Wednesday, February 3
Baltimore, Md.
7 p.m.
Lehigh University
14-7, 7-3PL
76
at
68
Loyola
9-12, 6-4PL
1
2
3
4
F
Lehigh
24
16
21
15
76
Loyola Maryland
15
16
14
23
68
Balanced attack carries Lehigh to big 76-68 win at Loyola
2/3/2016 10:17:00 PM | Women's Basketball
BALTIMORE – Six Mountain Hawks scored eight or more points as a full-team effort led the Lehigh women's basketball team to a 76-68 road win at Loyola Wednesday night. All ten Lehigh players that saw the floor scored as the Mountain Hawks were able to hold off a late Greyhound surge. Lehigh notches its fifth-straight win, completes the season sweep of Loyola and takes over sole possession of third place in the Patriot League standings with a 7-3 league record that is part of a 14-7 overall mark, while the Greyhounds fall to 6-4 in Patriot League action and 9-12 overall.
"Loyola is playing really well and this was a good win for us," said head coach Sue Troyan. "We knew we'd have our hands full, but our kids came out executed really well. We had different players step up in different roles which was nice to see."
Junior Lexi Martins recorded her 17th double-double of the season with 20 points and 19 rebounds. In the process, Martins moved into fifth place on Lehigh's all-time career rebounding list with 766 career boards.
Sophomore Bernadette Devaney followed with a career high-tying 11 points, while senior Elizabeth Jordan chipped in nine. Seniors Kerry Kinek and Elizabeth Sharlow, along with sophomore Quinci Mann, tallied eight points apiece. Kinek took over fifth place on Lehigh's all-time leading scorers list with her eight points against the Greyhounds that moved her career total to 1,457. Kinek, who also ranks No. 2 on Lehigh's career rebounding list, surpassed Jessica DePalo '05 who previously held down the No. 5 spot with 1,466 career points.
Bri Betz-White led the Greyhounds with 17 points, while Jeneh Perry followed with 13 points.
The Mountain Hawks finished the game shooting 50.0 percent (25-for-50) from the field, 35.3 percent (6-for-17) from three-point range and 66.7 percent (20-for-33) from the free throw line. Lehigh held Loyola to marks of 35.2 (25-for-71) from the field, 12.5 percent (2-for-16) from downtown and 69.6 percent (16-for-23) from the charity stripe. Lehigh held a 45-32 rebound edge.
Perry scored the first two points of the game, but Lehigh answered with nine of the next 11 thanks to five points from Martins that gave the Mountain Hawks an early 9-4 lead with six minutes on the first-quarter clock. A jumper from Lisa Mirarchi eventually pulled the Greyhounds within two at 10-8, but five points from Devaney put Lehigh ahead 15-9 with three minutes left in the term. Loyola pulled within three at 15-12, but a three-pointer from junior Kayla Burton sparked a 7-2 quarter-ending run that gave the Mountain Hawks a 24-15 lead.
The Greyhounds scored the first four points of the second quarter before Mann drained a three-pointer that put Lehigh ahead 27-19 less than two minutes into the term. Loyola scored the next four points and had Lehigh's lead trimmed to 27-23, but the Mountain Hawks responded with a 9-2 run that saw two three-pointers from Jordan over the next three minutes to re-extend the Lehigh advantage to 36-25 with four minutes left in the half. The Greyhounds scored six of the quarter's final ten points, but the Mountain Hawks were able to carry a 40-31 lead into halftime.
Lehigh wrapped up the first half shooting 48.3 percent (14-for-29) from the field and 38.5 percent (5-for-13) from three-point range. The Mountain Hawks held Loyola to a 36.1 (13-for-36) field goal percentage and 0-for-7 clip from deep.
Senior Amina Affini converted a conventional three-point play to begin the second half before four points from Colleen Marshall sparked an 8-4 Loyola run that pulled the Greyhounds within eight at 47-39 with 5:49 on the third-quarter clock. The Mountain Hawks answered with a 14-4 run over the next four-plus minutes that saw six points from Sharlow, five points from Mann and a Jordan trey to give Lehigh its largest lead yet at 61-43 with under a minute to play in the third quarter. A pair of Loyola free throws ended the frame as Lehigh carried a 61-45 lead into the final ten minutes.
A Sharlow layup kicked off the fourth quarter, but the Greyhounds scored eight of the next ten points to cut Lehigh's lead to 12 at 65-53 with under four minutes to play. Martins scored the next four Lehigh points, but Loyola wouldn't go quietly as a Marshall three-pointer, Betz-White jumper and three-point play from Steph Smith pulled the Greyhounds within single digits at 69-61 with 1:45 to play. Loyola got within five at 70-65 with 1:03 on the clock, but Lehigh went 6-for-8 from the free throw line down the stretch, four of which came from Devaney, to secure a 76-68 victory.
The Mountain Hawks remain on the road Saturday to take on American at 2 p.m. Free video will be available on the Patriot League Network.
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Team Stats
LEHIGH
LOYOLA
FG%
.500
.352
3FG%
.353
.125
FT%
.667
.696
RB
45
32
TO
22
6
STL
4
12
Game Leaders
Pts
20
FGM
7
3FGM
0
FTM
6
Pts
11
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
F
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