Wednesday, November 21
Albany, N.Y. (Times Union Center)
6 p.m.
Lehigh University
4-1
80
at
69
Siena
2-3
1
2
F
Lehigh
42
38
80
Siena
37
32
69
Mountain Hawks surge to impressive 80-69 team win at Siena
11/21/2018 9:37:00 PM | Men's Basketball
ALBANY, N.Y. – The Lehigh men's basketball knocked shot 58.0 percent from the field, including 63.2 percent from three-point range, while also clamping down defensively when it mattered most as the Mountain Hawks picked up an 80-69 win over Siena at the Times Union Center Wednesday evening. Senior Kyle Leufroy scored a career-high 25 points to pace the offense while junior Jordan Cohen had 15, sophomore Marques Wilson scored 12 and freshman Jeameril Wilson recorded a career-high 10. Siena jumped out to early leads of 12-5 and 16-10, but the Mountain Hawks turned the tides due in large part to limiting its turnovers. After eight first-half turnovers, Lehigh had just four in the second.
The Mountain Hawks improved to 4-1 with the win, marking their best start in 10 years, since beginning the 2008-09 season 5-1.
One game after posting its best field goal percentage defense against a Division I opponent in 10 years, Lehigh's offense took center stage. The team's 58.0 shooting percentage on Wednesday (29-of-50) is its best mark since shooting 59.2 percent on Feb. 4, 2017 at American. The Mountain Hawks' 63.2 percentage from three (12-of-19) is tied for the second best percentage in the NCAA this season and is Lehigh's best percentage since knocking down 66.7 percent (6-of-9) vs. Quinnipiac on Dec. 21, 2013. It's also the Mountain Hawks' best percentage with double-figure makes since hitting 73.3 percent (11-of-15) on Dec. 5, 2007 vs. Stony Brook.
"I thought we had great bench production," said Lehigh head coach Brett Reed. "Jeameril Wilson came into the game and gave us a huge spark, knocked down some shots, had some tough finishes and essentially made a game-winning play on the defensive end of the floor where he made a rotation and knocked the ball away to help us secure the win. Marques Wilson came in and was really effective. Caleb Bennett gave us some good minutes, particularly playing defense. And then, the efficiency of Kyle Leufroy as a senior who has been in those moments making open shots, [was important]."
Leufroy's 25 points came on 8-of-11 shooting, including 4-of-5 from three-point range. No one else had more than eight shot attempts. Along with the four Mountain Hawks in double figures, junior Pat Andree scored eight points, all in the second half, while sophomore James Karnik had six points and eight boards.
"When you start considering that Kyle was 8-for-11, Jordan 5-for-8, Jeameril 4-for-6 and Marques 5-for-6 from the floor, it shows you a really high efficiency," said Reed. "We had a lot of players who were unselfish and were passing the ball and giving their teammates opportunities to make plays."
Siena used an early 7-0 surge to take a 12-5 lead, later leading 16-10 with 13:48 on the clock. The Mountain Hawks immediately had an answer, posting a 10-0 run, with the first five points from Leufroy and the last five from Marques Wilson, to give Lehigh a 20-16 advantage with 11:07 left in the first.
Later in the half, the Saints used a 9-0 run to turn a 22-18 Lehigh lead into a 27-22 Saints' advantage. With Lehigh trailing 32-31 with 2:57 remaining, the Mountain Hawks scored 11 of the final 16 points of the half, which included a pair of Jeameril Wilson threes, to help give Lehigh a 42-37 after 20 minutes of play.
The Mountain Hawks would never trail in the second, but it wasn't for a lack of resistance. Siena pulled within three (or less) on six different occasions, but Lehigh always responded.
After the Saints got within 55-53 with 12:13 on the clock, an Andree three sparked a 6-0 run and a 61-53 lead. A few minutes later, Andree hit another trey to give the Mountain Hawks a seven-point, 64-57 advantage with 7:28 remaining.
Siena later pulled within three at 64-61, but a 10-0 Lehigh run erased any doubt. The run wrapped up with a Karnik dunk and four straight points from Cohen, on the way to the 80-69 final.
Lehigh's 58.0 percent shooting (29-of-50), and 63.2 percent from three (12-of-19), came across Siena, who shot 40.6 percent (26-of-64) and 26.7 percent from distance (8-of-30). The Saints shot just 35.3 percent in the second half, including 21.4 percent from three (8-of-30). Over its last two games, Lehigh has held its opponents to just 19.4 percent from three-point range (12-of-62).
Lehigh now remains on the road on Saturday at No. 12 Kansas State. Opening tipoff is set for 3:30 p.m. locally (4:30 ET) on Fox Sports Kansas City and ESPN3.
Like Lehigh Men's Basketball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.
The Mountain Hawks improved to 4-1 with the win, marking their best start in 10 years, since beginning the 2008-09 season 5-1.
