Box Score

EASTON, Pa. - The Lafayette men's basketball team put forth an inspired effort on Wednesday evening in Kirby Sports Center, but were unfortunately not rewarded in a gut-wrenching 86-83 double-overtime defeat at the hands of first-place Bucknell.

It was an evenly played game throughout, but a pair of big shots from Preseason All-League selection Chris Hass did the Leopards in, as he hit the biggest shot of the game, a three falling away from the right wing to tie the game at 73 with 15.9 seconds left in the first overtime. Hass finished with a game-high 30 points with 15 coming in the two five-minute extra sessions.

Lafayette looked like a motivated team on both ends of the floor, playing inspired basketball in what looked nothing like a last place-first place matchup in the Patriot League. Senior Zach Rufer led the Leopards offensively with a career-high 20 points, while sophomore Matt Klinewski, senior Bryce Scott, freshman Paulius Zalys and junior Nick Lindner all chipped in with double-figure scoring at 19, 12, 12 and 10, respectively.

Scott did everything he could to make an impact all over the floor despite having a tough night from beyond the arc, hitting on just one of his nine attempts. The senior racked up season-high's in both rebounds (8) and assists (6) to go along with two blocks and two steals.

Lindner put together one of his best defensive performances of the league season, tying a career-high with three steals and helping to force a majority of Bucknell's 17 turnovers. The junior turned it over just once, helping out with three assists and ripping down six boards from his point guard spot.

The loss drops the Leopards to 5-23 on the year and 2-15 in Patriot League action. This is the fifth overtime loss of the season for the Maroon and White in six opportunities, the most overtime defeats for a Lafayette team in the Patriot League era (1990-91). Additionally, Lafayette has held the lead with less than three minutes to play in regulation in all five of those losses.

Back-to-back steals from Lindner after the first four minutes led to a bucket by the junior at the 16:04 mark of the first half to put the Leopards in front early, 6-4. That defensive effort sparked a 7-0 run from the Maroon and White that saw them push their lead to nine at 13-4 with less than 14 minutes to play, forcing a Bucknell timeout.

The Bison settled in over the next four minutes, cutting the lead to five at 17-12 with 9:51 remaining in the opening half. Bucknell kept coming as a 13-2 run tied the game at 17, but Lindner's triple put the Leopards back in front into the under-eight media timeout, 20-17.

Free throws from D.J. MacLeay with less than five minutes put Bucknell on top for its first lead since early in the half, 26-25. However, a Lindner triple at the three-minute mark tied it again at 28 and the game remained deadlocked into the halftime intermission, 35-35.

A high-flying block from Zalys and a run-out in transition from Lindner to Scott opened the second half with momentum on Lafayette's side. The Leopards showed an increased effort defensively over the first few minutes as a Lindner steal led to a Zalys spinning finish in the lane as the game went under the 16-minute mark with a two-point Lafayette edge, 43-41.

Bucknell responded at the 14-minute mark with four straight to regain the lead, 45-43, but senior Ben Freeland answered with a left-elbow jumper to knot it at 45 on the next possession. A Rufer three midway through the second stanza put Lafayette up by its largest margin since the 10:27 mark of the first half, five, 53-48.

As the game moved into the latter stages of regulation, Lafayette remained on top by a slim margin as free throws from Stephen Brown with 4:48 left made it 60-59 in favor of the home side. Hass' finish through contact, however, forced Freeland out of the game with 4:08 on the clock and five fouls, putting Bucknell up by two, 62-60.

The two teams traded baskets over the next three minutes as a Brown floater down the left side of the lane with 50 seconds to play gave Bucknell a 67-65 lead. However, on Lafayette's possession with 30 seconds to go, Lindner drove the lane and kicked to Klinewski on the right baseline, who drained the jumper to tie it at 67. Zach Thomas' jumper was late at the buzzer, sending the game into its first overtime.

Defense ruled the opening two minutes of the first extra session as the first points came off a Hass free throw at 2:54 to push Bucknell to a 68-67 advantage. The lead changed hands a number of times before a Lindner drive-and-finish down the left side of the lane put Lafayette in front by three with 35 seconds on the clock.

Unfortunately for the Leopards, Hass' heroics kicked in as his triple from the right wing, falling away over a double team tied the game at 73 with 15.9 seconds to play. Lindner's step-back attempt late was off the mark as the game moved to a second extra session.

A Scott drive, stop and pop-up jumper down the right side of the lane with 2:40 to play gave the Leopards a 79-77 advantage after an evenly played opening few minutes, however Hass answered again with a triple at the 1:48 mark to make it 80-79 Bucknell.

The key moment came within the last minute as a missed Scott three from the top of the key gave Bucknell the ball, up 82-80. The Leopards forced a missed Hass shot, but gave up an offensive rebound and Brown's left drive and finish with 15 seconds remaining made it a two-possession game at 84-80.

A Rufer three with 8.4 seconds left gave Lafayette hope, but after two Hass free throws, Scott's game-winner at the buzzer was off the mark right, finishing the game with an 86-83 final.

Lafayette finishes up its 2015-16 regular season on Saturday, hosting Colgate for Senior Day at 12 p.m. Seniors Bryce Scott, Zach Rufer, Nathaniel Musters, Ben Freeland and Billy Murphy will be honored prior to tipoff.