Lehigh University Athletics
Mountain Hawks host Colgate Saturday on Fan Appreciation Night
2/10/2012 9:24:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The Lehigh men's basketball team looks to bounce back from a tough loss at American when it hits the hardwood less than 48 hours later. The Mountain Hawks return home for their second-to-last home game Saturday, welcoming Colgate to Stabler Arena for a 7 p.m. tip. It will be Fan Appreciation Night as admission is FREE for all and Radio Disney AM 640 will be on-site with entertainment, music, prizes and more.
Fans can claim their tickets through any of the normal mediums (online, phone, in-person). Click here to purchase online. Those who have already purchased tickets will receive a voucher for FREE concessions when they arrive, worth the value of the ticket. Gates will open one hour earlier (at 5 p.m.) for the Radio Disney entertainment, which will run from 5:45-6:45. Fans are encouraged to arrive early due to the high volume of traffic expected.
The Mountain Hawks enter Saturday with a stellar 18-7 record and 6-3 in Patriot League play. Lehigh is 5-1 after a loss this season and look to improve to 6-1 on Saturday night. Saturday could also see junior Gabe Knutson reach a significant milestone as he enters just 15 points away from 1,000 for his career. He also needs only one rebound to reach 500 career boards. Ironically, Colgate's Mike Venezia could also reach 1,000 points as he's only 16 away. Knutson would become the 30th player in school history while Knutson and Venezia would become the 83rd and 84th players in Patriot League history to reach that plateau.
Lehigh has impressed at home this season, going 8-1 while outscoring its opponent by an average margin of 17.4. The Mountain Hawks will look to wrap up their first season sweep; so far, the squad has split with Holy Cross and American. Following Saturday's tilt, the Mountain Hawks head to Bucknell next Thursday before returning home to welcome Lafayette on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 4 p.m. on Senior Day. Both the Bucknell and Lafayette contests will air live nationally on CBS Sports Network, Lehigh's sixth and seventh national TV games of the year.
Junior C.J. McCollum scored 30 points at American to jump one spot to third in school history and fourth in Patriot League history, now with 1,850 career points. He passed Bob Krizansky on Lehigh's list and Brian Ehlers (Lafayette) on the league's list. The only two players now ahead of McCollum on Lehigh's list are all-time greats Mike Polaha (1,969 career points) and Daren Queenan (2,703). McCollum's 30 points marked his fifth game with 30 or more points on the season (and 13th of his career). Meanwhile, senior Jordan Hamilton was the story in the early going, scoring 11 points, all coming in the game's first 9:01.
Lehigh is looking for a season sweep over Colgate for the second time in the last three years. The Mountain Hawks would earn their seventh Patriot League victory, surpassing its PL win total from a season ago. Lehigh would win at home for the 11th time in their last 12 tries dating back to last season.
Colgate enters Saturday with a 7-17 record, 1-8 in Patriot League play. The squad has posted a formidable 5-6 mark at home, but has struggled away from home in going 2-11. The Raiders' lone road victories have come at Binghamton and NJIT. Colgate has lost two straight overall, and four straight in league play following its 65-54 overtime win against Navy. Leading the offense is Venezia, who needs only 16 points to reach 1,000 for his career. Pat Moore is next, averaging 9.8 points and 3.2 rebounds while Sterling Melville is at 8.8 and 3.1, and Mitch Rolls comes in at 8.7 and 2.0. Center Nick Pascale leads the team in rebounding with 5.1 per contest.
Lehigh trails Colgate in the all-time series, 47-31, with the Mountain Hawks winning four of their last six, including this season's 78-56 triumph up in Hamilton. The only two losses over the past three seasons came last year as the Raiders earned a season-sweep. Prior to that sweep, Lehigh had won three straight and nine of the previous 11. The sides first met way back in 1909-10, a 25-24 Colgate win. The teams later played every season from 1959 to '83, then also through the later 80s before reconvening for Patriot League play.
Lehigh travels to Bucknell on Thursday to face the Bison at 7 p.m. in a CBS Sports Network tilt. The Mountain Hawks will return home next Saturday (Feb. 18) for their Senior Day game vs. archrival Lafayette. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. Tickets for all home games may be purchased on Lehighsports.com or by calling the ticket office at (610) 7LU-GAME.
Like Lehigh Men's Basketball on Facebook for exclusive content, team updates and more: http://www.facebook.com/LehighMensBasketball
|
Date:
|
February 11, 2012
|
|
Opponent:
|
Colgate Raiders
|
|
Tip-off:
|
7:00 PM
|
|
Arena/Capacity:
|
Stabler Arena/5,600
|
|
Location:
|
Bethlehem, Pa.
|
|
Lehigh's Record:
|
18-7 overall, 6-3 Patriot League
|
|
Colgate's Record:
|
7-17 overall, 1-8 Patriot League
|
|
Series:
|
Colgate leads, 47-31
|
|
Radio:
|
Live on ESPN Radio 1230 and 1320 AM and Lehighsports.com with Matt Kerr. Pregame coverage gets underway at 6:30 PM.
|
|
Television:
|
Service Electric 2 Sports
|
|
Internet Video:
|
|
|
Behind Enemy Lines:
|
MHT EP7 - Men's Basketball
Friday, February 06
Lehigh Sports Central: Men's Basketball
Thursday, January 29
Lehigh Sports Central: Men's Basketball
Wednesday, November 12
2025-20226 Lehigh Men's Basketball Season Preview
Thursday, October 30
