LEWISBURG, Pa. - Men's basketball closed out the 2023-24 regular season with a 60-50 loss at Bucknell on Saturday evening at Sojka Pavilion. Seniors Kyle Jenkins and Eric Sondberg totaled 12 points each to lead the offensive effort. Jenkins added seven boards and two assists while Sondberg contributed three steals.

Lafayette has secured the No. 3 seed and a first-round bye in the Patriot League Tournament and will host No. 6 Lehigh to kick off the quarterfinal round on Thursday. Live coverage on ESPN+ is set for a 7 p.m. tip-off at Kirby Sports Center.

As the game opened, Sondberg netted a pair of 3-pointers by 15:31 to give Lafayette an 8-2 advantage at the start of the contest.

The Leopards took the edge of a low-scoring 6-5 spurt, using four points by Chris Rubayo to 7:49 to lead 14-7.

Bucknell picked up the pace with a 13-5 run over the next four minutes to to lead 20-19 at 4:16, and force a Lafayette timeout. The Bison hit two 3-pointers to close out the first half on top, 26-24.

Lafayette roared into the second half with a 16-7 run down to 11:18, capped by back-to-back shots beyond the arc from Rubayo and Devin Hines, for a 40-33 advantage.

Bucknell retaliated with a 13-8 stretch to the five-minute mark. The Leopards kept just ahead of the hosts, 48-46, thanks to a layup by Jenkins.

Four Bison got on the board and held Lafayette to two points as Bucknell continued to advance to a 57-50 lead with one minute left to play.

Elvin Edmonds guaranteed a 60-50 outcome with three free throws as the Leopards began fouling in an attempt to regain a last-chance possession.

Bucknell shot 38.6 percent from the field and was held to 5-of-27 from long range. Edmonds and Ruot Bijiek led the hosts in double figures with 12 points. The Bison connected on 11-of-15 from the charity stripe to Lafayette's three-of-eight.


For the latest on the Lafayette College men's basketball program, follow the Leopards on X @LafayetteMBB and Instagram @lafayettembb.