Bucknell Bison: 26-8, 15-3 in the Patriot League
Head coach: Nathan Davis (2nd season)
Players to watch: Zach Thomas (16.0 PPG, 41.5 3PT%); Nana Foulland (14.9 PPG, 7.8 RPG); Stephen Brown (10.9 PPG, 4.8 APG)
Season recap: Bucknell was tested right out of the gates and got off to a slow start with a pair of blowout losses to Butler and Wake Forest. But the Bison notched a win against Vanderbilt in the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational before continuing to right the ship once conference play got under way.
The Bison enter the Big Dance having won 14 of their last 16 contests behind the play of Foulland and Thomas. Despite dominating most of its Patriot League opponents, Bucknell lost both of its regular season contests to Lehigh, which was picked to win the conference in the preseason. The Bison exacted revenge against the Hawks in the Patriot League tournament championship game, however, to clinch a bid to the NCAA tournament for just the seventh time in program history.
How they make a run: With just two tournament wins in program history, Bucknell will need Foulland and Thomas to be at their best to spring a potential first-round upset. Between their two frontcourt stars, the Bison have enough size and scoring in the interior to take advantage of a smaller, more perimeter oriented team.
How they falter: Bucknell does not excel in any particular facet of the game—ranking 87th and 88th in KenPom's adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency ratings, respectively. The Bison are susceptible to being overwhelmed by the sheer athleticism of Power 5 opponents and could face an uphill battle if either of their post threats gets in foul trouble.
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