LEWISBURG, Pa. -- Chris Hass scored 17 points and Bucknell slowly edged ahead in the second half to beat American University 57-47 in the Patriot League opener for both teams Wednesday.

American (7-6, 0-1) went the final 2 minutes of the opening half without a basket and Bucknell scored four points to enter the break tied 22-all. Both teams started the second half cold -- the Eagles scored just three points in the first 8 minutes and the Bison had just seven, each missing six shots apiece.

Bucknell edged its way up to a nine-point lead with 5:37 left and the Eagles could get no closer than five points the rest of the way.

Hass shot 5 of 13 from the floor and had six rebounds. Bucknell (6-8, 1-0) outrebounded American 35-23.

Charlie Jones scored 17 points and Jesse Reed added 12 for the Eagles, who combined to shoot 38.1 percent overall.