WASHINGTON -- American University men's basketball fell in a tightly-contested matchup with Bucknell in the Patriot League tournament quarterfinals on Thursday night inside Bender Arena. 

QUICK NOTABLES

• Sa'eed Nelson led the way with 22 points, seven rebounds and five steals. 
• Jamir Harris had 15 points and made two triples in the final three minutes to give American a chance down the stretch.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• American led for a majority of the first half, although neither team could create much separation.
• Stacy Beckton Jr. slammed a dunk to give AU a 16-11 lead with 13:34 left in the half, which was American's largest lead of the frame. 
• Avi Toomer put an exclamation point on a 7-0 Bucknell run with a three-pointer to put the Bison up, 24-21, with 4:24 left in the first half. 
• Connor Nelson hit a three-pointer from the corner as the first half ended and AU went into the locker room trailing, 30-29.
• Bucknell stretched its lead to five as the second half opened, but Connor finished a three-point play to tie the game at 36-36 with 16:58 left to play. 
• After the Bison took their largest lead of the game at 52-46 with 4:43 remaining, American went on a 7-0 run, culminated by a Jamir Harris triple, to take its only lead of the half at 53-52 with 2:43 remaining.
• Bucknell took the lead right back and never gave it back up, ultimately prevailing, 64-59.

BY THE NUMBERS

• American struggled from the field, shooting only 36.2 percent, including 5-of-23 from three-point range. 
• The Eagles only managed two bench points. 
• The largest lead of the game for either team was only six points.

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