LEWISBURG, Pa. – Four Raiders scored at least 14 points and Colgate turned a fast start into a 78-59 wire-to-wire victory over Bucknell on Saturday evening inside Sojka Pavilion.
Andrew Alekseyenko led the Raiders with 16 points, knocking down a pair of 3-pointers, while Josh Ahayere tied his career high with 15 points. Jalen Cox added a 14-point, 12-rebound double-double to go with six assists, and Sam Wright chipped in 14 points and seven boards.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Colgate opened the game on an 11-2 run behind three early 3-pointers from Alekseyenko and Ahayere, building a double-digit lead less than four minutes in.
The Raiders' hot shooting translated to the defensive end, holding Bucknell to 6-for-23 shooting and 0-for-8 from three in the first half.
Ahayere scored 11 of his 15 points before the break as Colgate stretched the lead to 29-12 midway through the half. Alekseyenko added 10 first-half points, including a buzzer-beating tip-in, to send the Raiders into the locker room ahead 39-23.
Bucknell pulled within 13 midway through the second half, but a timely 3-pointer from Ben Tweedy quickly halted the run. Wright paced Colgate after halftime with 10 points, highlighted by a steal and breakaway dunk that pushed the lead back to 21 and sealed the outcome.
Colgate led by as many as 22 points in the second half and never relinquished control, sweeping the regular-season series against Bucknell with the 78-59 victory.
NOTES
- Jalen Cox's 12 rebounds eclipsed his previous career high of 10, which he set in the first meeting against Bucknell en route to his first career triple-double.
- Cox now has three double-doubles on the season and four in his career.
- Josh Ahayere has now scored 15 points four times this season, including twice in the last four contests.
- Andrew Alekseyenko has scored in double-figures in 10 straight games.
- Colgate eclipses its win total from last season, improving to 15-10 overall.
UP NEXT
Colgate (15-10, 9-3 Patriot) is back on the road to take on Holy Cross (9-16, 4-8 Patriot) at 6 p.m. on Wednesday from the Hart Center in Worcester, Mass.
