Lehigh Set to Begin 2016-17 Season with Two Games this Weekend

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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Exactly eight months to the day after their final game of last season, the Lehigh women's basketball team will tip off its 2016-17 schedule on Friday night as they welcome East Stroudsburg to Stabler Arena. Opening weekend continues for the Mountain Hawks on Sunday as they travel to Pittsburgh for a matchup with Duquesne.

Friday evening's matchup will be just the second-ever meeting between Lehigh and East Stroudsburg, with the Mountain Hawks prevailing 77-53 in the only other showdown in 2014. While this will be the regular season opener for Lehigh, it will only count as an exhibition for Division II East Stroudsburg, who previously hosted an exhibition against Villanova on Nov. 2.

The Mountain Hawks are opening up their season at home in the friendly confines of Stabler Arena for the second year in a row and just the second time since 2008. Lehigh captured last year's season opener with a 95-88 overtime victory against Monmouth. The win marked the first of six wins in a row for the Mountain Hawks to start the season. Lehigh compiled a 10-6 mark at Stabler Arena last season, and will play seven of its 11 non-league games at home, and nine of the first 13 games overall at home this season.

East Stroudsburg
East Stroudsburg is coming off a 15-13 season in 2015-16, where they finished 12-10 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) play. The Warriors won 14 of their last 20 games to earn the fourth seed in the East Division of the PSAC Tournament last season, their highest placement in nine seasons. ESU earned an overtime win over Bloomsburg in the tournament's opening round, before falling at West Chester in the quarterfinals.

Senior forward Allison Howard was named to the preseason All-PSAC East team after earning First Team All-PSAC East accolades last season. She led the team in points per game (15.5), rebounds per game (7.8), and three-point FG percentage (37.1). She had eight double-doubles while scoring in double figures in 23 of the team's 28 games, including five games with 20-plus points.

Howard and senior guard Rachel Falkowski (6 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.5 apg) are the only two returning starters from last year's squad. Junior guard Imani Brown and forward Rebecca Rutkowski played extensive minutes off the bench.

This season, ESU was voted second in the nine-team PSAC East Division preseason poll. The Warriors hosted Villanova in a preseason exhibition on Nov. 2, which Villanova took by a final score of 77-52. Howard and junior Imani Brown scored 15 points apiece in the loss, as Brown 3-for-7 from beyond the arc and dished out four assists.

Duquesne
On Sunday, Duquesne will host its home opener against Lehigh at the A.J. Palumbo Center.

The Dukes begin the 2016-17 season receiving two votes in the first USA Today Coaches' Poll. The Dukes finished 28-6 last season, earning the No. 9 seed in the Bridgeport Regional of the NCAA Tournament. The team earned an at-large bid to the big dance after tying for the Atlantic-10 regular season title, before coming up short in the A-10 Championship game against George Washington. The team defeated Seton Hall in its NCAA First Round matchup, before falling to UConn in the second round.

Duquesne and Dayton were picked tied for second in the A-10 preseason poll, with Duquesne receiving three first place votes. Senior forward Amadea Szamosi and sophomore Kadri-Ann Lass were both named to the preseason All-Conference Second Team, with Lass also landing on the All-Defensive Team.

The Dukes return two starters from a season ago in Lass (11.2 ppg) and Szamosi (11.5 ppg), who both started all 34 games. Sophomore guard Chassidy Omogrosso scored 8.5 ppg while making eight starts last season. Omogrosso (37.3%) and Szamosi (37.2%) also led the Dukes from beyond the arc last season.

The Mountain Hawks and Dukes share two common opponents this season in California and Patriot League rival Lafayette. Before facing Lehigh, Duquesne will open up the season on Friday, Nov. 11 at Ohio State.

Friday night's season opener with East Stroudsburg is scheduled for 7 p.m., and Sunday's matinee at Duquesne will tip at 2 p.m.

Following this weekend's games, Lehigh will return to Stabler Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 17 at 11 a.m. for the seventh annual Education Day against Delaware State.

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Lehigh Set to Begin 2016-17 Season with Two Games this Weekend

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