Wednesday, January 2
Bethlehem, Pa.
7 p.m.
Lehigh University
8-4, 1-0PL
86
vs
83
Lafayette
3-9, 0-1PL
1
2
F
Lafayette
43
40
83
Lehigh
35
51
86
Blistering shooting helps Lehigh come back and beat Lafayette, 86-83
1/2/2019 11:10:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh men's basketball team shot an NCAA-best 78.6 percent from three-point range while missing just 21 shots all game (including free throws) as the Mountain Hawks erased an eight-point halftime deficit to beat archrival Lafayette, 86-83 in the Patriot League opener in Stabler Arena on Wednesday evening. Lehigh (8-4, 1-0 PL) knocked down 11-of-14 three-pointers and 19-of-20 from the free throw line, led by junior Pat Andree, who filled up the stat sheet with 23 points and 13 rebounds, shooting 7-of-8 from the field, 3-of-3 from three and 6-of-6 from the charity stripe. Senior Lance Tejada was 4-of-5 from long range, including a go-ahead trey with just over a minute remaining. Wednesday's game was presented by Northampton and Lehigh County Drug and Alcohol Administrations with the Center for Humanisitic Change.
Â
Lehigh has now won seven straight vs. Lafayette in the all-time series, a new school record, previously winning six in a row against its rivals one other time (1926-27).
Â
"It was a herculean shooting effort that dug us out of a hole," said Lehigh head coach Brett Reed. "You've got to give Lafayette credit though. I thought they played really well. They moved the ball well and they were unselfish. They had good rhythm and tempo for their offensive movement and they utilized the three-point line. The problem is, that's everything we knew they would do and our responsibility was to come out with a greater sense of urgency, try to speed them up and not allow them to be comfortable as much as we allowed them to be. In the second half, I think we played harder, we did make some mistakes and they found a little bit greater balance in their offensive attack. But it's really hard to overcome as many threes as they made in the first half."
Andree's double-double was his second of the season and sixth of his career. Tejada finished with 16 points and five assists while classmate Kyle Leufroy had 12 points. Six different Mountain Hawks drained a three, including sophomores Caleb Bennett and Marques Wilson who were each a perfect 1-for-1. Entering the day second in the nation in three-point percentage at 44.9 percent, the Mountain Hawks are up to 46.7 percent on the year after Wednesday night's effort. For perspective, the Patriot League record for a single season is 41.8 percent held by Holy Cross in 1990-91.
Â
With Lehigh trialing 9-8 early, Lafayette staged a 7-0 run to open a 16-8 lead, forcing a Mountain Hawks' timeout with 12:30 left in the first. Lehigh answered by scoring 11 of the next 15 points, seven of the points from Andree. His basket with 9:22 remaining pulled Lehigh within 20-19 with 9:22 on the clock.
Â
The Leopards again had an answer, scoring eight straight points to take a 28-19 lead. The margin reached 10 on multiple occasions, but three-pointers from Bennett with 4:07 remaining pulled Lehigh within 36-32, and Tejada with 3:02 to go pulled the Mountain Hawks within 38-35.
Â
However, Lafayette held Lehigh scoreless the rest of the half while scoring five points of its own to take a 43-35 halftime advantage.
Â
Lehigh began the second half on an 11-4 run as a Leufroy trey pulled the Mountain Hawks within 47-46.Â
Lafayette answered with seven straight points to retake its halftime lead of eight, 54-46 with 16:13 left in the stanza.
Â
Back and forth they went. The Mountain Hawks answered with an 8-0 run of their own, capped off by a jumper from Bennett to even the score at 56. Then, before the second half was to its midway point, Lafayette used a 7-0 surge to go back up 65-58.
Â
Lehigh again answered, with a 7-0 run of its own as two Jordan Cohen free throws evened the score at 65 with 8:04 remaining. Over the ensuing minutes, neither team led by more than four, as an Andree trey gave Lehigh its largest lead at 71-67.Â
Lafayette responded as a Justin Jaworski three gave Lafayette an 83-81 lead with 1:28 remaining, its first lead since the 6:02 mark, but on the ensuing possession, Tejada nailed a trey of his own to give Lehigh an 84-83 advantage with 1:05 remaining. Cohen added two free throws and the Mountain Hawks forced a contested three in the final seconds that didn't fall to pick up the hard-fought victory.
