Lehigh University Athletics
Lehigh to host Education Day game against Columbia Monday
1/6/2013 8:47:00 PM | Women's Basketball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – After a thrilling 46-45 victory over NJIT on Saturday afternoon, the Lehigh women's basketball team will take on Columbia in front of more than 3,300 students and teachers on Education Day inside Stabler Arena on Monday, January 7 at 11:30 a.m. The Lions will be Lehigh's final non-league tune-up before the Mountain Hawks begin Patriot League play on Saturday, January 12 with a trip to Worcester, Mass. against Holy Cross.
Monday's game will be Lehigh's third annual Education Day game presented by St. Luke's University Hospital, Lehigh Human Resources and the Lehigh Southside Boosters. This year's event will be the largest attended event as over 3,300 students and teachers are expected to fill the seats of Stabler Arena. Lehigh dropped last year's Education Day game to Villanova, 62-54, in overtime in front of 3,246 fans. Senior Kelly Peterson drilled a trey with two seconds to play to send the game into the extra session, but the Wildcats outscored the Mountain Hawks 10-2 in the extra frame for the victory.
The Mountain Hawks own a 9-3 record all-time against Columbia, but have not faced the Lions since the 2005-06 season which resulted in a 67-38 victory for Lehigh. The Mountain Hawks are currently riding a two-game winning streak on the season and also against Columbia as the last two match ups have ended in favor of the brown and white.
Lehigh owned a six-game winning streak against Columbia over the first six meetings between the two institutions spanning from the 1994-95 season to the 1999-00 season. The Mountain Hawks have lost just once at home at the hands of the Lions, a 67-60 defeat during the 2003-04 season, which is also the last time Lehigh fell to Columbia.
The Mountain Hawks are coming off a dramatic 46-45 win against NJIT on Saturday in which sophomore Katie O'Reilly sunk the front end of a pair of free throws with four seconds to play to give Lehigh the final advantage. The two teams traded leads throughout the afternoon, but in the end, Lehigh's free throw shooting proved to be the difference as the Mountain Hawks knocked down countless clutch free throws down the final stretch.
Freshman Kerry Kinek led the way for Lehigh with 17 points on 7-of-16 shooting from the field and narrowly missed her fourth double-double with nine boards. O'Reilly added four points, all on free throws, as the Patriot League's second leading free throw shooter entering the game went 4-of-6 from the charity stripe and also chipped in eight rebounds. Lehigh turned the ball over just 15 times and though it only caused 11 turnovers, it outscored the Highlanders 12-9 off giveaways.
Kinek continues to lead the Lehigh attack, averaging 11.7 ppg and 8.9 rbg. Kinek also leads the team with 21 blocks and 125 rebounds, exemplifying the Mountain Hawks' presence in the paint as Lehigh has out-rebounded its opponents in each of its last six games. O'Reilly is now averaging 7.6 ppg and is shooting 80.5 percent from the charity stripe (33-for-41).
Columbia will enter Monday's tilt 2-10 overall but have not played since a 61-49 loss to Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, Calif. on December 31. The Lions will also enter the game against Lehigh with an 0-7 record on the road this season. Both of Columbia's victories have come at home, the most recent a 49-45 victory on December 11 against Saint Francis.
Senior Tyler Simpson leads the Columbia offense with 10.3 ppg while the leading rebounder is junior Courtney Bradford with 6.0 per game. The Lions' strength is their ability to cause turnovers as Columbia is +2.8 in the turnover margin, but are -9.7 in the scoring margin on the season. Simpson led the team a season ago with 16.4 ppg and earned honorable mention All-Ivy League honors after ranking seventh in the league in scoring.
With the two wins this season, the Lions are just one win shy of tying their total victories from last season. Columbia finished its 2011-12 campaign with a 3-25 overall record and a 1-13 mark in Ivy League play. The Lions will then play Lehigh's crosstown rival Lafayette on Wednesday to wrap up the non-league portion of their schedule.
After Monday's non-league finale, Lehigh will begin its Patriot League slate with a tilt against Holy Cross on Saturday, January 12 at 1 p.m. Follow the Patriot League opener, the Mountain Hawks will return home on January 16 to host American inside Stabler Arena at 7 p.m. for the Patriot League home opener.
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Buying online is the preferred method. A print-at-home option is available for fans' convenience. Fans may also purchase tickets by calling 610-7LU-GAME, or by logging on to Lehighsports.com.
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Date:
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January 7, 2012
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Opponent:
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Columbia
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Tip-off:
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11:30 AM
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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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7-7 overall, 0-0 Patriot League
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Columbia's Record:
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2-10 overall, 0-0 Ivy League
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Series:
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Lehigh leads, 9-3
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Radio:
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Live on WLVR 91.3 and Lehighsports.com with Matt Markus Pregame coverage gets underway at 11:15 AM
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Television:
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None
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Internet Video:
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Behind Enemy Lines:
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MHT EP10 - Women's Basketball
Friday, February 27
Lehigh Sports Central: Women's Basketball
Tuesday, February 17
Interview after win vs Colgate 1/10
Saturday, January 10
Interview after Bucknell win 1/3/25
Saturday, January 03
