Buzzer beater caps Bucknell's miracle rally from eight down in last 30 seconds

Jeff Eisenberg
·Senior writer
Bucknell’s Kimbal Mackenzie sank a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer on Monday night. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Bucknell’s Kimbal Mackenzie sank a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer on Monday night. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Kimbal Mackenzie punctuated this college basketball season’s most improbable comeback in the most dramatic possible way.

The Bucknell junior buried a go-ahead right-corner 3-pointer as time expired on Monday night, sealing a 65-64 Bison victory over Colgate in a game that only moments earlier appeared hopelessly out of reach.

Bucknell trailed Colgate by 13 midway through the second half, by 10 with less than a minute to go and by eight with under 30 seconds to play. It was then that Mackenzie began the last-ditch comeback when he put back a missed jumper with 20.7 seconds left, drew a foul and sank a free throw, pulling the Bison within five.

Colgate then opened the door a crack for Bucknell when guard Jordan Swopshire couldn’t handle the ensuing inbound pass and fumbled it out of bounds. That led to a wild sequence as Mackenzie had a 3-pointer blocked, corralled the loose ball and fed Nana Foulland, who scored a layup despite heavy contact from Colgate’s Will Rayman.

When referees ruled that Rayman’s foul was intentional because he made no play on the ball, Bucknell received two free throws and the ball. Foulland only sank one of two free throws to pull Bucknell within two with 11.3 seconds left, but the Bison made up the difference on their final possession.

All five Bucknell players touched the ball as the Bison initially looked inside to Foulland before swinging the ball around the perimeter after he drew a double team. It eventually got to Mackenzie, who buried the game winner with a defender flying at him.

Bucknell’s unlikely victory tightened its grip on first place in the Patriot League. The Bison (18-9, 12-2) now hold a three-game lead on Colgate (14-11, 9-5) with four conference games remaining before the Patriot League tournament.

Watch highlights of Bucknell’s full comeback below:

– – – – – – –

Jeff Eisenberg is a college basketball writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at daggerblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!