LEWISBURG, Pa. (Interstat) — In a Patriot League clash defined by grit and a refusal to surrender, the Army Black Knights authored a resilient road victory, edging the Bucknell Bison 87-84 in overtime Wednesday night at Sojka Pavilion.

The game, a dramatic departure from pregame projections that heavily favored Bucknell, was ultimately decided by Army’s superior composure in the extra period and a clutch three-pointer that forced the additional five minutes.

Army, which improved to 8-12 overall, led for much of the contest, taking a 45-39 advantage into halftime behind efficient perimeter shooting. The Black Knights connected on 12 of 31 attempts from three-point range for the game, a critical counter to Bucknell’s interior presence. Bucknell, which fell to 6-14, chipped away in the second half, leveraging a 41-35 scoring edge to force overtime at 80-80.

The most pivotal sequence of the game unfolded in the final seconds of regulation. Trailing 80-78, Army’s Ryan Curry, a guard from Montgomery, New Jersey, sank a mid-range jumper with 35 seconds remaining to tie the score. Bucknell had a chance to win it on its final possession, but a driving layup attempt by Jayden Williams of the Bronx, New York, rimmed out. Army’s Jaxson Bell of Indianapolis secured the offensive rebound and was fouled with 2.2 seconds left. Bell calmly made both free throws to seemingly give Army an 82-80 lead.

However, Bucknell’s Achile Spadone of Geneva, Switzerland, was fouled on a desperate inbounds play with 0.2 seconds on the clock. Spadone, showing immense poise, sank both free throws to send the stunned crowd of 819 into a frenzy and force overtime at 82-82.

The overtime period belonged to Army’s defense and timely scoring. The Black Knights held Bucknell to just four points on 1-of-5 shooting from the field in the extra frame, while also forcing two critical turnovers. After Bucknell’s Pat Curtin of Ellicott City, Maryland, gave his team an 84-82 lead with two free throws, Army closed the game on a 5-0 run.

The decisive blow came from Army’s Jackson Furman of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, who drained a three-pointer with 33 seconds left in overtime to put the Black Knights ahead for good at 85-84. Following a Bucknell turnover, Army’s Ryan Curry sealed the victory with two free throws with 33 seconds remaining. Bucknell’s final two possessions resulted in a missed three-pointer and a missed layup, allowing Army to secure the hard-fought win.

Curtin was spectacular in defeat for Bucknell, scoring a game-high 25 points in 40 minutes. Spadone added 18 points, while Williams contributed 17. The Bison shot a respectable 48.3% from the field but were outdone by Army’s 90.5% performance (19 of 21) at the free-throw line.

Army’s attack was more balanced, led by Bell’s 18 points. Jacen Holloway of Schwenksville, Pennsylvania, added 17 points, while Furman and Curry each chipped in 14. The Black Knights overcame a disparity in assists (10-5) and turnovers (12-8) by winning the battle of efficiency, posting an offensive rating of 120.9 points per 100 possessions compared to Bucknell’s 118.4.

The victory marked a significant upset, as Bucknell entered the game as a 5.5-point favorite with an 82.6% probability to win according to Interstat’s ELO system. The combined score of 171 points sailed over the pregame over/under line of 145.

Army, which had lost four of its last five games, including an overtime heartbreaker to Loyola Maryland earlier this month, showed resilience to close out a tight game on the road. Bucknell, meanwhile, saw a two-game winning streak snapped and will look to regroup in its next Patriot League contest.

The two teams are scheduled to meet again in West Point, New York, on Feb. 25. Army travels to face service academy rival Navy on Saturday, while Bucknell heads to Loyola Maryland.