Thursday, January 11
Bethlehem, Pa.
6 p.m.
Lehigh University
vs
Bucknell
Photo by: Rebecca Gillard
Lehigh to Conclude Home Stretch Thursday with Showdown vs. Bucknell
1/10/2018 5:31:00 PM | Women's Basketball
| GAME INFORMATION | |
| Matchup | Bucknell (9-6, 3-1 PL) at Lehigh (9-6, 3-1 PL) |
| Date/Time | Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018 – 6 p.m. |
| Location | Stabler Arena – Bethlehem, Pa. |
| TV | Service Electric 2 Sports |
| Video Stream | Patriot League Network (PatriotLeague.TV) |
| Audio Stream | Lehighsports.com/watch |
| Live Stats | Live Stats |
| Game Notes | Lehigh | Bucknell |
| @LehighWBB | |
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The Lehigh women's basketball team will play at home for the fourth time in five games to open up Patriot League play on Thursday evening when they welcome Bucknell to Stabler Arena. Both teams enter the showdown with identical 9-6 (3-1 PL) records and sit in a tie for second place in the Patriot League standings. Thursday's game is presented by Ready Nutrition.
The Mountain Hawks are coming off a 16-point victory on Monday over Boston University, where they shot 63 percent in the first half and 52 percent for the game, including a 45.5 percent clip from downtown. Five Mountain Hawks scored in double figures for the first time this season, led by Qunci Mann (21) and Camryn Buhr (18). Defensively, Lehigh forced 10 steals and held BU to 37.5 percent from the field and just 3-of-12 from beyond the arc.
The Mountain Hawks have climbed back into the top spot in the Patriot League by making 34.7 percent of their shots from three-point range, and are shooting a league-best 44.4 percent from downtown through the first four league games. Thursday's game will conclude a stretch of playing four of the first five league games at home, something Lehigh has not done since 2011-12. Lehigh has made the most of the early home stretch by winning each of the first three games. At 7-1, Lehigh is off to its best start at home in eight years.
Following Thursday's matchup, Lehigh will begin a two-game road trip Sunday afternoon at first place American.
ALL-TIME VS. BUCKNELL
Meeting for the 82nd time in program history, Lehigh holds a 42-39 record in the all-time series against the Bison.
Bucknell has won the last five matchups between the two schools, plus nine of the last 12 dating back to the 2011-12 season. Prior to that, Lehigh bested the Bison in 10 straight games from 2008-2012. Over the last 12 games, two of Lehigh's three wins over the Bison have come at Stabler Arena. The last 12 games played between the two have been decided by an average of 13.3 points, with Lehigh winning its three games by an average of 14.3 points. Over the same span, the Bison have outscored Lehigh by an average of 66.3-60.9.
Last season, Bucknell won a pair of 19-point decisions over Lehigh, with departed senior and PL Player of the Year Claire DeBoer leading the Bison in scoring in both games. Kyi English (16) and Kate Walker (10) led Bucknell's returners and helped the Bison shoot nearly 47 percent in a 77-58 win at Stabler Arena on Jan. 11. English and Catherine Romaine led the team in the game at Bucknell. Quinci Mann led Lehigh in scoring in both games, collecting her 1,000th career point at Bucknell on Feb. 8. Lehigh shot a combined 33.9 percent from the floor in the two games and 24.5 percent from three-point range.
SCOUTING THE BISON
Off to a 9-6 (3-1 PL) start, Bucknell enters Thursday's matchup on a three game winning streak after dropping their league opener to first place American. The preseason co-favorite to repeat as league champions, the Bison topped Boston U. 63-58 on the road and have beaten Army West Point (60-36) and Lafayette (83-53) at home. Bucknell is 4-4 on the road this season and 36-4 in Patriot League play over the last three seasons.
As a team, Bucknell leads the Patriot League with a rebounding margin of 6.9, three higher than second ranked Army. Their rebounding margin is also a PL best 9.8 in league play. Through four league games, the Bison sit atop the league by scoring 66.0 points per league contest and are third by allowing an average of 53.8 points. They are holding opponents to 35.3 percent from the field and 29.3 percent from three-point range in league games.
The Bison are led by junior forward and preseason all-league selection Kaitlyn Slagus at 12.6 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, both of which rank in the top 10 in the league. Juniors Kyi English (11.4 ppg) and Kate Walker (10.3) also score in double figures, and Bucknell is the only team in the league to have three players ranked in the top 15 in assists per game, led by English at 3.0 dimes per contest.
In Monday's win over Lafayette, the Bison set a school record with 14 three-pointers and received 47 points from their bench. In this week's RPI, Bucknell ranks third in the PL and 145th nationally.
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Players Mentioned
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