Friday, November 17
Bethlehem, Pa.
7 p.m.
Lehigh University
2-1
91
vs
90
Siena
0-3
1
2
OT 1
F
Siena
39
41
10
90
Lehigh
43
37
11
91
Lehigh pulls out another overtime thriller, 91-90 over Siena
11/17/2017 10:42:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Junior Kyle Leufroy converted a driving layup in the final seconds of regulation to tie the score, then classmate Lance Tejada scored six of the Mountain Hawks' 11 points in overtime to lead the Lehigh men's basketball team to an exciting 91-90 victory over Siena on Friday evening in Stabler Arena. With the win, Lehigh improves to 2-1 overall, six days after defeating Marist in overtime to open the season. Four Mountain Hawks finished with double-figure points, led by a career-high 26 from Tejada along with a season-high 23 from Leufroy. The win marked Lehigh's first-ever victory vs. Siena in the first meeting between the two sides since 1985.
"I was really proud that our guys could pull together enough to get the win," said Lehigh head coach Brett Reed. "If we don't have team unity, if we don't have togetherness, if we don't have a sense of trust of each other, that game is going to deteriorate in a hurry because there were enough plays where we could've just caved in tonight. Especially with Nico Clareth playing as well as he did (30 points), it's sometimes that's really hard to overcome. But I do sense that there's something about this team's chemistry and something positive about their unity. To have these types of test early in our season and to be able to prevail in each of those situations is a confidence booster in one respect and a unity booster in another."
Tejada finished the evening 9-of-14 from the field, including 4-of-7 from three-point range. Leufroy added eight rebounds, four assists and a steal, eclipsing 250 career rebounds in the process. Sophomore Pat Andree just missed his second-career double-double, posting 16 points and nine rebounds, shooting 5-of-11 from the field and 3-of-5 from three-point range. Senior Kahron Ross tallied 10 points and a season-high eight assists compared to just two turnovers.
Less than two minutes in, Siena took a quick 10-2 lead, but the Mountain Hawks responded with an 11-0 run. The run began with a Leufroy three-pointer, the 100th of his career, and ended with a Leufroy layup, giving Lehigh a 13-10 advantage with 16:05 still left in the first.
The Saints again responded, opening a 21-15 advantage, but a 12-2 Lehigh run capped off by a Caleb Bennett layup, gave the Mountain Hawks a 27-23 lead midway through the first. The teams went back and forth over the ensuing minutes until late in the half, a Bennett dunk gave Lehigh a 40-36 lead with two minutes remaining. However, Clareth's fourth trey of the first half pulled Siena within 40-39 following 20 minutes of play.
Early in the second, an 8-2 Lehigh run capped off by a Tejada trey, gave Lehigh a 51-45 lead. A few minutes later, Siena posted a 7-0 run to retake a 55-54 advantage with 14:56 left in the second half. The ensuing minutes saw eight ties (at 55, 57, 59, 62, 64, 66, 71 and 73) before consecutive Andree layups, at 4:29 and 3:52 gave Lehigh a 77-73 advantage. However, Siena responded with six of the next seven points as a Romar Penn layup gave the Saints a 79-78 advantage with 2:06 on the clock
Trailing 80-78 with seven seconds remaining, Leufroy took the inbounds and went all the way in to finish a tough shot in the paint, forcing overtime.
Andree connected on a three-pointer just seconds into the overtime period and the Mountain Hawks wouldn't trail the rest of the way. Tejada went on to score six points in overtime for the second time, after also doing so in the season opener at Marist. Siena pulled within one on four occasions, including with 11 seconds remaining, but the Mountain Hawks were able to hold on for the 91-90 victory.
Lehigh shot 46 percent for the game (30-of-65), including 44 percent from three-point range (12-of-27). Siena shot just 1-of-11 in overtime to finish at 49 percent for the game (35-of-71). The Saints shot 32 percent from three-pinot range (8-of-25). The Mountain Hawks held a 41-40 edge in rebounds.
"Kyle's rebounding the basketball really kept us in it," said Reed. "Our goal is to win the rebounding margin each game and fortunately, between him getting defensive rebounds and Pat Andree really bearing down in the last five minutes plus overtime, getting a couple extra possessions and getting some key defensive rebounds, we were able to hold the rebounding edge."
The Mountain Hawks' two overtime victories are already their most since the 2013-14 season. It's the first time in the Patriot League era that Lehigh has tallied two overtime victories in nonleague play. The Mountain Hawks also improved to 2-1 overall for the first time since the 2008-09 season.
