LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP, N.J. (Interstat) — In a matchup of struggling teams searching for any positive momentum, Bucknell found a path to victory through defensive tenacity and the offensive spark of Achile Spadone. The Bison held Rider to a season-low in points and a frigid shooting performance to secure a 51-38 road win in a nonconference men’s basketball game Tuesday night at Alumni Gymnasium.

The most important part of the game was Bucknell’s immediate and sustained defensive pressure, which completely stifled Rider’s offense from the opening tip and built an insurmountable first-half lead. The Bison set the tone in the game’s opening minutes, forcing the Broncs into missed shots and turnovers, and capitalized with a 13-0 run to start the contest. Rider did not score its first field goal until the 17:20 mark of the first half, and by then Bucknell had already established a commanding double-digit advantage it would never relinquish.

Spadone, a guard from Geneva, Switzerland, led all scorers with 14 points over 37 minutes, adding three assists, a block and a steal. His early sequence of a steal leading to an assist, followed by a layup and a 3-pointer, fueled the initial burst that decided the contest’s trajectory. Jayden Williams of Bucknell added nine points.

The Bison (3-9) led 26-16 at halftime and maintained control throughout the second half, with the Broncs never drawing closer than eight points. Rider’s offensive woes were comprehensive, as the team finished shooting under 30% from the floor and made only three 3-pointers. The 38 points scored were the fewest by a Bucknell opponent this season.

Davis Bynum provided a brief spark off the bench for Rider (1-8), scoring six points and blocking three shots in just 12 minutes of action. Caleb Smith also scored six for the Broncs, who have lost eight straight since a season-opening win.

Bucknell’s defense was a collective effort, registering six steals and five blocks while consistently contesting shots. The Bison also won the rebounding battle, limiting Rider’s second-chance opportunities. The victory snapped a three-game losing skid for Bucknell, which had lost its previous two games by a combined 34 points.

Rider, which entered the game with a 61.2% probability to win according to Interstat’s ELO system, instead continued its season of frustration. The Broncs have now failed to reach 70 points in any of their eight losses this season.

The game’s final total of 89 points fell dramatically under the pregame over/under line of 139.5, a testament to the defensive struggle. A crowd of 1,216 watched as both teams combined for more turnovers than made field goals for long stretches of the game.

Bucknell looks to build on the defensive performance when it travels to face Iowa in Des Moines on Dec. 20. Rider will attempt to regroup on the road at Delaware on Dec. 16.