Lehigh University Athletics
Lehigh heads to VCU Saturday for nationally-televised showdown
1/3/2013 9:53:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Following a tough 80-79 loss to Bryant, the Lehigh men's basketball team will look to bounce back when it heads to VCU on Saturday for a 5 p.m. tipoff on NBC Sports Network. The matchup features two of the final 32 teams in last season's NCAA Tournament as both the Mountain Hawks and Rams won their Second Round games. VCU is best known for its Final Four run just two seasons ago when it beat USC, Georgetown, Purdue, Florida State and Kansas.
Lehigh is coming off a tough one-point loss to Bryant Saturday (now ranked 25th in the College Insider Mid-Major Top 25). The Mountain Hawks fell into an early double-digit deficit, but fought back to take numerous second-half leads. However, the Bulldogs wouldn't go away as Frankie Dobbs scored the game-winning basket with just 1.3 seconds remaining. Lehigh had one last desperation heave, which didn't connect as its eight-game winning streak, 11-game home win streak and 11-game win streak against NEC foes were all snapped. It marked Lehigh's first loss since Pittsburgh in the NIT Season Tip-Off 46 days prior.
Senior C.J. McCollum led the way with 34 points on 9-of-18 shooting, including 6-of-10 from three-point range and 10-of-11 from the free throw line. McCollum has hit 27 of his last 28 free throws overall. It marked his 18th-career 30-point game and fourth this season. He now leads the nation in scoring (25.7), over a point better than Virginia Tech's Erick Green in second. Senior Holden Greiner added 16 points and 10 rebounds for his third-career double-double and first since his sophomore season while junior Mackey McKnight posted 12 points and seven assists (to tie a season high in assists for a second straight game).
VCU is Lehigh's second Atlantic 10 foe of the season, along with Fordham. After winning at Fordham last year for the program's first ever win over an A-10 opponent, Lehigh followed it up this season by beating the Rams 81-63. This marks VCU's first season in the Atlantic 10 after moving from the CAA.
Saturday marks the first of four nationally-televised games in the span of 22 days as Lehigh will also be on CBS Sports Network on Jan. 12 (vs. Holy Cross), Jan. 23 (at Bucknell) and Jan. 27 (against Lafayette). The Mountain Hawks' home tilt vs. Bucknell on Feb. 18 is also set for CBS Sports Network.
VCU enters Saturday 11-3 riding an eight-game winning streak, including a 109-58 win last time out at East Tennessee State. The Rams are receiving votes in both national polls and are the first team in “others receiving votes” in the USA Today Coaches Poll. Their three losses have come to Wichita State (currently ranked #3 in Mid-Major Top 25), along with Duke (#1 ranked team nationally) and Missouri (12th in the nation). VCU is 7-1 at home, winners of six straight at the Siegal Center (Stetson, Belmont, Alabama, Western Kentucky, Longwood and Fairleigh Dickinson). The Rams use an aggressive, trapping style to force turnovers, forcing 117 over their last four games. Teveon Graham leads the team with 14.6 points per game while Troy Daniels and Juvonte Reddic are averaging 14.3 apiece. Daniels has been on fire from three-point range, knocking down nine treys against Fairleigh Dickinson (a school record) before breaking that and setting an Atlantic 10 mark with 11 (in 20 tries) Wednesday at East Tennessee State. Reddic leads the team in rebounding (7.3) while Briante Weber owns a team-leading 60 assists, two ahead of Darius Theus with 58. In total, eight different players have started at least one game this season.
Saturday will mark the first-ever meeting between Lehigh and VCU.
The Mountain Hawks return home on Tuesday for their final nonleague tilt vs. Muhlenberg at 7 p.m. Lehigh will then begin Patriot League play next Saturday (Jan. 12) against Holy Cross. That game is set for 2 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.
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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 5, 2013
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Opponent:
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VCU Rams
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Tip-off:
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5:00 PM
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Arena/Capacity:
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Siegal Center/7,617
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Location:
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Richmond, Va.
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Lehigh's Record:
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9-3 overall, 0-0 Patriot League
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VCU's Record:
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11-3, 0-0 Atlantic 10
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Series:
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First Meeting
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Radio:
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Live on WLVR 91.3 FM and Lehighsports.com with Matt Kerr. Pregame coverage gets underway at 4:45 PM
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Television:
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NBC Sports Network
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Internet Video:
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None
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