One game after posting its best field goal percentage defense against a Division I opponent in 10 years, Lehigh's offense took center stage. The team's 58.0 shooting percentage on Wednesday (29-of-50) is its best mark since shooting 59.2 percent on Feb. 4, 2017 at American. The Mountain Hawks' 63.2 percentage from three (12-of-19) is tied for the second best percentage in the NCAA this season and is Lehigh's best percentage since knocking down 66.7 percent (6-of-9) vs. Quinnipiac on Dec. 21, 2013. It's also the Mountain Hawks' best percentage with double-figure makes since hitting 73.3 percent (11-of-15) on Dec. 5, 2007 vs. Stony Brook.
"I thought we had great bench production," said Lehigh head coach Brett Reed. "Jeameril Wilson came into the game and gave us a huge spark, knocked down some shots, had some tough finishes and essentially made a game-winning play on the defensive end of the floor where he made a rotation and knocked the ball away to help us secure the win. Marques Wilson came in and was really effective. Caleb Bennett gave us some good minutes, particularly playing defense. And then, the efficiency of Kyle Leufroy as a senior who has been in those moments making open shots, [was important]."
Leufroy's 25 points came on 8-of-11 shooting, including 4-of-5 from three-point range. No one else had more than eight shot attempts. Along with the four Mountain Hawks in double figures, junior Pat Andree scored eight points, all in the second half, while sophomore James Karnik had six points and eight boards.
"When you start considering that Kyle was 8-for-11, Jordan 5-for-8, Jeameril 4-for-6 and Marques 5-for-6 from the floor, it shows you a really high efficiency," said Reed. "We had a lot of players who were unselfish and were passing the ball and giving their teammates opportunities to make plays."
Siena used an early 7-0 surge to take a 12-5 lead, later leading 16-10 with 13:48 on the clock. The Mountain Hawks immediately had an answer, posting a 10-0 run, with the first five points from Leufroy and the last five from Marques Wilson, to give Lehigh a 20-16 advantage with 11:07 left in the first.
Kyle Leufroy is red hot ?? Nine points in the first eight minutes as this trey gives Lehigh a 7-0 run and a 17-16 lead, forcing a Siena timeout. pic.twitter.com/ACaGF5byb8
— Lehigh M. Basketball (@LehighMBB) November 21, 2018
Later in the half, the Saints used a 9-0 run to turn a 22-18 Lehigh lead into a 27-22 Saints' advantage. With Lehigh trailing 32-31 with 2:57 remaining, the Mountain Hawks scored 11 of the final 16 points of the half, which included a pair of Jeameril Wilson threes, to help give Lehigh a 42-37 after 20 minutes of play.
Have a half, Jeameril Wilson! This final-minute three gave him eight points on 3-of-3 shooting, including 2-of-2 from three-point range. pic.twitter.com/sw4hMpRU5u
— Lehigh M. Basketball (@LehighMBB) November 21, 2018
The Mountain Hawks would never trail in the second, but it wasn't for a lack of resistance. Siena pulled within three (or less) on six different occasions, but Lehigh always responded.
Jeameril Wilson... WITH AUTHORITY! pic.twitter.com/oMB9SJdUF8
— Lehigh M. Basketball (@LehighMBB) November 22, 2018
After the Saints got within 55-53 with 12:13 on the clock, an Andree three sparked a 6-0 run and a 61-53 lead. A few minutes later, Andree hit another trey to give the Mountain Hawks a seven-point, 64-57 advantage with 7:28 remaining.
Pat Andree has played limited minutes due to foul trouble, but his impact has been large. He has six of Lehigh's last nine points, most recently this three ??. Lehigh leads Siena 64-59 at the under-8 media timeout. pic.twitter.com/f37ktr6nOa
— Lehigh M. Basketball (@LehighMBB) November 22, 2018
Siena later pulled within three at 64-61, but a 10-0 Lehigh run erased any doubt. The run wrapped up with a Karnik dunk and four straight points from Cohen, on the way to the 80-69 final.
Lehigh's 58.0 percent shooting (29-of-50), and 63.2 percent from three (12-of-19), came across Siena, who shot 40.6 percent (26-of-64) and 26.7 percent from distance (8-of-30). The Saints shot just 35.3 percent in the second half, including 21.4 percent from three (8-of-30). Over its last two games, Lehigh has held its opponents to just 19.4 percent from three-point range (12-of-62).
Lehigh now remains on the road on Saturday at No. 12 Kansas State. Opening tipoff is set for 3:30 p.m. locally (4:30 ET) on Fox Sports Kansas City and ESPN3.
Like Lehigh Men's Basketball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.
Team Stats
LEHIGH
SIE
FG%
.580
.406
3FG%
.632
.267
FT%
.667
.818
RB
32
31
TO
12
7
STL
5
7
Game Leaders
Pts
25
FGM
8
3FGM
4
FTM
5
Pts
15
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
3
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
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