Bucknell

November 15     Morgan State     18    Florida State 21 Connecticut 22-24 TBA (Miami, Southern Mississippi, Wisconsin, San Diego, Valparaiso, or Iona) December 2     Bucknell     6      at Hartford    14    Villanova     17    Rider     20   at Cornell    23    Mount St. Mary's     31    Manhattan     January 3     Howard 10     Temple 14    at Charlotte 18    at Xavier 21     Penn 24    at Massachusetts 28     Geo. Washington 31    at Rhode Island February 4     Dayton 7    at St. Bonaventure 11    at Geo. Washington 14     St. Joseph's 18    Richmond 22     Duquesne 26   at Temple March 1       Massachusetts 4     Fordham 7    at St. Louis 11-14 Atlantic Ten tournament in

Moorestown senior Jake Ramage, whose recruiting stock soared after his strong showing in summer basketball leagues and tournaments, has decided to play at Bucknell. The 6-foot-4 shooting guard made an oral commitment Monday, said Moorestown coach Steve McGair. As a member of the Patriot League, Bucknell doesn't offer scholarships, but McGair said Ramage had turned down "at least a half dozen" Division I offers. "He wanted Bucknell because of its academic reputation," McGair said.

Bucknell shot a school-record 69.2 percent from the field last night to defeat Drexel, 98-89, in an East Coast Conference game at the Physical Education Athletic Center. The Bison sharpshooters were able to offset a game-high, 36-point performance by Drexel senior Michael Anderson. Anderson, playing his last home game, added seven assists and four steals. "We played terrible defense," said Drexel coach Eddie Burke. "Our team has performed well in the past because of good defense.

MIKE MUSCALA had 20 points and nine rebounds to lead visiting Bucknell to a 65-54 win over Arizona last night in the opening round of the NIT. Joe Willman had 15 points and Bryson Johnson added 14 for Bucknell (25-9), which dominated from the opening tip. "Going into tonight's game I was confident," said Muscala. "I made sure to tell the others to be confident as well. Coach prepared our team for tonight by making sure he kept our team calm and composed. " Bucknell held Arizona in check, leading by as many as 13 in the first half.

Three years ago, Germantown Academy's Chuck Boddy wasn't even a wrestler. Two years ago, he tried the sport for the first time and won four more matches than he lost. Last week, about five weeks ahead of his senior season, Boddy orally committed to wrestle at Bucknell for college. Wait, rewind. Two years in the sport, a career 51-23 record, and a scholarship offer? How? Boddy, a heavyweight who picked up the sport uncharacteristically late - many join the wrestling fraternity before the age of 10 - garnered just one Division I scholarship offer.

Bucknell has played on the grand stage of the NCAA Tournament more than once in the past 6 years and owns postseason victories over Kansas and Arkansas. So even facing the top-ranked team in the nation shouldn't have fazed the Bison. Coach Dave Paulsen thought otherwise after Bucknell missed too many open shots in a first half that quickly slipped away in an 80-61 loss at No. 1 Syracuse. "I thought our team in the first half came in in awe of them," Paulsen said. "We have tremendous respect for Syracuse and their ability and their talent, but we'd like to think that we would not come in in awe. We had some decent looks and couldn't knock them down.

Shannon McGowan has never cringed at the question, but she has always responded in a forceful manner. For years, people have asked Shannon, who recently completed a good basketball career at Bishop McDevitt High, whether she was going to be like her sister, Jenny, who recently completed an outstanding basketball career at La Salle University. "We're not the same person," Shannon has always said. "We can't be expected to do the same things. We play different positions . . . She paused.

The big question in the East Coast Conference: What will happen in 1990-91 when Lafayette, Lehigh and Bucknell abandon ship for the Colonial Conference? Unless the conference picks up a sixth school, it will lose its automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Coach Butch van Breda Kolff has left Lafayette for Hofstra. His assistant, John Leone, will take over the Leopards (19-10), who led the ECC in scoring defense last season (64.8 points per game). Senior forward Otis Ellis (Germantown Academy)

Time to put the nation's elite teams on alert. Bucknell is ready to shake up the brackets again and block some top team's path to the Final Four. One year after pulling off a memorable tourney upset, Kevin Bettencourt scored 23 points to help host Bucknell cap a perfect Patriot League season with a 74-59 win over Holy Cross in the title game last night. Bucknell (26-4) went 17-0 in Patriot League play, including three conference tournament wins, to earn its second straight NCAA Tournament berth and fourth overall.

Austin Kevitch, a dual-threat quarterback for Germantown Academy, has orally committed to Bucknell. "I like that the school always has an athletic quarterback," Kevitch, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound senior, said. "Their quarterback can both run and throw the ball, and that suits my game. " Kevitch also received interest from Dartmouth, Colgate, Georgetown, Bentley (Mass.) and Gettysburg. The 18-year-old from Blue Bell, who also played cornerback for the Patriots, went to camps at Penn and Princeton.

