Villanova 72, Bucknell 65

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[November 21, 2014]  No. 12 Villanova 72, Bucknell 65: Dylan Ennis scored 16 points and the host Wildcats rallied to survive an upset bid from the Bison.

Villanova (3-0) ended the game on a 9-0 run to win its ninth straight in the series dating back to its last loss in 1945. Ryan Arcidiacono scored 15 points, Daniel Ochefu had 14 and Darrun Hilliard II chipped in 10, including two on a big steal and a dunk with 12 seconds left.

Chris Hass scored a career-high 32 points to lead the way for Bucknell (1-2), which rallied from 14 points down in the first half. Nana Foulland finished with six points and eight rebounds and D.J. MacLeay had 11 boards off the bench for the Bison, which had 21 turnovers and forced just seven.

Hass made three free throws with 3:33 left in the game to give Bucknell its first lead at 62-61 and drained a 3-pointer with a defender in his face with 1:55 to go to make it 65-63 before Arcidiacano tied it at the line. Ochefu hit 1-of-2 free throws with 57 ticks remaining to put Villanova back in front, Hass lost the ball with 34 seconds left and Ennis made two from the line before Hilliard's steal and slam made it 70-65.

After a pair of free throws by Hilliard gave Villanova a 30-16 lead late in the first half, Hass had four foul shots and a 3-pointer in a 12-3 run that spanned halftime and got the Bison within 33-28. Bucknell forged a 39-39 tie on MacLeay's free throw with 14:35 left and again at 55-all on a hook in the lane by Foulland with 5:26 to go, setting up a back-and-forth stretch run.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The game was part of the Progressive Legends Classic. Villanova continues play in the event Monday against No. 15 VCU at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn while Bucknell visits Toledo on Monday. ... Hass was 9-of-12 from the floor while his teammates were a combined 15-of-39. ... Villanova head coach Jay Wright played at Bucknell, serving as a co-captain his senior year in 1982-83.

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