nation. (With the NCAA games factored in, their RPI would have been around #50.)

    #1918

    Lee-Hai-Phan
    Participant

    In 2005 Bucknell did have a really good team.

    But, just as a mood lifter, that Bucknell team also lost on the road to Lehigh, RPI 240, Navy, RPI 304 and to St. Francis, RPI 203 at home. So, maybe we can still dream just a little.

    #1921

    lfnadmin
    Keymaster

    Fair points all, bison137. Lehigh’s best win was a home game vs. Quinnipiac (Real Time RPI: 147) and, of course, have those losses to Navy (265) to answer for, too. But FWIW Lehigh’s playing their best ball right now. Lehigh certainly doesn’t have marquee victories over big teams like Pitt and the like.

    #1928
    Bison137
    Bison137
    Participant

    "Lee Hai Phan" wrote: In 2005 Bucknell did have a really good team.

    But, just as a mood lifter, that Bucknell team also lost on the road to Lehigh, RPI 240, Navy, RPI 304 and to St. Francis, RPI 203 at home. So, maybe we can still dream just a little.

    Yes, that’s correct. (Well, almost – since the Lehigh game ultimately became a forfeit win.) However, for some perspective, the Lehigh and Navy games were both in a four-game block when Flannery had his first health scare and had to step down as coach. The team hit a bad patch at that time – also lost at American. He actually returned at Lehigh but there was no immediate turnaround, possibly because he hadn’t even run one practice prior to returning to the bench. And the St. Francis game was at the start of the year when a very young Bucknell team was not playing well. (That team’s nine rotation players consisted of one senior, two juniors, four sophs, and two freshmen.)

    I’m all in favor of dreams – just wanted to point out that if LU wins it will clearly be the biggest upset in tourney history, way ahead of Bucknell and others.

    #1929

    lfnadmin
    Keymaster

    "Bison137" wrote: I’m all in favor of dreams – just wanted to point out that if LU wins it will clearly be the biggest upset in tourney history, way ahead of Bucknell and others.

    Thanks, bison137. You’re right, it would be an upset on the order of Appalachian State over Michigan, no question. We’re just thrilled that the research you did on the coincidences of the game have now gone worldwide thanks to this board and the magic of the Associated Press!

    And for the record, I’m in favor of dreams, too. :D

Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)

You must be logged in to reply to this topic.