MICHIGAN WON the varsity eight heavyweight race to capture the men's team point trophy championship at the 74th Dad Vail Regatta on the Schuylkill River on Saturday. Michigan finished in 5:58.604. Florida Institute of Technology was second in 5:58.946. Drexel (6:02.401) finished third and Temple (6:06.266) took fifth. Duke won the women's heavyweight eight championship in 06:43.796. Bucknell finished second in 6:44.037 and won the overall women's team point trophy.

During two days of competing in the Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta, Purdue had to endure "a lot of hiccups," in the words of its coach. The Boilermakers sat their No. 3 seat on the men's varsity eight boat because of illness. They brought up a substitute from the junior varsity, which affected the JV. And in the varsity eight race, their boat struck a log in the river, knocking off the rudder and forcing the coxswain to stick his arm into the Schuylkill to make the turn at the Strawberry Mansion Bridge.

University of the Sciences junior Dan McMahon was named the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference pitcher of the year on Tuesday, in voting by the league's head coaches. The righthander from Millville High School led the CACC in strikeouts (76), complete games (5) and innings pitched (86.2), and tied for the league lead with seven wins. He was named first-team all-CACC for the second time. St. Joseph's outfielder Ryan Pater , a freshman from Central Bucks East, was named the Big Five player of the week.

MIKE MUSCALA had 20 points and nine rebounds to lead visiting Bucknell to a 65-54 win over Arizona last night in the opening round of the NIT. Joe Willman had 15 points and Bryson Johnson added 14 for Bucknell (25-9), which dominated from the opening tip. "Going into tonight's game I was confident," said Muscala. "I made sure to tell the others to be confident as well. Coach prepared our team for tonight by making sure he kept our team calm and composed. " Bucknell held Arizona in check, leading by as many as 13 in the first half.

GABE KNUTSON blocked Cameron Ayers' baseline layup attempt with 7 seconds left and C.J. McCollum scored 29 points to help visiting Lehigh hold off Bucknell, 82-77, last night to win the Patriot League tournament. After Mackey McKnight missed two foul shots, the Bison trailed, 78-77, and had a chance to take the lead, but couldn't get the ball into leading scorer Mike Muscala. McCollum and Jordan Hamilton each hit two foul shots in the final 4 seconds, and Lehigh (26-7) began celebrating after clinching its second trip to the NCAA Tournament in three seasons.

After his freshman wrestling season, Carson Stack visited a doctor for a routine physical. Be ready, the doctor said, it's coming. On cue, Stack turned from a 125-pound freshman into a 171-pound sophomore, eventually becoming a 195-pound senior. Rob Schlitt came from the other end of the spectrum. "He was heavy as a freshman," Haddonfield coach Bill Heverly said. "He had to wrestle older kids all the time, and that made him tough. " Schlitt is emotional. He hates to lose.

It wouldn't be quite right to say that Brian Keller changed his mind after sleeping on his decision. He hardly closed his eyes on Monday night. "I could tell you every paint chip on my ceiling," said Keller, a senior at Triton. Keller had committed Monday afternoon to Lehigh on a football scholarship. By Tuesday morning, he had changed his mind and committed to Lafayette. "They are both great schools, great football programs with great coaches," Keller said. "It [going to Lehigh]

It wouldn't be quite right to say that Brian Keller changed his mind after sleeping on his decision. He hardly closed his eyes on Monday night. "I could tell you every paint chip on my ceiling," said Keller, a senior at Triton. Keller had committed Monday afternoon to Lehigh on a football scholarship. By Tuesday morning, he had changed his mind and committed to Lafayette. "They are both great schools, great football programs with great coaches," Keller said. "It [going to Lehigh]

Cherry Hill East senior Brian Regan has committed to Bucknell University on a football scholarship. Regan, an all-South Jersey running back, said he will sign with the Bison on Wednesday, the NCAA's national signing day for football recruits. "It just felt like the best fit for me," Regan said Saturday. "I really liked the coaches and the offense and the plans they have for me. It felt right. " The 5-foot-10, 190-pound Regan ran for 1,534 yards and 17 touchdowns to lead Cherry Hill East to a 7-3 record last season.

Paul VI senior Matt Barnett has committed to attend Wagner University on a football scholarship. Barnett also was involved with Boston College, Navy, and Connecticut, among other programs. "I felt like it was the right place for me," Barnett said. Wagner, on Staten Island, N.Y., is a Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) program that plays in the Northeast Conference with schools such as Monmouth and Sacred Heart. The 6-foot-1, 230-pound Barnett, who lives in Washington Township, was a four-year varsity player at Paul VI. A fullback and linebacker, he helped the Eagles to three division titles in his career.