Sunday, December 11
Berkeley, Calif.
5 p.m. EST
Lehigh University
at
California
Lehigh Heads to West Coast for Matchup at RV/No. 24 California
12/10/2016 12:44:00 PM | Women's Basketball
View Complete Games Notes | Live Stats | Listen Live on Lehigh Radio (WVLR) | Live Video
BERKELEY, Calif. - The Lehigh women's basketball team heads to the West Coast on Sunday afternoon to take on the RV/No. 24 University of California in its final non-league game of the season. The game marks the seventh game in program history against a school from The Golden State and just the sixth game in school history to be played in California.
The Mountain Hawks enter the game with a record of 5-5, having lost four of their last five and will face a Cal team that is off to a program record 8-0 start. The Bears lead the Pac-12 in scoring at 81.0 points per game, which is good enough for 23rd in the nation entering the weekend.
Both teams last played on Thursday night at home, with Lehigh dropping a 75-68 decision against Rider, despite shooting 46.4 percent from the field. Rider outscored Lehigh 50-22 in the paint, and was able to force 20 Mountain Hawk turnovers.
Cal finds itself receiving votes in the official Associated Press poll that was released Dec. 5, and is ranked 24th in the nation in the most recent coaches' poll. Bears are coming off a season-best 24-point win at home on Thursday night over Sacramento State. Sophomore Kristine Anigwe scored a school-record 50 points, which is the most points scored in a Division I women's basketball this season.
ALL-TIME VS. CAL
Lehigh and Cal will meet for just the third time in program history, with one of the previous matchups coming at Haas Pavilion.
The first matchup came on Nov. 28, 2003 in the Coors Classic at the University of Colorado, with the Bears taking the game by a final of 66-47. The two met once again in the season opener on Nov. 9, 2012 at Haas Pavilion, with Cal taking the 80-48 decision.
The 2012 matchup marked the last time that Lehigh faced a ranked opponent. Kerry Kinek '16 shined in her collegiate debut for Lehigh by recording a double-double with a game-high 18 points and 11 rebounds. No. 13/15 Cal jumped out to a 14-0 lead to start the game and led 44-20 at the half. Lehigh shot 38.7 percent from the floor in the second half after shooting just 24 percent in the opening 20 minutes.
No players remain from either team from the last matchup four years ago.
The Mountain Hawks enter the matchup winless (0-4) against Pac-12 opponents, holding identical 0-1 records against Arizona and Arizona State.
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN BEARS
Cal comes into Sunday's matchup riding the best start in program history at 8-0. The Bears have won seven of their eight games this season by at least 15 points, with the lone exception being a seven-point win over St. Mary's on opening night. Cal is averaging a 20-point margin of victory in their six home games so far this season.
The Bears are coming off a season-best 24-point win at home on Thursday night over Sacramento State. Sophomore Kristine Anigwe scored a school-record 50 points on 19-of-23 shooting to power the Bears to the 97-73 win. She is now just one of two Cal players to have multiple 40 points games in their careers, after previously scoring 43 points against Sacramento State last season. The mark was also the first 50-point performance in school history (men's or women's).
Scoring big has been a trend for Cal as they have scored 70 points or more in all eight games this season, the longest such streak in at least the last 15 seasons.
Cal is shooting an even 51 percent on the year, which leads the Pac-12. They also rank in the conference's top five in scoring offense (3rd/81.0 ppg), scoring margin (5th/ 18.5), and three-point FG percentage (2nd/38.3 pct.).
The Bears rank ninth in scoring defense in the Pac-12 by allowing 62.5 points per game, 10th in free throw pct (59.4), and 10th in FG% defense (31.8).
IT DOES RAIN IN CALIFORNIA
Lehigh enters Sunday's matchup with an 0-6 record against teams from California, including a 1-4 mark in games played in the state. Lehigh is 0-2 against Cal, and is 0-1 against UC-Irvine, San Diego, Santa Clara and St. Mary's. Lehigh's lone win in the state came against Idaho (73-56) at the St. Mary's Christmas Classic on Dec. 30, 2000.
HISTORY VS. RANKED OPPONENTS
Lehigh enters Sunday's matchup 0-8 all-time against teams ranked in either the Associated Press or Coaches' Top 25 Poll.
