WASHINGTON -- Glenn Stokes (Silver Spring, Md./Albert Einstein) scored 25 points and Steve Miles (Alexandria, Va./Hayfield, Va.) netted 21 points to power American University to a 70-56 victory over Bucknell University. American is now 10-11 overall, and 5-3 in Patriot League play. Bucknell is 10-11 overall, and 4-4 in conference action.
American got off to a fast start, and when Andres Rodriguez (San Juan Puerto Rico/Colegio San Ignacio) hit a floater in the paint he gave the Eagles a 7-0 lead just two minutes into the game. AU eventually took a 12-point lead (29-17) in the first half after Jernavis Draughn (Potomac, Va./Triangle) finished off a three-point play. Bucknell freshman Kevin Bettencourt scored five of the Bisons last six points to cut the halftime margin to five points, 30-25. Bettencourt finished with 20 points and six rebounds.
"This was a good win for us," said American University head coach Jeff Jones. "Obviously we needed it, and I think a real key for us was in the second half, when Steve (Miles) began to drive it to the basket. It created a lot of opportunities for us."
In the second half Bucknell was never able to cut it any closer than six points (39-33). Over the last five minutes of the game AU stretched the lead from 11 to 16 points, before finally settling for the final 14-point margin.
Stokes scored his 25 points on superior shooting. He was eight-of-12 from the field and five-of-eight from three-point land. He also grabbed three rebounds and dished out three assists. Miles was six-of-14 from the floor and seven-of-eight from the free throw line. He also led AU in rebounding with eight. Rodriguez finished with four points, two assists and a season-high five steals. Ric Patiejunas (Vilnius, Lithuania/Vilnius College) netted five points on two-of-three shooting and handed out two assists in 14 minutes.
Draughn provided eight points and three rebounds for the Eagles along with some stellar defense. After Raimondas Petrauskas (Mazeikiai, Lithuania/Lithuanian Physical Culture Academy) picked up his fourth foul, Draughn covered Bucknell's Boakai Lalugba and was very effective. Matej Cresnik (Velenje, Slovenia,/University of Ljubljana) scored seven points, including a key three-pointer and provided strong defense.
American applied solid defense, coming up with eight steals and creating 21 Bison turnovers. Another area AU prevailed was at the free throw line. Bucknell had ten more chances, but American shot a far better percentage. AU hit on 13-of-15 attempts while the Bison could only hit on 15-of-25 attempts from the charity stripe. American is now 8-1 in games when they score over 70 points.
American has now won two games in a row and will play at Navy February 12, 2003 in a critical midweek Patriot League battle. Tip-off is at 7 p.m.
