Lehigh University Athletics
Lehigh hosts Lafayette Sunday in big nationally-televised showdown
2/20/2015 7:50:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Game Notes | Listen Live | Live Stats | Purchase Tickets | Senior Reflections
Â
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Winners of eight of the last 10, the Lehigh men's basketball team returns home after two straight on the road as the Mountain Hawks welcome archrival Lafayette for a big Sunday afternoon showdown. Tipoff is set for 12 p.m. and will air nationally on CBS Sports Network. It's also Senior Day as four Mountain Hawks' seniors will be recognized prior to tipoff. Lehigh picked up an impressive road win at Lafayette during the first meeting in January. The Leopards enter the weekend in a tie for fifth place in the league standings, two games behind the Mountain Hawks in third.
Â
Tickets are just $10 for the general public and for Lehigh faculty/staff, while they're only $5 for Lehigh students. With a high walk-up expected Sunday, fans are encouraged to purchase in advance to avoid long lines at the box office. Purchase online at LehighTickets.com by clicking here. There's a print-at-home option made to make the fan experience easy and convenient. The first 300 students will receive a white Beat Lafayette t-shirt. The Goodman Bus service will run at 11:15, 11:30,11:45 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Sunday, leaving from the Dialogue Center on Taylor Street (between Taylor Gym and Grace Hall).
Â
CBS Sports Network is Channel 221 on DirecTV and Channel 158 on Dish. To find CBS Sports Network in your area, please click here.
Â
Lehigh struggled offensively in the first half at Navy Wednesday, scoring just 20 points. The Mountain Hawks exploded out of halftime, scoring 18 points in the first 4:23 of the second half, highlighted by the three ball. Sophomore Tim Kempton began the half with a three-point play then freshman Kahron Ross and sophomore Austin Price followed with threes just 37 seconds apart to quickly give the Mountain Hawks the lead. Ross added another three just over four minutes into the half which made it 38-33 Lehigh. Navy came back to take a four-point lead, but a 10-0 Lehigh run helped the Mountain Hawks wrap up their 11th straight win over the Midshipmen. Lehigh held Navy scoreless for 7:02 in crunch time, allowing its offense to create some distance. The win marked Lehigh's first of the season when trailing at the half.
Â
Junior Jesse Chuku was the story in the first half, almost single-handedly keeping the Mountain Hawks in the game. After a half which saw Lehigh shoot less than 30 percent, Chuku knocked down a trey as the first half expired to pull the Mountain Hawks within six (26-20) after 20 minutes of play. Lehigh continued that momentum into the early stages of the second half. Ross, Kempton and Price combined for 33 second-half points after scoring just four between them in the first.
Â
Lehigh's defense was scrappy, especially down the stretch. The Mountain Hawks created many loose balls and turnovers, finishing the game with nine steals led by three from Price. Lehigh has now allowed 58 points or fewer in its last three games and 63 points or fewer in four straight games. This came after consecutive games when the Mountain Hawks used their offense to pick up victories - 89-86 over Boston University and 103-74 over Army.
Â
A Lehigh win on Sunday coupled with a Boston University or American loss would clinch a top-four seed and a home game in the Patriot League Quarterfinals.
Â
Lafayette has been up and down this season, finishing nonleague play with a strong 8-3 record. The Leopards got off to a 3-2 start in the league, but lost three straight - to American, Holy Cross and Lehigh. Lafayette beat Holy Cross on Wednesday to snap another three-game losing streak as the Leopards are tied for fifth place with a chance to move even higher entering the Patriot League Tournament. Dan Trist has been stellar for Lafayette, leading the team (and standing among the league's best) in points per game (17.6) and rebounding average (6.6). He's also shooting 57.8 percent from the field. Three others average double-figure points, including Seth Hinrichs (13.3), Nick Lindner (10.6) and Joey Ptasinski. Lafayette is near the top of the league in points per game (73.8), but is near the bottom in scoring defense (72.9).
Â
Lehigh's win over Lafayette in January pulled the Mountain Hawks within 138-82 in the all-time series. The teams split last year's season series with both teams winning at home. Prior to that, the Leopards had won three straight, all during the 2012-13 season. Before that, the Mountain Hawks won five in a row from 2010-12 before the Leopards' latest streak of four of the last five. The long-time rivals first met in 1901-92, a 46-13 Lehigh victory. Lehigh won the first four games with Lafayette's first win coming in 1914-15.
Â
Following Sunday's game, the Mountain Hawks remain home on Wednesday for their final regular season home game as Lehigh hosts first-place Bucknell at 7 p.m. Lehigh will wrap up the regular season next Saturday (Feb. 28) at Colgate. Tipoff for that game is set for 12 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.
Â
Like Lehigh Men's Basketball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.Â
Â
Â
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Winners of eight of the last 10, the Lehigh men's basketball team returns home after two straight on the road as the Mountain Hawks welcome archrival Lafayette for a big Sunday afternoon showdown. Tipoff is set for 12 p.m. and will air nationally on CBS Sports Network. It's also Senior Day as four Mountain Hawks' seniors will be recognized prior to tipoff. Lehigh picked up an impressive road win at Lafayette during the first meeting in January. The Leopards enter the weekend in a tie for fifth place in the league standings, two games behind the Mountain Hawks in third.
