Tigers Withstand Late Bucknell Rally to Win, 72-70

Thursday, December 22

Lewisburg, Pa.

7:00 PM

Princeton University

5-6

Bucknell

8-5

Princeton

Bucknell

Devin Cannady led Princeton with 19 points at Bucknell.

Tigers Withstand Late Bucknell Rally to Win, 72-70

December 22, 2016 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Highlights & Postgame | Photo Gallery | Postgame Notes

Though the Princeton men's basketball team led by as many as 15 points in Thursday night's game at Bucknell, the Bison made a late charge before the Tigers held on for a 72-70 win.

Devin Cannady led the Tigers with 19 points just two days after he scored 26 in the 96-90 loss at Monmouth, and Steven Cook followed up his 30-point effort in that game with 17 tonight. Myles Stephens added 10 points as Spencer Weisz, who surpassed the 300-assist and 500-rebound mark during the game, finished one off his career best with 11 rebounds. Weisz became just the third Princeton player to reach 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 300 assists, alongside Kit Mueller '91 and Ian Hummer '13.

Zach Thomas, Bucknell's leading scorer on the season (16.6 ppg), led the team against Princeton with 21 points and 11 boards. Stephen Brown, who helped fuel the late rally with three 3-pointers in the final 13 seconds, added 16 points and Nana Foulland, the Bison's second-leading scorer (14.5 ppg) and leading rebounder (8.0 rpg) on the season, had 10 points and five boards.

Bucknell led early by as many as five points and was up 19-18 with six minutes to go in the opening half before Princeton went on a 10-0 run as part of a 14-5 run to close the half and take a 32-24 lead into the break.

Princeton never trailed after the break and saw its lead grow to its peak at 47-32 on a Myles Stephens dunk (below) with just less than 12 minutes to go in the game. The Tigers were still up 10 at 63-53 with less than four minutes to go, and though Bucknell chipped away, the Bison got as close as three points with four seconds to play at 70-67. Cannady had his final points of the night, and a Brown 3-pointer at the buzzer narrowed the final margin.

Princeton will have two home games next week, Wednesday at 5 p.m. against Hampton and Saturday at 1 p.m. against Cal Poly, before the Ivy League slate begins Saturday, Jan. 7, at Jadwin Gym against Penn.