Tuesday, January 2
Bethlehem, Pa.
6 p.m.
Lehigh University
8-5, 2-0PL
66
vs
63
Navy
11-2, 1-1PL
1
2
3
4
F
Navy
19
15
15
14
63
Lehigh
15
24
11
16
66
Lehigh Sinks Navy 66-63 for Thrilling Patriot League Win
1/2/2018 9:33:00 PM | Women's Basketball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – A last second game-tying three-point attempt from Navy rattled out as the Lehigh women's basketball team hung on for a thrilling 66-63 victory on Tuesday night at Stabler Arena. Senior Quinci Mann led all scorers with 21 points and moved into third place all-time on the school's career three-point list. Sophomore Camryn Buhr picked up her second double-double of the season with 15 points and 11 rebounds, sophomore Gena Grundhoffer scored 14 points and sophomore Hannah Hedstrom had five assists and grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds. Lehigh finished the game 24-of-57 (42.1 percent) from the field and outrebounded the Midshipmen 39-32. Lehigh held Navy, who received votes in this week's AP Top 25 poll, to just 37.7 percent (23-of-61) from the field and just 20 percent from three-point range, well below their Patriot League leading averages of 42.3 percent and 35 percent, respectively. Lehigh moves to 8-5 overall (2-0 PL), while Navy drops to 11-2 (1-1 PL).
"Early in the season this is an important win for us," said head coach Sue Troyan. "We talk about protecting our home court, and in this league that is going to be really important. This game tonight is probably going to be indicative of a lot of games in this league because I don't think there's a big difference between the top and the bottom. It was good being in a close game like this, having to execute down the stretch and pulling it out is probably a sign of things we'll see in the rest of the year. It's certainly a big confidence booster coming in and getting a win over a good Navy win."
Lehigh started the game 1-for-8 before Buhr added a putback layup to cut the early deficit to 7-5 headed into the first media timeout. Cameryn Benz drained back-to-back three-pointers to give Lehigh its first lead of the game at the 3:36 mark before Navy, retook the lead and carried a 19-15 edge into the second.
Holding the lead through most of the second quarter, the Mids scored four straight to take a game-high 34-27 lead, forcing a Lehigh timeout with 3:47 to go until halftime. Coming out of the timeout, the Mountain Hawks exploded on a 12-0 run to close the half and take a 39-34 lead into the locker room. Buhr started the run with a jumper, and then followed with another trey on the break after grabbing a steal to make it 34-31. Following a missed Navy layup, Mann knocked down a three to knot the score 34, and Benz tacked on a layup to give Lehigh the lead back at 36-34 in the final minute. After another Navy miss, Hedstrom fed Mary Clougherty on the left wing, who swished home a three at the buzzer to cap a spectacular end to the half and give LU the five-point lead.
Navy was just 2-of-9 from three-point range in the opening 20 minutes, while Lehigh connected on 53.3 percent of their shots and hit 54.5 percent from the outside.
"This is a team that has a lot of good weapons," Troyan said. "Last year we ran a lot of our offense through Quinci. We've changed up a lot this year and Quinci, to her benefit, she has bought into it. The ball was not in her hands as much but tonight was a night where we called her number a lot. Every time we called her number she stepped up and made big shots for us. Cam Buhr and Gena made big shots for us. Hannah distributed the ball well and did a great job rebounding. Cam Benz in the first half had a big stretch for us by hitting some big threes. This is a team that has a lot of different weapons. That will be a strength going through the rest of the league."
Navy hovered within four points the entire third quarter, pulling within one in the first three minutes before eventually tying the score at 44 with 3:45 on the clock. Navy took the lead off two free throws moments later before Buhr retied it with a layup and Mann followed with a bucket to go up 48-46. Navy would retake the lead once again before Grundhoffer used a pair of free throws to give LU the 50-49 edge heading into the fourth quarter.
Navy tied the game 54-54 with 7:17 remaining before the Mountain Hawks took the lead for good off a Mann three with 7:02 remaining. However, Navy hung tough, never letting the deficit grow to more than five and battled back within three with 3:47 to go and got within two after a free throw with 1:26 remaining. After Mae Williams made it a three-point game once again with a free throw, both teams traded long range misses, before Hedstrom forced a Navy turnover underneath the basket with 18 seconds left.
Mann hit two free throws after getting fouled on the inbounds pass to make it a 66-61 game, and Navy got within one possession with a jumper to make it 66-63 with six seconds left. After a LU timeout, Navy stole the ensuing inbounds pass and Lehigh quickly fouled with one second left, leaving time for one last Navy heave to force overtime. Navy's Taylor Dunham, who beat Lehigh last season with a three-point buzzer beater from near half court, took the inbounds pass and put up a shot from just inside half court, which ricocheted off the backboard and rim, but didn't fall.