1996-97 - No. 1 Connecticut, L, 35-103
2001-02 - No. 18 North Carolina, L, 47-76
2008-09 - No. 8 Auburn, L, 49-85
2009-10 - No. 20/22 Vanderbilt, L, 54-90
2009-10 - No. 14/16 Iowa State, L 42-79
2010-11 - No. 1 Connecticut, L, 38-81
2011-12 - No. 13/15 Rutgers, L 40-68
2012-13 - No. 13/15 California, L, 48-80
RARE PAC-12/WEST COAST MATCHUP
Sunday marks just the fifth game in Lehigh program history against a Pac-12 opponent. The most recent matchup came at Arizona State on Dec. 20, 2014. Lehigh previously fell to Arizona on Dec. 3, 2005. All matchups have taken place on the road or at a neutral site.
STAYING CLOSE TO HOME
This season marks the first time since the 1984-85 season that the Mountain Hawks are playing at least 11 of their first 13 games in the state of Pennsylvania. This is the sixth time in history this phenomenon has occurred.
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
Lehigh is currently in the midst of playing seven of its 11 non-league games at home this season, the highest percentage (63.6) of non-league home games in at least the last 20 seasons. Following a 3-0 start at home, the Mountain Hawks are currently 4-3 at Stabler Arena after finishing last season 10-6 on their home floor. Overall, Lehigh will play nine of its first 13 games at home this season.
CRUISING BY 30
Lehigh's 32-point win against NJIT was the first 30 point win since Nov. 25, 2015 when Lehigh beat Saint Peter's by 32 points. That win was the second in a row by at least 30 points, a streak the Mountain Hawks have not accomplished since.
BENCH PARTY
The Mountain Hawks bench outscored the NJIT bench by a 50-10 margin on Nov. 30. The 50 points scored by the Lehigh bench are the most since they scored 48 against Bucknell on Feb. 26, 2014. Those totals are the most scored by Lehigh in one game since at least the 2009-10 season. The Mountain Hawks also scored 44 bench points this season against Delaware State on Nov. 16.
LEHIGH VS. CAL
Game time in Berkeley is set for 5 p.m. EST/2 p.m. PST on Sunday afternoon. A live video stream of the game will be available, and Matt Markus will have the Lehigh radio call on 91.3 WLVR and www.wlvr.com.
Like Lehigh women's basketball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.
BERKELEY, Calif. - The Lehigh women's basketball team heads to the West Coast on Sunday afternoon to take on the RV/No. 24 University of California in its final non-league game of the season. The game marks the seventh game in program history against a school from The Golden State and just the sixth game in school history to be played in California.
The Mountain Hawks enter the game with a record of 5-5, having lost four of their last five and will face a Cal team that is off to a program record 8-0 start. The Bears lead the Pac-12 in scoring at 81.0 points per game, which is good enough for 23rd in the nation entering the weekend.
Both teams last played on Thursday night at home, with Lehigh dropping a 75-68 decision against Rider, despite shooting 46.4 percent from the field. Rider outscored Lehigh 50-22 in the paint, and was able to force 20 Mountain Hawk turnovers.
Cal finds itself receiving votes in the official Associated Press poll that was released Dec. 5, and is ranked 24th in the nation in the most recent coaches' poll. Bears are coming off a season-best 24-point win at home on Thursday night over Sacramento State. Sophomore Kristine Anigwe scored a school-record 50 points, which is the most points scored in a Division I women's basketball this season.
ALL-TIME VS. CAL
Lehigh and Cal will meet for just the third time in program history, with one of the previous matchups coming at Haas Pavilion.
The first matchup came on Nov. 28, 2003 in the Coors Classic at the University of Colorado, with the Bears taking the game by a final of 66-47. The two met once again in the season opener on Nov. 9, 2012 at Haas Pavilion, with Cal taking the 80-48 decision.
The 2012 matchup marked the last time that Lehigh faced a ranked opponent. Kerry Kinek '16 shined in her collegiate debut for Lehigh by recording a double-double with a game-high 18 points and 11 rebounds. No. 13/15 Cal jumped out to a 14-0 lead to start the game and led 44-20 at the half. Lehigh shot 38.7 percent from the floor in the second half after shooting just 24 percent in the opening 20 minutes.
No players remain from either team from the last matchup four years ago.
The Mountain Hawks enter the matchup winless (0-4) against Pac-12 opponents, holding identical 0-1 records against Arizona and Arizona State.
