Bucknell is back in the NCAA tournament for the second year in a row. The Bison earned an automatic bid to the 2018 big dance by winning the Patriot League championship game in dominating fashion over Colgate, 83-54.
Meet the Bucknell Bison. Can they upset Michigan State?
Zach Thomas and the Bison could bust a few brackets in this year’s NCAA tournament.
Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
The Bison are the No. 14 seed in the Midwest Region and have a tough draw in their first-round matchup with No. 3 Michigan State. The Spartans have nine Final Four appearances in school history. The Bison are making their eighth overall NCAA tournament appearance. But do they have a thrilling upset as a No. 14 seed on their tournament resume.
Before you fill out your bracket, here is what you should know about the Bison:
How did they do this year?
Bucknell was the gold standard in the Patriot League during the 2017-18 season, finishing in first place with a 16-2 conference record. Their only two losses in conference came against Boston University and Lehigh.
The Bison did challenge themselves in non-conference play, but struggled to a 6-7 record outside the Patriot League. Their worst non-conference loss came against No. 7 seed Arkansas on Nov. 12 (101-73). But they had a tough schedule to begin the season playing both the Razorbacks and No. 2 seed North Carolina over the span of three days.
Who is the best player?
Senior forward Zach Thomas is the player to watch for Bucknell. The Maryland native averaged 20.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 31.9 minutes per game this season. He shot 46.1 percent from the field and 37.3 percent from three-point range.
The 6’7 forward was a first-team All-Patriot League selection for a second consecutive year and tied a league record for being named the player of the week seven times. The 21-year old Thomas ranks fifth on Bucknell’s all-time scoring list with 1,706 points.
What is their tournament history?
This is Bucknell’s eighth appearance in the NCAA tournament. They currently have a record of 2-7, picking up a win in 2005 and another 2006. In 2005, they defeated Kansas, 64-63, as a No. 14 seed to advance the Round of 32, where they lost to Wisconsin. Then in 2006, as a No. 9 seed, they defeated Arkansas, 59-55.
Last year, Bucknell lost to No. 4 seed West Virginia, 86-80. In that game, then-junior guard Kimbal Mackenzie led the Bison with 23 points, connecting on 5-of-7 from three-point range. Thomas had 13 points and six rebounds.
What is the mascot?
Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images
Meet Bucky the Bison.
What is their Cinderella potential?
When making your tournament picks, keep this number in mind: 33.2. It is the three-point percentage for opposing teams when they go against Bucknell this season. That ranks 69th in the country, according to Kenpom.com. For Bucknell to steal a game, they will need to lock down on the perimeter or face a team that can’t hurt them from deep.
Who are they playing in the first round?
Bucknell’s first-round matchup will be against No. 3 Michigan State Thursday night at 7:10 p.m. ET at Little Caesar’s Arena in Detroit. The Spartans are among the oddsmakers’ favorites to win the national championship, and have two potential NBA draft lottery picks in Miles Bridges and Jaren Jackson Jr.
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