The Mountain Hawks will remain home to host Eastern University on Sunday at 2 p.m. Season and individual game tickets are on sale and can be purchased online by clicking here.
Like Lehigh Men's Basketball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.
"I was really proud that our guys could pull together enough to get the win," said Lehigh head coach Brett Reed. "If we don't have team unity, if we don't have togetherness, if we don't have a sense of trust of each other, that game is going to deteriorate in a hurry because there were enough plays where we could've just caved in tonight. Especially with Nico Clareth playing as well as he did (30 points), it's sometimes that's really hard to overcome. But I do sense that there's something about this team's chemistry and something positive about their unity. To have these types of test early in our season and to be able to prevail in each of those situations is a confidence booster in one respect and a unity booster in another."
Tejada finished the evening 9-of-14 from the field, including 4-of-7 from three-point range. Leufroy added eight rebounds, four assists and a steal, eclipsing 250 career rebounds in the process. Sophomore Pat Andree just missed his second-career double-double, posting 16 points and nine rebounds, shooting 5-of-11 from the field and 3-of-5 from three-point range. Senior Kahron Ross tallied 10 points and a season-high eight assists compared to just two turnovers.
Less than two minutes in, Siena took a quick 10-2 lead, but the Mountain Hawks responded with an 11-0 run. The run began with a Leufroy three-pointer, the 100th of his career, and ended with a Leufroy layup, giving Lehigh a 13-10 advantage with 16:05 still left in the first.
The Saints again responded, opening a 21-15 advantage, but a 12-2 Lehigh run capped off by a Caleb Bennett layup, gave the Mountain Hawks a 27-23 lead midway through the first. The teams went back and forth over the ensuing minutes until late in the half, a Bennett dunk gave Lehigh a 40-36 lead with two minutes remaining. However, Clareth's fourth trey of the first half pulled Siena within 40-39 following 20 minutes of play.
Early in the second, an 8-2 Lehigh run capped off by a Tejada trey, gave Lehigh a 51-45 lead. A few minutes later, Siena posted a 7-0 run to retake a 55-54 advantage with 14:56 left in the second half. The ensuing minutes saw eight ties (at 55, 57, 59, 62, 64, 66, 71 and 73) before consecutive Andree layups, at 4:29 and 3:52 gave Lehigh a 77-73 advantage. However, Siena responded with six of the next seven points as a Romar Penn layup gave the Saints a 79-78 advantage with 2:06 on the clock
Trailing 80-78 with seven seconds remaining, Leufroy took the inbounds and went all the way in to finish a tough shot in the paint, forcing overtime.
Andree connected on a three-pointer just seconds into the overtime period and the Mountain Hawks wouldn't trail the rest of the way. Tejada went on to score six points in overtime for the second time, after also doing so in the season opener at Marist. Siena pulled within one on four occasions, including with 11 seconds remaining, but the Mountain Hawks were able to hold on for the 91-90 victory.
Lehigh shot 46 percent for the game (30-of-65), including 44 percent from three-point range (12-of-27). Siena shot just 1-of-11 in overtime to finish at 49 percent for the game (35-of-71). The Saints shot 32 percent from three-pinot range (8-of-25). The Mountain Hawks held a 41-40 edge in rebounds.
"Kyle's rebounding the basketball really kept us in it," said Reed. "Our goal is to win the rebounding margin each game and fortunately, between him getting defensive rebounds and Pat Andree really bearing down in the last five minutes plus overtime, getting a couple extra possessions and getting some key defensive rebounds, we were able to hold the rebounding edge."
The Mountain Hawks' two overtime victories are already their most since the 2013-14 season. It's the first time in the Patriot League era that Lehigh has tallied two overtime victories in nonleague play. The Mountain Hawks also improved to 2-1 overall for the first time since the 2008-09 season.
The Mountain Hawks will remain home to host Eastern University on Sunday at 2 p.m. Season and individual game tickets are on sale and can be purchased online by clicking here.
Like Lehigh Men's Basketball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.
Team Stats
SIE
LEHIGH
FG%
.493
.462
3FG%
.320
.444
FT%
.545
.760
RB
40
41
TO
12
12
STL
4
5
Game Leaders
Pts
26
FGM
9
3FGM
4
FTM
4
Pts
23
FGM
7
3FGM
3
FTM
6
Pts
16
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
3
Pts
10
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Players Mentioned
F
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