Lehigh hosts Holy Cross Saturday for Patriot League opener
1/11/2013 2:55:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Following a strong nonleague campaign, the Lehigh men's basketball team begins Patriot League play on Saturday when it hosts Holy Cross at 2 p.m. The game will air live nation-wide on CBS Sports Network with Bob Socci and Chris Spatola on the call. The Mountain Hawks rounded out their nonleague season on Tuesday with an 81-46 win over Muhlenberg as they reached double-digit nonleague victories for a second straight season.
Lehigh has posted nine or more nonleague wins in each of its last four seasons. After posting nine in 2009-10 and 2010-11, the squad won 12 last year and 10 this season for a combined record of 40-20 in that span. The Mountain Hawks topped fellow Lehigh Valley foe Muhlenberg Tuesday behind a balanced team effort. In its first game without senior star C.J. McCollum (who is out with a broken foot), four Lehigh players posted double-figure points led by a season-high 15 from junior Anthony D'Orazio. Sophomore Corey Schaefer also impressed with a career-high 11 assists, becoming the first Mountain Hawk in nearly three full years to reach double figures in that category. Marquis Hall was the last when he dished 10 against Bucknell on Jan. 23, 2010.
Junior B.J. Bailey made his first-career Lehigh start (he started one game at Boston University) and finished with four points and six rebounds. Freshman Justin Goldsborough was strong with a career-high six points and eight rebounds (also a team high) while sophomore Conroy Baltimore tied a career high with nine points while pulling down five boards.
Lehigh won its final nonleague game for a fourth straight season while earning its 14th straight win over Muhlenberg.
Nine of Lehigh's 10 wins have come by double figures, including a 40-point win over Fairleigh Dickinson (102-62), 35-point margin against Muhlenberg (81-46) and 29-point victory over NEC power Robert Morris (89-60). Lehigh's defense has turned it up over the past two games, allowing a season-low point total in consecutive contests (59 at VCU then 46 against Muhlenberg).
The Mountain Hawks are 13-9 in their Patriot League openers and look to break a two-game losing skid in league openers, both coming on the road. It marks Lehigh's first opener at home since Jan. 9, 2010 when it topped American 78-67 in Stabler Arena. Only eight of the Mountain Hawks' 22 league openers have been at home, with Lehigh posting a 6-2 mark in the friendly confines and 7-7 away from home. Lehigh is 4-3 against American, 5-2 against Army, 3-1 against Navy, 1-2 against Lafayette and 0-1 vs. Holy Cross. Last season's opener at Holy Cross broke a seven-year run of facing American in its league opener.
Holy Cross has enjoyed a strong season thus far, coming in at 8-7. The Crusaders snapped a three-game losing streak with a 78-69 win over Columbia Tuesday. Holy Cross opened the season with a big win at Old Dominion, but is 3-5 on the road compared to 4-1 at home. Its other road victories came at Sacred Heart and San Francisco. The Crusaders lost 1,000 point scorers Devin Brown and R.J. Evans last season, but Dave Dudzinski and Justin Burrell have stepped up, averaging 16.3 and 14.1 points, respectively. Dudzinski also leads the team in rebounding (6.9 average) while Burrell has dished 40 assists in 15 games (second on the team). Holy Cross has impressed on the boards at +1.6 on the season, with two 6-9 players in the starting lineup.
The Crusaders lead the all-time series, 35-16, but the Mountain Hawks have won four of the last six. The sides have split the season series each of the last two seasons while Lehigh swept the series in 2010. Holy Cross won last season's Patriot League opener at the Hart Center, 84-78 before Lehigh responded in a big way at Stabler Arena, 75-51. The first ever meeting came in 1976, an 84-60 Holy Cross victory, before reconvening in 1991 for Patriot League play.
Lehigh will head to American on Wednesday to face the Eagles at 7:30 p.m. The Mountain Hawks return home to host Colgate next Saturday. Opening tipoff is set for 7 p.m.
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Individual and season tickets are on sale and may be purchased on Lehighsports.com, over the phone (610-758-4263) or in-person at Stabler Arena, Monday-through-Friday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
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Date:
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January 8, 2013
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Opponent:
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Holy Cross Crusaders
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Tip-off:
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2:00 PM
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Arena/Capacity:
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Stabler Arena/5,600
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Location:
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Bethlehem, Pa.
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Lehigh's Record:
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10-4 overall, 0-0 Patriot League
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Holy Cross' Record:
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8-7, 0-0 Patriot League
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Series:
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Holy Cross leads, 35-16
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Radio:
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Live on ESPN Radio 1230 and 1320 AM and Lehighsports.com with Matt Kerr and Greg Falkenbach '72. Pregame coverage gets underway at 2:30 PM
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Television:
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CBS Sports Network
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Internet Video:
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None
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Behind Enemy Lines:
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Season Preview: Men's Basketball
Thursday, October 31
Lehigh Sports Central: Men's Basketball
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Lehigh Sports Central: Men's Basketball
Wednesday, February 07
Men's Basketball vs SUNY Oneonta
Thursday, November 16