Â
Tickets are just $10 for the general public and for Lehigh faculty/staff, while they're only $5 for Lehigh students. With a high walk-up expected Sunday, fans are encouraged to purchase in advance to avoid long lines at the box office. Purchase online at LehighTickets.com by clicking here. There's a print-at-home option made to make the fan experience easy and convenient. The first 300 students will receive a white Beat Lafayette t-shirt. The Goodman Bus service will run at 11:15, 11:30,11:45 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Sunday, leaving from the Dialogue Center on Taylor Street (between Taylor Gym and Grace Hall).
Â
CBS Sports Network is Channel 221 on DirecTV and Channel 158 on Dish. To find CBS Sports Network in your area, please click here.
Â
Lehigh struggled offensively in the first half at Navy Wednesday, scoring just 20 points. The Mountain Hawks exploded out of halftime, scoring 18 points in the first 4:23 of the second half, highlighted by the three ball. Sophomore Tim Kempton began the half with a three-point play then freshman Kahron Ross and sophomore Austin Price followed with threes just 37 seconds apart to quickly give the Mountain Hawks the lead. Ross added another three just over four minutes into the half which made it 38-33 Lehigh. Navy came back to take a four-point lead, but a 10-0 Lehigh run helped the Mountain Hawks wrap up their 11th straight win over the Midshipmen. Lehigh held Navy scoreless for 7:02 in crunch time, allowing its offense to create some distance. The win marked Lehigh's first of the season when trailing at the half.
Â
Junior Jesse Chuku was the story in the first half, almost single-handedly keeping the Mountain Hawks in the game. After a half which saw Lehigh shoot less than 30 percent, Chuku knocked down a trey as the first half expired to pull the Mountain Hawks within six (26-20) after 20 minutes of play. Lehigh continued that momentum into the early stages of the second half. Ross, Kempton and Price combined for 33 second-half points after scoring just four between them in the first.
Â
Lehigh's defense was scrappy, especially down the stretch. The Mountain Hawks created many loose balls and turnovers, finishing the game with nine steals led by three from Price. Lehigh has now allowed 58 points or fewer in its last three games and 63 points or fewer in four straight games. This came after consecutive games when the Mountain Hawks used their offense to pick up victories - 89-86 over Boston University and 103-74 over Army.
Â
A Lehigh win on Sunday coupled with a Boston University or American loss would clinch a top-four seed and a home game in the Patriot League Quarterfinals.
Â
Lafayette has been up and down this season, finishing nonleague play with a strong 8-3 record. The Leopards got off to a 3-2 start in the league, but lost three straight - to American, Holy Cross and Lehigh. Lafayette beat Holy Cross on Wednesday to snap another three-game losing streak as the Leopards are tied for fifth place with a chance to move even higher entering the Patriot League Tournament. Dan Trist has been stellar for Lafayette, leading the team (and standing among the league's best) in points per game (17.6) and rebounding average (6.6). He's also shooting 57.8 percent from the field. Three others average double-figure points, including Seth Hinrichs (13.3), Nick Lindner (10.6) and Joey Ptasinski. Lafayette is near the top of the league in points per game (73.8), but is near the bottom in scoring defense (72.9).
Â
Lehigh's win over Lafayette in January pulled the Mountain Hawks within 138-82 in the all-time series. The teams split last year's season series with both teams winning at home. Prior to that, the Leopards had won three straight, all during the 2012-13 season. Before that, the Mountain Hawks won five in a row from 2010-12 before the Leopards' latest streak of four of the last five. The long-time rivals first met in 1901-92, a 46-13 Lehigh victory. Lehigh won the first four games with Lafayette's first win coming in 1914-15.
Â
Following Sunday's game, the Mountain Hawks remain home on Wednesday for their final regular season home game as Lehigh hosts first-place Bucknell at 7 p.m. Lehigh will wrap up the regular season next Saturday (Feb. 28) at Colgate. Tipoff for that game is set for 12 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.
Â
Like Lehigh Men's Basketball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.Â
Â
| Date: | February 22, 2015 |
| Opponent: | Lafayette Leopards |
| Tip-off: | 12:00 PM |
| Arena/Capacity: | Stabler Arena/5,600 |
| Location: | Bethlehem, Pa. |
| Lehigh's Record: | 15-11, 9-6 Patriot League  |
| Lafayette's Record: | 15-11, 7-8 Patriot League |
| Series: | Lafayette leads, 138-82 |
| Radio: | Live on ESPN Radio 1230 and 1320 AM and Lehighsports.com with Tom Fallon and Greg Falkenbach '72. Pregame coverage gets underway at 11:30 AM |
| Television: | CBS Sports Network |
| Internet Video: | None |
| Behind Enemy Lines: | Lafayette Official Website |
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Basketball
C/F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballMHT EP7 - Men's Basketball
Friday, February 06
Lehigh Sports Central: Men's Basketball
Thursday, January 29
Lehigh Sports Central: Men's Basketball
Wednesday, November 12
2025-20226 Lehigh Men's Basketball Season Preview
Thursday, October 30
