Saturday, February 10
Washington, D.C.
2 p.m.
Lehigh University
at
American
Lehigh looks to continue momentum at American Saturday afternoon
2/8/2018 2:30:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Game Notes | Watch Live Online (PLN) | NBC Sports Philadelphia+ Channel Finder | Listen Live | Live Stats
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Riding a three-game winning streak, including victories against the first and second place teams, the Lehigh men's basketball team looks to keep the momentum going when it travels to our nation's capital to face American University on Saturday afternoon. The game will tip off at 2 p.m. and air live on NBC Sports Washington + and NBC Sports Philadelphia +, and be streamed online through the Patriot League Network. Most recently, the Mountain Hawks picked up a hard-fought 92-89 win in overtime against Bucknell on Monday, snapping the Bison's 10-game winning streak.
NBC Sports Philadelphia+ (formally The Comcast Network) can be accessed in the Lehigh Valley on Service Electric Channel 27. To find the channel in your area, please see the channel finder, here.Â
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Monday's win was Lehigh's third in overtime this season (compared to just one loss). It marks the Mountain Hawks' most OT wins in a season since 2013-14 (when they went 3-0) and most overtime games since 2003-04 when they also had four. The Mountain Hawks went up by nine less than seven minutes into the game, Bucknell responded to take a halftime lead and eventually led by eight with 6:50 remaining, but Lehigh had an answer, using a 12-3 run to take a 73-72 lead with just over two minutes left in regulation. In his return from injury, junior Lance Tejada was the story early in overtime, knocking down a pair of threes in the first 2:23 of the overtime period, giving the Mountain Hawks a lead for good. Sophomore Jordan Cohen was clutch from the free throw line down the stretch, going a perfect 6-of-6 in the final 29 seconds. Despite the makes, Bucknell's Zach Thomas still had a chance with a three-pointer to tie in the final seconds, but it was off the mark and Lehigh walked away with its fourth victory in its last six tries against the Bison.
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Five Mountain Hawks finished with double-figure points, led by 24 from sophomore Pat Andree to tie a season high. He was red hot from behind the arc, knocking down 5-of-6 threes to improve his season percentage to 44.4 percent (64-of-144) and Patriot League percentage to 53.8 percent (43-of-80). Tejada finished with 17 points in just 20 minutes with 14 of the points coming after halftime. He was 3-of-4 from distance and is now shooting 49.6 percent for the year (69-of-139), good for third in the nation, including 52.2 percent (36-of-69) in league play. As a team, Lehigh connected on 11-of-21 treys Monday, its fourth straight game over 50 percent and seventh straight with double-figure makes. The Mountain Hawks are shooting 54.2 percent from three over their last four games (45-of-83) and 49.7 percent over their last seven (81-of-163).
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Cohen finished with a career-high 21 points, breaking his previous high of 20 set in his first-ever home game last season vs. Princeton. Going against reigning Patriot League Player of the Year Nana Foulland, freshman James Karnik tallied 12 points and 11 rebounds for his fourth-career double-double. He also defended Foulland well, holding him to 14 points, below his 15.6 average entering the game. Only seven of Foulland's points came in Karnik's 35 minutes on the floor. Senior Kahron Ross added 12 points, five rebounds, two assists and five steals (just one shy of a career high).
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Lehigh's three-game winning streak is its longest of the season and longest since winning six straights last season - the final four regular-season games and the first two Patriot League Tournament contests. The Mountain Hawks are now 17-2 over their last 19 February games dating back to the 2015-16 season. With its recent surge, Lehigh is now tied for fifth in the league standings with its 6-7 record, one game behind Navy in fourth. In total, the second through ninth-place teams are all within four games of each other.
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American is in the midst of a tough season, standing 5-19 overall, including 2-11 in Patriot League play. One of the Eagles' wins did come at Boston University, 69-58, one game after Lehigh defeated the Eagles 76-66 in Stabler Arena. American's other league victory was at home against Loyola, 76-65. Sa'eed Nelson is second in the Patriot League in scoring (18.3 points per game) and assists (4.7). Larry Motuzis comes in at 14.3 points and 4.7 rebounds while Sam Iorio has tallied 13.3 points and a team-high 6.3 rebounds per contest. American enters the weekend on a six-game losing streak, most recently falling at Loyola 72-69 on Wednesday night.
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Lehigh has won six straight games against American following a Patriot League Tournament loss in 2015 to pull within 26-25 in the all-time series. The six-game winning streak is Lehigh's longest against American in program history. Only two of the last eight games in the all-time series have come at American due to Patriot League Tournament games at Lehigh in 2015 and 2016. Last season, Lehigh defeated the Eagles 79-73 at home and 70-55 on the road. Lehigh defeated American in each of its three championship seasons (2004, 2010 and 2012). Lehigh and American first played in 1960-61, a 71-61 American victory. Lehigh then won the next meeting in 1964-65, 63-47.
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Following Saturday's contest, Lehigh will travel to Colgate next Wednesday to face the Raiders. Opening tipoff is set for 7 p.m. The Mountain Hawks return home next Saturday (Feb. 17) to host Army West Point at 7 p.m.
