Bucknell Bison

The Bucknell Bison stampede through the Patriot League from Sojka Pavilion in the small college town of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Known for disciplined, fundamentally sound basketball, Bucknell has built a reputation as one of the league's most consistent contenders, capable of shocking bigger programs when March arrives. The Bison play with poise well beyond their mid-major profile, a hallmark of the program's long-running coaching stability. Lewisburg's close-knit campus atmosphere turns Sojka Pavilion into a loud, difficult environment for Patriot League rivals.

Bucknell University was founded in 1846, and its basketball program began varsity competition in 1896. The Bison are best remembered for becoming the first Patriot League team to win an NCAA tournament game, upsetting Kansas 64-63 in 2005, and following it a year later with another first-round upset of Arkansas as a No. 9 seed. Those wins cemented Bucknell's reputation as a mid-major program capable of real March Madness damage. The Bison have made eight NCAA tournament appearances overall, most recently in 2018.