"Coming into the game, we talked a lot about matching the intensity and toughness that this Navy team brings," Troyan said. "They're obviously a quality program coming into this game at 11-1 and getting votes in the top 25. They've played well against some tough teams. We knew we were going to have our hands full but I thought our kids did a really good job of matching their intensity, competitiveness and toughness."
Next up, Lehigh will head hit the road for the first time in league play when take on Holy Cross this Friday in Worcester, Mass. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. on PatriotLeague.TV and Lehighsports.com/watch.
Like Lehigh women's basketball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.
"Early in the season this is an important win for us," said head coach Sue Troyan. "We talk about protecting our home court, and in this league that is going to be really important. This game tonight is probably going to be indicative of a lot of games in this league because I don't think there's a big difference between the top and the bottom. It was good being in a close game like this, having to execute down the stretch and pulling it out is probably a sign of things we'll see in the rest of the year. It's certainly a big confidence booster coming in and getting a win over a good Navy win."
Lehigh started the game 1-for-8 before Buhr added a putback layup to cut the early deficit to 7-5 headed into the first media timeout. Cameryn Benz drained back-to-back three-pointers to give Lehigh its first lead of the game at the 3:36 mark before Navy, retook the lead and carried a 19-15 edge into the second.
Holding the lead through most of the second quarter, the Mids scored four straight to take a game-high 34-27 lead, forcing a Lehigh timeout with 3:47 to go until halftime. Coming out of the timeout, the Mountain Hawks exploded on a 12-0 run to close the half and take a 39-34 lead into the locker room. Buhr started the run with a jumper, and then followed with another trey on the break after grabbing a steal to make it 34-31. Following a missed Navy layup, Mann knocked down a three to knot the score 34, and Benz tacked on a layup to give Lehigh the lead back at 36-34 in the final minute. After another Navy miss, Hedstrom fed Mary Clougherty on the left wing, who swished home a three at the buzzer to cap a spectacular end to the half and give LU the five-point lead.
Navy was just 2-of-9 from three-point range in the opening 20 minutes, while Lehigh connected on 53.3 percent of their shots and hit 54.5 percent from the outside.
"This is a team that has a lot of good weapons," Troyan said. "Last year we ran a lot of our offense through Quinci. We've changed up a lot this year and Quinci, to her benefit, she has bought into it. The ball was not in her hands as much but tonight was a night where we called her number a lot. Every time we called her number she stepped up and made big shots for us. Cam Buhr and Gena made big shots for us. Hannah distributed the ball well and did a great job rebounding. Cam Benz in the first half had a big stretch for us by hitting some big threes. This is a team that has a lot of different weapons. That will be a strength going through the rest of the league."
Navy hovered within four points the entire third quarter, pulling within one in the first three minutes before eventually tying the score at 44 with 3:45 on the clock. Navy took the lead off two free throws moments later before Buhr retied it with a layup and Mann followed with a bucket to go up 48-46. Navy would retake the lead once again before Grundhoffer used a pair of free throws to give LU the 50-49 edge heading into the fourth quarter.
Navy tied the game 54-54 with 7:17 remaining before the Mountain Hawks took the lead for good off a Mann three with 7:02 remaining. However, Navy hung tough, never letting the deficit grow to more than five and battled back within three with 3:47 to go and got within two after a free throw with 1:26 remaining. After Mae Williams made it a three-point game once again with a free throw, both teams traded long range misses, before Hedstrom forced a Navy turnover underneath the basket with 18 seconds left.
Mann hit two free throws after getting fouled on the inbounds pass to make it a 66-61 game, and Navy got within one possession with a jumper to make it 66-63 with six seconds left. After a LU timeout, Navy stole the ensuing inbounds pass and Lehigh quickly fouled with one second left, leaving time for one last Navy heave to force overtime. Navy's Taylor Dunham, who beat Lehigh last season with a three-point buzzer beater from near half court, took the inbounds pass and put up a shot from just inside half court, which ricocheted off the backboard and rim, but didn't fall.
"Coming into the game, we talked a lot about matching the intensity and toughness that this Navy team brings," Troyan said. "They're obviously a quality program coming into this game at 11-1 and getting votes in the top 25. They've played well against some tough teams. We knew we were going to have our hands full but I thought our kids did a really good job of matching their intensity, competitiveness and toughness."
Next up, Lehigh will head hit the road for the first time in league play when take on Holy Cross this Friday in Worcester, Mass. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. on PatriotLeague.TV and Lehighsports.com/watch.
Like Lehigh women's basketball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.
Team Stats
NAVY
LEHIGH
FG%
.377
.421
3FG%
.200
.444
FT%
.857
.909
RB
32
39
TO
13
19
STL
10
6
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
21
FGM
7
3FGM
3
FTM
4
Pts
15
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
14
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
F
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