HAMILTON, N.Y. – Jack Ferguson scored a career-high 28 points and knocked down seven of eight three-point attempts to lead Colgate past Bucknell 96-68 Thursday night in the Patriot League Tournament quarterfinals at Cotterell Court.
Colgate (21-11, 16-2 Patriot) with the win advances to the semifinals for the fifth consecutive year and earns a date with fourth-seeded Lehigh Sunday at 2 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.
Playing on their freshest legs in over a month, the Raiders shot the lights out at 66.7% (40-of-60) from the field and 68.4% (13-of-19) from behind the arc – both season-high marks. Colgate's 30 assists set a program record for the most in a single game, eclipsing the previous-high 28 set in 1956 against New York Tech.
Ferguson was just unconscious, finishing his night 10-of-12 from the field and 7-of-8 from downtown. He added seven rebounds, a career-high five assists, and a career-best tying two blocked shots.
Ferguson's 28 led four in double figures.
Nelly Cummings scored 15 and added four assists,
Jeff Woodward netted 11 points and
Keegan Records had 10.
Colgate hit another gear late in the first half to build a double-digit lead. Seven straight makes from the field, including a pair of 3-pointers from Ferguson, turned a three-point margin into a 37-20 lead on the heels of a 17-3 run that ate more than six minutes.
Bucknell countered with an 11-3 scoring spurt after Alex Timmerman hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key. Another trey on the tail end of the run turned into a four-point play for Xander Rice, who sank his free throw to cut the margin to 40-31.
Ferguson's layup on Colgate's next possession ignited a 7-0 spurt.
Ryan Moffatt capped it with a 3-pointer from the wing and the Raiders sprinted into the locker room sporting a 47-34 lead at the break.
The Raiders just kept coming in the second half and connected on nine straight shots, including a 4-for-4 start from behind the arc. Cummings and Ferguson each swished a pair from long range to push Colgate's lead to 20 (71-51) eight minutes into the frame.
Oliver Lynch-Daniels canned a pair of triples and Colgate's lead grew to as many as 27 (87-60) on a floater in the lane from Woodward with 5:10 showing. Big minutes from the bench, including
Sam Thomson who finished with eight points, helped Colgate cruise to the finish line with the 96-68 victory.
After shooting 61% in the first half, Colgate one-upped that mark with a 72% clip in the second half. The Raiders made 21 of 29 attempts from the field in the second half and came close to the program record for highest single game field goal percentage, which was set at 72.7% against Fairleigh Dickinson in 1973.
FROM THE SOURCE
Head Coach Matt Langel
"First, that was an extraordinary crowd for a quarterfinal game against a team that has been playing really well. Our crowd made a huge difference – our student body, student-athletes, the staff and the community really brought an energy to the game.
"Both teams got off to a great start and we were able to sustain that. Our defense picked up and wore them down a little bit. We had an extraordinary offensive game. We shot the ball well from the perimeter and 30 assists on 40 field goals is something I'm not sure I've ever been a part of.
Jack Ferguson was just lights out. He had a phenomenal game.
"One day at a time. We've got two days to prepare. We'll get together Saturday afternoon to start watching some film on Lehigh. This group has been experienced and we've been doing this for a number of weeks now just locking in on the next opportunity. Hopefully that will prepare us to play our best on Sunday afternoon."
UP NEXT
Top-seeded Colgate (21-11, 16-2 Patriot) carries a 13-game winning streak into Sunday's semifinal round against fourth-seeded Lehigh. Tipoff from Cotterell Court is set for 2 p.m., with the game airing nationally on CBS Sports Network. Lehigh knocked off fifth-seeded Army 91-77 in its Thursday quarterfinal game.
