Friday, December 29
Bethlehem, Pa.
4 p.m.
Lehigh University
vs
Lafayette
Mountain Hawks to Host Lafayette in Patriot League Opener on Friday
12/28/2017 9:17:00 AM | Women's Basketball
| GAME INFORMATION | |
| Matchup | Lehigh (6-5) vs. Lafayette (4-6) |
| Date/Time | Friday, Dec. 29, 2017 – 4 p.m. |
| Location | Stabler Arena – Bethlehem, Pa. |
| TV | Service Electric 2 Sports |
| Video Stream | Patriot League Network (PatriotLeague.TV) |
| Radio | ESPN Radio 1160/1230/1320 AM and ESPNLV.com |
| Live Stats | Live Stats |
| Game Notes | Lehigh Game Notes | Lafayette Game Notes |
PROMOTION
Have an unwanted Christmas gift? Exchange it for a $1 ticket! All exchanged gifts will go to support New Bethany Ministries in Southside Bethlehem. To order tickets online, visit Lehightickets.com
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - After a nearly three-week layoff, the Lehigh women's basketball team will open up Patriot League play this Friday at Stabler Arena against Lafayette. The matchup marks the earliest matchup ever between the two schools and the first time in 16 years the two teams will open up league play against each other.
Lafayette snapped a three-game losing streak with a 70-52 win in their last game on Dec. 20 at Wagner and are 4-3 over their last seven games. The Mountain Hawks struggled down the stretch, losing three of their last five heading into the holidays. Lehigh will look to extend its winning streak over the Leopards to five games, and its home court winning streak against the Leopards to eight games. Lehigh will also look to reverse its fortunes in afternoon games, where the team has gone 1-5 on the season.
Lehigh finished its non-league schedule with a winning record for the fourth time in the last five years. Lehigh has only been outrebounded in one of its 11 games so far this season, and ranks third in the league with 3.6 blocks per contest. Sophomore Hannah Hedstrom is tied for second in the PL with 3.9 assists per game, and has averaged 5.14 over her last seven games. Senior Quinci Mann (12.4 ppg) and sophomore Camryn Buhr (12.1 ppg) both rank in the top 10 in the league in scoring, and sophomore Cameryn Benz ranks sixth with a team-leading 48.3 field goal percentage.
Next, Lehigh will remain at home to begin 2018 with a matchup on Tuesday, Jan. 2 against Navy (10-1).
ALL-TIME VS. LAFAYETTE
Lehigh and Lafayette will meet for the 92nd time when the two rivals square off on Friday at Stabler Arena. The Mountain Hawks own a 47-44 advantage in the all-time series since the Leopards claimed a 45-35 victory in the first-ever meeting on February 4, 1975.
Lehigh has won four straight after sweeping the Leopards in each of the last two seasons. Lehigh carries a seven game winning streak over Lafayette at Stabler Arena, with Lafayette's last win coming on Jan. 22, 2011. Lehigh's longest win streak over Lafayette is six games, which occurred twice (2001-03, 2008-10). The Leopards own the longest win streak of the series, winning eight-straight from the 1986-87 season to the 1988-89 season.
Since the turn of the century, Lehigh has taken victories in 30 of the 41 meetings with Lafayette. Lehigh has also won nine of the last 12 meetings dating back to 2012.
Since opening her career with five-straight wins over Lafayette, head coach Sue Troyan has lead the Mountain Hawks to wins in 35 out of 50 meetings against the Leopards.
SCOUTING THE LEOPARDS
Entering with a 4-6 record, Lafayette enters Patriot League play coming off a 70-52 win over Wagner in their final game before the holiday break. The Leopards are 2-1 this season against common opponents with Lehigh, while LU is 1-2. Both teams won road matchups by single digits at Cornell and lost to La Salle at home. Lafayette topped LIU Brooklyn at home 69-53, while the Mountain Hawks dropped a three-point decision to the Blackbirds at the Barclays Center.
Returning just two starters from last season, Lafayette has received major contributions this season from true freshmen Natalie Kucowski and Drew Freeland, who have combined to win three Patriot League Rookie of the Week awards. Kucowski leads the league and ranks ninth in the country with 12.1 rebounds per game, and senior Anna Ptasinski ranks fourth in the Patriot League with a 43.9 3FG pct. and 2.3 3FG/game. Kucowski and Ptasinski lead the team with 11.3 and 8.6 points per game, respectively. Freeland scores 7.7 points and ranks second with 4.3 rebounds per game. Senior point guard Sammy Stipa comes in sixth in the league with 3.4 assists per game.
Freeland is coming off a career-best 17 points while going 3-for-4 from three-point range on Dec. 20, leading the team to a season-best 70 points in their win over Wagner. Her efforts garnered her PL Rookie of the Week honors. Kucowski also had a career night with 15 points, 18 rebounds and five assists.
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Players Mentioned
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