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Like Lehigh Men's Basketball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Riding a three-game winning streak, including victories against the first and second place teams, the Lehigh men's basketball team looks to keep the momentum going when it travels to our nation's capital to face American University on Saturday afternoon. The game will tip off at 2 p.m. and air live on NBC Sports Washington + and NBC Sports Philadelphia +, and be streamed online through the Patriot League Network. Most recently, the Mountain Hawks picked up a hard-fought 92-89 win in overtime against Bucknell on Monday, snapping the Bison's 10-game winning streak.
NBC Sports Philadelphia+ (formally The Comcast Network) can be accessed in the Lehigh Valley on Service Electric Channel 27. To find the channel in your area, please see the channel finder, here.Â
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Monday's win was Lehigh's third in overtime this season (compared to just one loss). It marks the Mountain Hawks' most OT wins in a season since 2013-14 (when they went 3-0) and most overtime games since 2003-04 when they also had four. The Mountain Hawks went up by nine less than seven minutes into the game, Bucknell responded to take a halftime lead and eventually led by eight with 6:50 remaining, but Lehigh had an answer, using a 12-3 run to take a 73-72 lead with just over two minutes left in regulation. In his return from injury, junior Lance Tejada was the story early in overtime, knocking down a pair of threes in the first 2:23 of the overtime period, giving the Mountain Hawks a lead for good. Sophomore Jordan Cohen was clutch from the free throw line down the stretch, going a perfect 6-of-6 in the final 29 seconds. Despite the makes, Bucknell's Zach Thomas still had a chance with a three-pointer to tie in the final seconds, but it was off the mark and Lehigh walked away with its fourth victory in its last six tries against the Bison.
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Five Mountain Hawks finished with double-figure points, led by 24 from sophomore Pat Andree to tie a season high. He was red hot from behind the arc, knocking down 5-of-6 threes to improve his season percentage to 44.4 percent (64-of-144) and Patriot League percentage to 53.8 percent (43-of-80). Tejada finished with 17 points in just 20 minutes with 14 of the points coming after halftime. He was 3-of-4 from distance and is now shooting 49.6 percent for the year (69-of-139), good for third in the nation, including 52.2 percent (36-of-69) in league play. As a team, Lehigh connected on 11-of-21 treys Monday, its fourth straight game over 50 percent and seventh straight with double-figure makes. The Mountain Hawks are shooting 54.2 percent from three over their last four games (45-of-83) and 49.7 percent over their last seven (81-of-163).
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Cohen finished with a career-high 21 points, breaking his previous high of 20 set in his first-ever home game last season vs. Princeton. Going against reigning Patriot League Player of the Year Nana Foulland, freshman James Karnik tallied 12 points and 11 rebounds for his fourth-career double-double. He also defended Foulland well, holding him to 14 points, below his 15.6 average entering the game. Only seven of Foulland's points came in Karnik's 35 minutes on the floor. Senior Kahron Ross added 12 points, five rebounds, two assists and five steals (just one shy of a career high).
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Lehigh's three-game winning streak is its longest of the season and longest since winning six straights last season - the final four regular-season games and the first two Patriot League Tournament contests. The Mountain Hawks are now 17-2 over their last 19 February games dating back to the 2015-16 season. With its recent surge, Lehigh is now tied for fifth in the league standings with its 6-7 record, one game behind Navy in fourth. In total, the second through ninth-place teams are all within four games of each other.
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American is in the midst of a tough season, standing 5-19 overall, including 2-11 in Patriot League play. One of the Eagles' wins did come at Boston University, 69-58, one game after Lehigh defeated the Eagles 76-66 in Stabler Arena. American's other league victory was at home against Loyola, 76-65. Sa'eed Nelson is second in the Patriot League in scoring (18.3 points per game) and assists (4.7). Larry Motuzis comes in at 14.3 points and 4.7 rebounds while Sam Iorio has tallied 13.3 points and a team-high 6.3 rebounds per contest. American enters the weekend on a six-game losing streak, most recently falling at Loyola 72-69 on Wednesday night.
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Lehigh has won six straight games against American following a Patriot League Tournament loss in 2015 to pull within 26-25 in the all-time series. The six-game winning streak is Lehigh's longest against American in program history. Only two of the last eight games in the all-time series have come at American due to Patriot League Tournament games at Lehigh in 2015 and 2016. Last season, Lehigh defeated the Eagles 79-73 at home and 70-55 on the road. Lehigh defeated American in each of its three championship seasons (2004, 2010 and 2012). Lehigh and American first played in 1960-61, a 71-61 American victory. Lehigh then won the next meeting in 1964-65, 63-47.
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Following Saturday's contest, Lehigh will travel to Colgate next Wednesday to face the Raiders. Opening tipoff is set for 7 p.m. The Mountain Hawks return home next Saturday (Feb. 17) to host Army West Point at 7 p.m.
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Like Lehigh Men's Basketball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.
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Players Mentioned
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