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN BEARS
Cal comes into Sunday's matchup riding the best start in program history at 8-0. The Bears have won seven of their eight games this season by at least 15 points, with the lone exception being a seven-point win over St. Mary's on opening night. Cal is averaging a 20-point margin of victory in their six home games so far this season.
The Bears are coming off a season-best 24-point win at home on Thursday night over Sacramento State. Sophomore Kristine Anigwe scored a school-record 50 points on 19-of-23 shooting to power the Bears to the 97-73 win. She is now just one of two Cal players to have multiple 40 points games in their careers, after previously scoring 43 points against Sacramento State last season. The mark was also the first 50-point performance in school history (men's or women's).
Scoring big has been a trend for Cal as they have scored 70 points or more in all eight games this season, the longest such streak in at least the last 15 seasons.
Cal is shooting an even 51 percent on the year, which leads the Pac-12. They also rank in the conference's top five in scoring offense (3rd/81.0 ppg), scoring margin (5th/ 18.5), and three-point FG percentage (2nd/38.3 pct.).
The Bears rank ninth in scoring defense in the Pac-12 by allowing 62.5 points per game, 10th in free throw pct (59.4), and 10th in FG% defense (31.8).
IT DOES RAIN IN CALIFORNIA
Lehigh enters Sunday's matchup with an 0-6 record against teams from California, including a 1-4 mark in games played in the state. Lehigh is 0-2 against Cal, and is 0-1 against UC-Irvine, San Diego, Santa Clara and St. Mary's. Lehigh's lone win in the state came against Idaho (73-56) at the St. Mary's Christmas Classic on Dec. 30, 2000.
HISTORY VS. RANKED OPPONENTS
Lehigh enters Sunday's matchup 0-8 all-time against teams ranked in either the Associated Press or Coaches' Top 25 Poll.
1996-97 - No. 1 Connecticut, L, 35-103
2001-02 - No. 18 North Carolina, L, 47-76
2008-09 - No. 8 Auburn, L, 49-85
2009-10 - No. 20/22 Vanderbilt, L, 54-90
2009-10 - No. 14/16 Iowa State, L 42-79
2010-11 - No. 1 Connecticut, L, 38-81
2011-12 - No. 13/15 Rutgers, L 40-68
2012-13 - No. 13/15 California, L, 48-80
RARE PAC-12/WEST COAST MATCHUP
Sunday marks just the fifth game in Lehigh program history against a Pac-12 opponent. The most recent matchup came at Arizona State on Dec. 20, 2014. Lehigh previously fell to Arizona on Dec. 3, 2005. All matchups have taken place on the road or at a neutral site.
STAYING CLOSE TO HOME
This season marks the first time since the 1984-85 season that the Mountain Hawks are playing at least 11 of their first 13 games in the state of Pennsylvania. This is the sixth time in history this phenomenon has occurred.
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
Lehigh is currently in the midst of playing seven of its 11 non-league games at home this season, the highest percentage (63.6) of non-league home games in at least the last 20 seasons. Following a 3-0 start at home, the Mountain Hawks are currently 4-3 at Stabler Arena after finishing last season 10-6 on their home floor. Overall, Lehigh will play nine of its first 13 games at home this season.
CRUISING BY 30
Lehigh's 32-point win against NJIT was the first 30 point win since Nov. 25, 2015 when Lehigh beat Saint Peter's by 32 points. That win was the second in a row by at least 30 points, a streak the Mountain Hawks have not accomplished since.
BENCH PARTY
The Mountain Hawks bench outscored the NJIT bench by a 50-10 margin on Nov. 30. The 50 points scored by the Lehigh bench are the most since they scored 48 against Bucknell on Feb. 26, 2014. Those totals are the most scored by Lehigh in one game since at least the 2009-10 season. The Mountain Hawks also scored 44 bench points this season against Delaware State on Nov. 16.
LEHIGH VS. CAL
Game time in Berkeley is set for 5 p.m. EST/2 p.m. PST on Sunday afternoon. A live video stream of the game will be available, and Matt Markus will have the Lehigh radio call on 91.3 WLVR and www.wlvr.com.
Like Lehigh women's basketball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's BasketballLehigh Sports Central: Women's Basketball
Wednesday, November 19
Season Preview - Women's Basketball
Friday, October 31
Chasing Greatness: The Road to the Patriot League Title - Part 2
Thursday, May 15
Chasing Greatness: The Road to the Patriot League Title - Part 1
Wednesday, May 14
