Monday, December 9
7:30 PM
Lehigh University
6-5
76
vs
69
LIU Brooklyn
2-6
1
2
F
LIU Brooklyn
36
33
69
Lehigh
41
35
76
Pair of double-doubles lift Lehigh past LIU Brooklyn, 76-69
12/9/2013 10:31:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Behind double-doubles from freshman Tim Kempton and sophomore Jesse Chuku, the Lehigh men's basketball team led for all but 43 seconds in an impressive 76-69 victory over three-time defending NEC Champion LIU Brooklyn on Monday evening in Stabler Arena. The win marked the Mountain Hawks' fourth in a row and fifth in their last six games as they move above .500 at 6-5 for the first time this season.
Chuku scored a team-high 15 points while adding 10 rebounds, two blocks and two steals. Kempton finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds and three assists. The freshman big man now has 44 points and 33 rebounds over his last three games.
"It really makes a big difference for both Tim Kempton and Jesse Chuku to get seven rebounds in the second half," said Lehigh head coach Brett Reed. "It was almost an answer to a call. We went into halftime talking about trying to neutralize Jason Brickman a little more. Unfortunately, it didn't work a great deal in the first half; his assist numbers were high, but I also though the rebounding and extra possessions were a tell-tale sign. They were getting some layups and points in the paint."
The double-doubles marked the second in each of Chuku's and Kempton's respective careers and the second time in four home games that Lehigh has posted two double-doubles in a game.
"They responded with pride and responded with the ability to go out there and get some rebounds," said Reed. "I thought some of Tim's offensive rebounds were critical and some of Jesse's defensive rebounds were timely, in the right spots and really helped to neutralize what could have been a meaningful run for LIU."
Freshman Austin Price added 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including 10 in the first half. Junior Corey Schaefer reached double-figure points for a fourth straight game, finishing with 10 points, four assists and three steals. Freshman Shane Whitfield scored nine points (all in the first half) while senior Mackey McKnight had eight points and seven assists.
Lehigh got out to an early lead as Schaefer got the scoring started with 18:26 on the clock. The lead reached four following a Kempton layup with 16:40 remaining.
A Landon Atterberry layup pulled the Blackbirds within 8-6, but the Mountain Hawks scored seven of the next nine points, beginning with a Chuku basket and continuing with a Price three and a pair of Kempton free throws to make it 15-8 with 13:30 on the clock.
LIU Brooklyn responded with five straight points to pull within 15-13, but the Blackbirds scored four of the next six to pull even at 17 with 10:41 remaining.
Price answered with a personal 5-0 run to make it 22-17 with 10:05 left in the first half then after a Gilbert Parga layup, baskets from freshman Miles Simelton and Kempton helped Lehigh regain a seven-point lead (26-19) with 7:49 left in the half.
LIU Brooklyn came back by scoring 13 of the next 14 points capped off by a three from Gerrell Martin to give the Blackbirds their first lead of the game (32-30) with 4:30 remaining.
Schaefer answered less than a minute later with a three as Lehigh wouldn't trail the rest of the half. The lead reached five following a Simelton layup with 1:18 remaining then McKnight knocked down two free throws in the final seconds to give the Mountain Hawks a 41-36 lead after 20 minutes of play.
Price led Lehigh with 10 first-half points. Kempton and Schaefer had seven apiece while McKnight and Simelton added six. The Mountain Hawks shot 63 percent in the first half, tying their best shooting percentage for a half this season (second half vs. Rider). LIU Brooklyn shot 39 percent.
Lehigh's lead reached seven (46-39) after a pair of Whitfield free throws with 16:55 remaining in the second half.
LIU Brooklyn pulled within 49-48 after an Atterberry basket, but the Mountain Hawks responded with a Kempton post move and Whitfield three-point play off a nifty pass from Simelton.
After a Schaefer steal, he found Whitfield for a fastbreak layup to make it 56-48 with 12:17 on the clock.
Lehigh's lead reached nine (60-51) following a pair of Chuku free throws with 9:35 remaining. The Blackbirds wouldn't go away, scoring four of the next five points to move within 61-55 with 6:37 remaining.
Price answered with a big trey to help Lehigh regain a nine-point lead, but LIU Brooklyn scored five straight points as a Brickman three made it 66-62, forcing Reed to call timeout with 4:57 left in the second half.
The Blackbirds hung within two until Kempton hit a free throw and followed with a layup less than a minute later to make it 71-64 with 2:41 on the clock. LIU Brooklyn again pulled within four with less than a minute remaining, but the Mountain Hawks hit enough free throws to hold onto the 76-69 victory.
Lehigh shot 47 percent from the field (25-of-53) and 22 percent from three-point range (4-of-18). LIU Brooklyn shot 40 percent (23-of-58) and 27 percent from long distance (6-of-22). LIU Brooklyn won the battle of the boards, 39-36.
Following a 12-day break for final exams, Lehigh returns to action on Saturday, Dec. 21 when it hosts Quinnipiac in Stabler Arena. Tickets are available online, including a print-at-home option, or by calling the ticket office at 610-7LU-GAME (610-758-4263). Individual game tickets are only five dollars (in advance) and season tickets are also available.
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Team Stats
LIU
LEHIGH
FG%
.397
.472
3FG%
.273
.222
FT%
.680
.629
RB
39
36
TO
15
14
STL
5
7
Game Leaders
Pts
15
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
5
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
13
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
5
Pts
10
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
3
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