LEWISBURG, Pa. –– Bucknell limited the Navy men's basketball team to 21 first-half points and the Bison (13-8, 7-2 Patriot League) would lead by double figures the entire second half of a 69-57 victory over the Mids (6-14, 3-6), Wednesday night at Sojka Pavilion in Lewisburg, Pa.
 
"We couldn't make any baskets tonight," said Navy head coach Ed DeChellis.  "We had wide open three-point shots and we had good offensive possessions, especially in the second half."
 
Bucknell held a 13-10 lead midway through the first half before going on a 14-3 run over the next six minutes to build a 27-13 advantage with four minutes left in the half.  Navy made a little run and closed to within eight points at 29-21 with two minutes still to play.  However, the Bison scored the final seven points of the stanza to take a 36-21 lead at the break.
 
Navy was 7-29 (24.1%) from the field in the first half and, in contrast, Bucknell was 12-26 (46.2%) from the floor.  The Bison also were 9-14 from the foul line and the Mids were 4-8 from the charity stripe.
 
Not helping the Navy offense was having starters George Kiernan (Sr., Hinsdale, Ala.), Hasan Abdullah (Sr., Birmingham, Ala.) and Evan Wieck (Jr., Amarillo, Texas) all missing much of the first half as each recorded two fouls.
 
After the Bison built a 17-point lead early in the second half, the Mids were able to close to within 11 points at 45-34.  Bucknell responded by scoring each of the next four points to take a 49-34 lead.  Navy again made it an 11-point game at 55-44 with eight minutes remaining, but Bucknell scored seven of the next eight points to open up a 62-45 advantage.
 
"In the second half we had two big turnovers back-to-back that really hurt us," said DeChellis.  "I thought we could get this under 10 and make it interesting."
 
Navy outshot Bucknell from the field in the second half (36%-31%) and also made more field goals (13-10) and more free throws (10-8).  However, the Bison made five three-point field goals after halftime while the Mids were 0-5 from beyond the arc.
 
"I thought we played better offensively in the second half," said DeChellis.  "But we had wide open shots that we just couldn't make.  It is really hard to go on the road and go 3-22 from three and shoot 31 percent from the floor,­ and we made just 58 percent of our free throws.  I told the guys we are a good free throw shooting team and all of a sudden we can't make free throws."
 
Navy totaled more steals (11-6) and forced more turnovers (14-11) in the game, which ended with both teams grabbing 43 caroms.
 
Kiernan scored 13 points, Wieck totaled 12 points and Abdullah finished with eight points, seven rebounds, five assists and five steals.
 
Navy will be in Alumni Hall Saturday at 2 p.m. to face Loyola.  The Navy basketball alumni game will start at 11 a.m.