Columbia vs Bucknell prediction: Bucknell's three-point barrage faces Columbia's work on the offensive glass
Two rebuilt teams coming off opening losses arrive at Sojka Pavilion with opposite strengths: Bucknell's long-range shooting and Columbia's offensive rebounding.
- Bucknell's home opener likely swings on whether its threes fall often enough to cover for a defensive glass Columbia can attack.
- Columbia's offensive glass, ranked 74th of 348 in its opener, goes up against a Bucknell defensive rebounding mark that ranked last in Division I.
- No line has posted yet. Both openers went over, Columbia's against a 153.5 closing total.
Bucknell lives behind the arc
John Griffin III rebuilt Bucknell around the three. The Bison took 58.5% of their shots from deep at Maryland, the 16th-highest three-point attempt rate in the country. Aleksander Pachucki drove it, scoring 23 points on 7-of-11 shooting from three.
That is a sharp break from last season, when Bucknell shot 30.6% from three, 333rd of 365. One hot night doesn't erase that, and the newcomers will decide whether the volume holds up. Rocco Lamuno, a Division II transfer, went 2 of 4 from deep. Returning guard Jayden Williams missed all four of his attempts.
Columbia's opener gives mixed signals here. Elon made 58.3% of its threes, the highest opponent mark against any defense in Division I, yet the Lions held Elon to one of the lowest three-point attempt rates in the country. Whether Columbia keeps Pachucki from getting looks may matter more than how well it contests them.
Columbia vs Bucknell: quick answers
When is Columbia vs Bucknell?
Friday, November 13, 2026 at 7:00 PM ET.