Bucknell gets Patriot berth

WORCESTER -- Down by 18 points at halftime and by 10 with just under four minutes to play in the Patriot League championship game, Holy Cross came within a Kevin Hamilton off-balance jump shot of tying Bucknell yesterday at the Hart Center.

But when Hamilton's 12-foot attempt clanged off the rim, it was Peabody's Kevin Bettencourt -- whose brother Ted was Holy Cross basketball captain in 1996 -- who gathered in the rebound. He was fouled by Keith Simmons, and after the long walk downcourt, Bettencourt stepped to the free throw line.

It wasn't the first pressure moment of the season for the former Peabody High star, who made a pair of free throws that put Bucknell ahead for good when the Bison upset Pitt. And Bettencourt came through again, nailing both freebies to give Bucknell its final points of a 61-57 win that put his team in the NCAA Tournament and left Holy Cross hoping that its regular-season championship, No. 46 RPI rating, and 16-game win streak that ended yesterday count for something in the selection committee's deliberations.

"Teddy came up to me after the game and gave me a big hug. I don't want to get him in trouble," said Bettencourt, whose entourage also included his parents, sisters, several aunts and uncles, and his high school coach, Chris Mastrangelo. "But I think tonight he was a Bucknell fan. He told me how proud he was for me."

Ironically, Ted Bettencourt was a member of the 1993 Crusaders team that came to Bucknell's gym when the home team was 13-1 and ruined Bucknell's NCAA plans with a 98-73 win.

Hamilton, who led the Crusaders (24-6) with 21 points, was spectacular in the second half. He came up with three consecutive steals with Holy Cross trailing, 59-51. He made a pair of free throws after the first and a layup after the second, making it 59-55. But on the third trip, he was guarded closely by Bettencourt, who drew what Holy Cross coach Ralph Willard felt was a questionable charge.

The Crusaders, who shot a woeful 6 for 28 in the first half (they trailed by 20 on two occasions), got the ball back after Bettencourt couldn't connect as the shot clock ran down, and a Kevin Hyland putback cut it to 2. That's when Bucknell coach Pat Flannery called on pivotman Chris McNaughton (17 points, 7 boards) to do what he had done best throughout the game: go inside.

However, McNaughton's shot was a tad wild. Hamilton grabbed the basketball and began his charge upcourt with time running down. But with Hamilton unable to penetrate and with the crowd of 3,788 on its feet and roaring, the last chance for an amazing comeback failed.

"We had a great year," said Willard, "but of course we're all disappointed. We rolled the dice in the second half but came up short. We had a great opportunity to tie the game with the ball."

Or as John Hurley, the only other Crusader to reach double figures (11 points), put it, "As a senior, you never want to say the season's over."

Bucknell's, however, will continue.

"We didn't try just to hold the lead," said Flannery. "The way it ended was a tribute to Holy Cross -- and to us. I'm still numb."

It is the first Patriot League title for Bucknell (22-9), which is going to the NCAAs for the first time in 15 years.