Thursday, January 2
6:00:00 PM
Lehigh University
8-4, 1-0PL
76
vs
69
Colgate
4-8, 0-1PL
1
2
F
COLGATE
24
45
69
Lehigh
28
48
76
Second-half surge propels Lehigh past Colgate, 76-69
1/2/2014 8:33:00 PM | Women's Basketball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Seventeen unanswered second-half points helped lift the Lehigh women's basketball team past Colgate by a score of 76-69 on Thursday evening inside Stabler Arena. The Mountain Hawks improved to 8-4 on the season while winning their league opener for the third straight season, while Colgate fell to 5-7.
"We played tremendous defense in the first half which kept us in the game when we were struggling offensively," said head coach Sue Troyan. "We got good looks in the second half and were able to convert. Colgate is a much improved team so this is a great win for us."
Sophomore Kerry Kinek led the way for the Mountain Hawks with 19 points and seven rebounds. The Whitehall, Pa. native has now increased her double-digit scoring streak to 14 games dating back to last season. Freshman Kayla Burton contributed a career-high 15 points behind three big second-half three-pointers. Junior Sarah Williams dished a season-high six assists while also adding a team-leading eight rebounds.
"Kayla had a really nice second half," said Troyan. "She hit some big threes to really open things up. Alexandra Yantzi also stepped up to provide a really strong defensive presence to help shut down their shooting."
Lehigh finished the game shooting 39.1 percent (27-for-69) from the field, highlighted by a 56.3 percent (18-for-32) second half. The Raiders finished the game 37.0 percent (27-for-73) from the field and 27.6 percent (8-for-29) from behind the arc. Lehigh held a 52-42 rebound advantage, tying its season high rebounding margin.
Carole Harris was the only Raider to score in double-digits, tallying 15 points and a game-leading 13 rebounds.
A Colgate jumper put the Raiders on the board first, but four straight points from senior Lindsay Hoskins quickly gave Lehigh the lead. Kinek and sophomore Elizabeth Sharlow kept the scoring going for the Mountain Hawks to extend Lehigh's lead to 9-2 with under 15 minutes to play in the opening half. After an exchange of baskets, the Mountain Hawks still held an 18-10 lead with 8:57 left on the clock.
Colgate's Paige Kriftcher hit back-to-back three pointers, which were the only baskets over the next two minutes, to spark a Raider comeback. A Jackie Hudepohl jumper followed to tie the score at 18 with 4:43 to play in the first half.
The score was tied again at 22 until three straight points from Kinek pulled the Mountain Hawks ahead. Lehigh continued its run with three points from free throws to take a 28-22 lead. Colgate grabbed two more points with nine seconds left, but the Mountain Hawks headed into the locker room with a 28-24 lead.
Colgate scored the first two points of the second half, but points from Kinek and Williams quickly put Lehigh back in control as the Mountain Hawks eventually worked their way to a 37-30 lead with 15:23 left on the clock.
Lehigh held a five point lead two minutes later with the score at 41-36 until back-to-back three-pointers from Missy Repoli put the Raiders ahead 42-41 with the clock at 12:18. A three-pointer from Katie O'Reilly sparked a 17-0 Lehigh run as the Mountain Hawks held the Raiders scoreless for over five minutes and claimed the lead for the rest of the contest. Four different Lehigh players put points on the board during the run, including eight from Burton.
Lehigh led 60-44 at the end of the long run until Colgate's Lauryn Kobiela broke the streak with a three-pointer. The teams exchanged baskets to work their ways to a 70-54 score in favor of the Mountain Hawks.
The Raiders wouldn't go easily and answered with six straight points to pull within ten at 70-60 with 1:44 to play. Colgate kept fighting, but it wasn't enough as Lehigh was able to claim the 76-69 victory.
The Mountain Hawks will continue Patriot League play at Boston University on Sunday Jan. 5 when they take on the league newcomer at 1 p.m. The game can be viewed for free via the Patriot League Network.
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Team Stats
COLGATE
LEHIGH
FG%
.370
.391
3FG%
.276
.286
FT%
.700
.667
RB
42
52
TO
16
15
STL
9
8
Game Leaders
Pts
19
FGM
9
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Pts
15
FGM
5
3FGM
4
FTM
1
Pts
7
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
6
FGM
1
3FGM
0
FTM
4
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