LEXINGTON, Ky. —
One of Bucknell center Mike Muscala’s crowning achievements this season took place far from the basketball court.
Never mind that the 6-foot-11 senior is the only player in Division I to average 18 points and 11 rebounds a game, or that he leads the NCAA with 22 double-doubles. Making the dean’s list is pretty impressive, too.
For now, the books can wait.
The 11th-seeded Bison (28-5) are back in the NCAA tournament, opening against sixth-seeded Butler (26-8) on Thursday in Lexington, Ky.
“It’s been pretty tough,” Muscala said about maintaining his 3.3 grade-point average. “But that’s why a lot of us came to Bucknell — to play a high level of basketball” and play at a school with good academics.
With all due respect to the brainy Patriot League program — Muscala’s basketball acumen is what worries most opposing coaches.
“They’ve got a 7-footer in Muscala,” Butler coach Brad Stevens told reporters after the matchup with Bucknell was announced Sunday. “The consensus is he’s a pro.”
And the only Bison player that Stevens individually then named. After all, it’s hard not to notice Muscala (19 points per game) on the floor. Muscala can finish inside with either hand. He can handle the ball. And his rebounding (11.2 per game) has improved each year in Lewisburg, Pa.
But it’s his jumper and mid-range game that seem especially lethal.
Down the stretch of last week’s 64-56 win over Lafayette in the conference final, Muscala hit three big shots after the Leopards had whittled a 12-point deficit to three: A fadeaway to his left. A jump hook. And a long, high-arcing shot after getting pushed out of position low. All under pressure, with fans calling for the big guy to get the ball. All good.
“We’ve done a good job all year of closing out games,” Muscala said. “For the most part, we’ve stayed pretty composed.”
Then there’s Muscala’s defense. The Patriot League’s player of the year and defensive player of the year is Bucknell’s career leader in blocks (2.71 per game).
Muscala’s presence “allows the perimeter guys to pressure. It allows us to really get into people, even though we’re not the most athletic team,” guard Bryson Johnson said.
They do get the results — the Bison allow 57.5 points per game, 14th-best out of Division I’s 347 teams. They’re holding opponents to .378 shooting, seventh-best in the country.
One of Muscala’s biggest games came in Bucknell’s toughest road trip of the year, a 66-64 loss at Missouri. Muscala had 25 points on 10-of-17 shooting, with 14 rebounds, four assists and two blocks.
Johnson’s not bad, either. A senior who is averaging 11.1 points, he is the Patriot League’s career leader in 3-point field goals (321).
Senior Joe Willman (10.3 points, 5.9 rebounds) is a pick-and-pop forward who pairs with Muscala in a tough frontcourt. Junior guard Cameron Ayers (12.5 points) is shooting 39 percent from 3-point range, just like Johnson.
Throw in small-school Bucknell’s history of NCAA tournament success (don’t remind Kansas) and it’s easy to see why the Bison have become a chic pick to pull off more upsets this year. Bucknell eliminated the Jayhawks in 2005 in Round 1.
Of course, no team knows how to pull upsets like Butler. The Bulldogs remain mid-major royalty just two years removed from back-to-back trips to the NCAA finals.
“That’s pretty impressive that we’ve had that kind of impression on people,” Johnson said when asked about the comparisons to Butler. “That’s the highest compliment that you can have as a mid-major.”
The Bison’s competitiveness shows up off the court, too. Muscala recalled how a month ago, the seniors, including Willman and Johnson, checked their grades to see who made dean’s list. As it turns out, they all did.
But Muscala exceeded them, anyway. The dual major in business management and Spanish is the Patriot League scholar-athlete of the year award, too.
As usual, Bucknell’s big man came out on top.
Sports
Related Photos
-
Bucknell head coach Dave Paulsen paces on the court during practice for the second round of the NCAA college basketball tournament Wednesday in Lexington. Bucknell will face Butler Thursday. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
-
Bucknell center Mike Muscala (31) shoots during practice for the second round of the NCAA college basketball tournament Wednesday in Lexington. Bucknell plays Butler on Thursday. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Discussion
Muscala, Bison ready for Butler
- Sports
-
-
Drive through our new 'Fast Lanes' auto racing website
A big Memorial Day weekend of racing is on tap this week.
