On Feb. 15, the Bison took on American University, looking to improve their record in the Patriot League. With a tough fight, the Bison were able to do just that, winning the game 72-68.

In the opening minutes, American took an early lead. However, the Bison were able to respond. John Meeks ’21 and Jimmy Sotos ’21 each knocking down three-pointers, followed by Tre Newman ’21 converting two layups, gave the Orange and Blue the lead. They went into the half with a five-point lead.

Kahliel Spear ’22 was a key performer off the bench in the game. He scored a career-high of 20 points and collected nine rebounds. Spear was very impactful in the second half when the Eagles tied it up at 37. Spear brought the Bison ahead again with a tip-in that was then followed by a big dunk.

Although it was close, the Bison ultimately pulled away with the win. “We were able to make winning plays, and make shots and stops when we needed them most, which really helped us win the game,” Meeks said.

Stat leaders on the day were Spear with 20 points, Meeks with 11, Walter Ellis ’22 with 10 and Newman with nine. Spear also led in rebounds with nine, followed by Meeks with eight, Newman with four and Avi Toomer ’20 with four.

The day was not only special due to the win in Sojka, but also because of a visit from a former Bison. Mike Muscala ’13, who is now in his seventh year in the NBA and is the career-leading scorer at the University, came back to campus to have his jersey retired. Muscala then got to watch his alma mater improve their Patriot League record to 6-8.

The Bison traveled to Holy Cross on Monday. Despite the quick turnaround, they were able to come out with another Patriot League victory, with a score of 69-48. The Bison had a strong defensive game, allowing them to win by 21 points, their biggest margin all season. They held the Crusaders to a 37 percent shooting from the field while knocking down 42.9 percent of their own shots.

Stat leaders at the Hart Center were Andrew Funk ’22 with 19 points, Meeks with 18, Toomer with 10 and Ellis with nine. Funk and Meeks also led the way in rebounds with seven, followed by Newman and Sotos with four.

They now move to 7-8 in the Patriot League and will look to continue their winning streak this Sunday against Lehigh.