LEWISBURG, Pa. (Interstat) — A dominant second-half surge fueled the Bucknell Bison to a 72-65 victory over the Lehigh Mountain Hawks in a Patriot League men’s basketball game Saturday at Sojka Pavilion.

Trailing by eight at halftime, Bucknell outscored Lehigh 44-29 after the break, using a relentless defensive effort to erase the deficit and pull away. The Bison forced 21 Lehigh turnovers, converting them into 23 points, and recorded 14 steals to fuel their transition game.

The game’s pivotal stretch came early in the second half. After Lehigh’s Hank Alvey opened the scoring with a layup to extend the Mountain Hawks’ lead to 38-28, Bucknell unleashed a decisive 15-0 run. The Bison defense locked down, generating stops and turnovers, while the offense found its rhythm. Ruot Bijiek and Pat Curtin combined for nine points during the burst, which was capped by a Jayden Williams 3-pointer that gave Bucknell a 43-38 lead with 15:59 remaining, a lead they would not relinquish.

Lehigh, which led 36-28 at intermission, struggled to regain its offensive flow against Bucknell’s heightened pressure. The Mountain Hawks committed 12 of their turnovers in the second half and shot just 29 points on 8-of-23 from the floor after halftime.

Bijiek led all scorers with 20 points for Bucknell, adding two assists and two blocks. Curtin provided a crucial all-around performance with 14 points, four assists and a game-high four steals. Williams finished with 12 points and five assists, while Amon Dörries added 11 points.

Lehigh was paced by Hank Alvey, who scored a team-high 26 points on 10-of-15 shooting and blocked two shots. Nasir Whitlock and Edouard Benoit each contributed 11 points, and Joshua Ingram added 10.

Despite the loss, Lehigh was efficient from the field, shooting 46.8% compared to Bucknell’s 36.9%. The Mountain Hawks also held a significant advantage at the free-throw line, making 17 of 21 attempts. However, Bucknell’s advantages in offensive rebounds (9-3), assists (14-7), and the critical turnover margin proved decisive. The Bison scored 72 points on 77 possessions for an offensive rating of 94.1, while Lehigh managed 65 points on 75 possessions for an 86.7 rating.

The win improved both teams’ records to 4-11 overall. Bucknell, which entered as a 3.5-point favorite according to sportsbooks, covered the spread. The total score of 137 fell under the betting line of 135.5.

Attendance was 1,127.

Lehigh will look to rebound when it hosts Holy Cross on Wednesday. Bucknell travels to face Navy the same night.