Click Here to see our new "Fast Lanes" auto racing website, packed with racing news, photos, standings, schedules and much more.
-
H.S. girls lacrosse: Lewisburg routs Danville for district championship
By Anthony Mitchell For The Daily Item MIDDLEBURG -- Danville was making its first appearance in the district final. The Ironmen reached it by outlasting Selinsgrove in the semifinals and were looking to play the role of the popular, new kid and knock off Lewisburg, a perennial title contender.
-
H.S. boys lacrosse: Selinsgrove stays undefeteatd in District 4 title win
By Anthony Mitchell For The Daily Item MIDDLEBURG " Selinsgrove coach Tom Garlock mentioned after the Seals' semifinal victory against Mifflinburg last Thursday that a celebration would start with a win on Tuesday over Lewisburg.
-
H.S. girls track: Selinsgrove junior manages injuries to earn PIAA berth
By Todd Hummel For The Daily Item SELINSGROVE -- Junior Brianna Carnathan took a deep breath on Tuesday afternoon at Harold L. Bolig Memorial Field and began to talk about the different injuries that have hindered her since last year.
-
H.S. baseball: Early scoring helps Southern Columbia win playoff opener
By Marion Valanoski For The Daily Item CATAWISSA -- Matt Perry knew very little about the Southern Columbia baseball team heading into Tuesday's District 4 Class A baseball playoff opener. The Mansfield head coach was concerned after watching the host team during batting practice about the small field and the shifting wind currents.
-
H.S. tennis: Lewisburg's Barr named HAC-II Coach of the Year
By The Daily Item The Lewisburg High boys tennis squad continued to make waves this year, and plenty of Green Dragons were honored as the Heartland Athletic Conference's coaches selected their 2013 All-Star team.
-
H.S. baseball: Upper Dauphin loses in first round of District 3 playoffs
By The Daily Item CAMP HILL -- It was like deja vu all over again for the Upper Dauphin High baseball team as the District 3 Class AA playoffs got underway on Monday.
-
Professional basketball: Bucknell's Muscala writes in his 'Draft Diary' about NBA journey
EDITOR'S NOTE: The following is Mike Muscala's own account of his journey to the NBA through the league's "Draft Diary." Please visit the NBA's "All Ball Blog" at "http://allball.blogs.nba.com/category/draft-diaries/" to read more on Muscala and other NBA rookie hopefuls.
-
H.S. track and field: Selinsgrove senior battles through injury to help Seal girls win gold
By Eric Shultz For The Daily Item For a while, it seemed as if an abundance of hard work had just gone down the drain.
-
College notebook: Bucknell narrowly wins Patriot League President's Cup
By The Daily Item It was not easy, but Bucknell added another Patriot League President's Cup to its name, extending its conference dominance in 2012-13.
-
High school sports: Valley teams gear up for postseason
Nine softball teams, six baseball squads eye district titles
-
Bob Garrett's No Child Left Indoors series: Just let wild animals be
A quick guide on what to do if and when you or a family member encounters a baby animal in the wild.
-
Boys track and field: Wary performance at districts
Shikellamy junior collects three individual Class AAA gold medals
-
H.S. girls track: Shikellamy relay turns disappointment into triumph in district meet
Sometimes disappointment can be a great motivating factor as half of the Shikellamy girls 1600 relay found out on Saturday afternoon at the District 4 Track and Field meet at Susquehanna University.
-
H.S. softball: Fifth-inning rally propels Midd-West past Shikellamy
By Anthony Mitchell For The Daily Item MIDDLEBURG -- The fifth inning has been Shikellamy's Achilles heel all season long according to Braves coach Heidi Kerchoff.
-
H.S. track and field: Selinsgrove senior jumper Lockcuff fighting through an injury
SELINSGROVE " As an athlete, working through an injury while trying to reach the top level of your sport can have the coaches and the athlete walking a tightrope.
- More Sports Headlines
-