For the game, Lehigh shot 58.3 percent from the field (28-of-48), including 78.6 percent from three (11-of-14) and 95.0 percent from the free throw line (19-of-20). Lafayette finished at 50.0 percent (30-of-60), 48.3 percent (14-of-29) and 81.8 percent (9-of-11), respectively. The Mountain Hawks held a 27-24 edge in rebounding.
Â
Lehigh will remain home on Sunday to host Loyola at 2 p.m. Tickets are available online by clicking here.
Â
Lehigh and Northampton Counties Drug & Alcohol Divisions plan, coordinate, fund and monitor drug and alcohol services for their respective counties through contracts with local providers. These services include prevention education, intervention programs, and both inpatient and outpatient treatment. If you or a loved one has a substance use disorder, there is help available through your county Drug & Alcohol Division. They can answer your questions, help coordinate services, and provide funding for treatment. In Lehigh County, call 610-782-3555; in Northampton County, call 610-829-HELP. The Center for Humanistic Change is a not-for-profit agency that gives community members the knowledge and tools they need to make better-informed and more positive life choices. For 37 years, CHC has developed and delivered high quality prevention education and life skills programming in the Lehigh Valley. CHC, through funding from both counties, has educated thousands throughout the valley about the opioid crisis through HOPE (Heroin & Opioid Prevention Education), focusing on the fact that, "Yes, it CAN happen to you."
Â
Like Lehigh Men's Basketball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.
Â
Â
Lehigh has now won seven straight vs. Lafayette in the all-time series, a new school record, previously winning six in a row against its rivals one other time (1926-27).
Â
"It was a herculean shooting effort that dug us out of a hole," said Lehigh head coach Brett Reed. "You've got to give Lafayette credit though. I thought they played really well. They moved the ball well and they were unselfish. They had good rhythm and tempo for their offensive movement and they utilized the three-point line. The problem is, that's everything we knew they would do and our responsibility was to come out with a greater sense of urgency, try to speed them up and not allow them to be comfortable as much as we allowed them to be. In the second half, I think we played harder, we did make some mistakes and they found a little bit greater balance in their offensive attack. But it's really hard to overcome as many threes as they made in the first half."
Â23 points, 7-of-8 shooting, 3-of-3 from three, 6-of-6 from the free throw line, 13 rebounds, Sixth-Career Double-Double. Have a night, Pat Andree!@ESPNAssignDesk #SCTop10 @franfraschilla @DickieV @marchmadness @si_ncaabb @JayBilas @TheAndyKatz @br_CBB @PL_MBB pic.twitter.com/XCQcNjOp9u
— Lehigh M. Basketball (@LehighMBB) January 3, 2019
Andree's double-double was his second of the season and sixth of his career. Tejada finished with 16 points and five assists while classmate Kyle Leufroy had 12 points. Six different Mountain Hawks drained a three, including sophomores Caleb Bennett and Marques Wilson who were each a perfect 1-for-1. Entering the day second in the nation in three-point percentage at 44.9 percent, the Mountain Hawks are up to 46.7 percent on the year after Wednesday night's effort. For perspective, the Patriot League record for a single season is 41.8 percent held by Holy Cross in 1990-91.
Â
With Lehigh trialing 9-8 early, Lafayette staged a 7-0 run to open a 16-8 lead, forcing a Mountain Hawks' timeout with 12:30 left in the first. Lehigh answered by scoring 11 of the next 15 points, seven of the points from Andree. His basket with 9:22 remaining pulled Lehigh within 20-19 with 9:22 on the clock.
Â
The Leopards again had an answer, scoring eight straight points to take a 28-19 lead. The margin reached 10 on multiple occasions, but three-pointers from Bennett with 4:07 remaining pulled Lehigh within 36-32, and Tejada with 3:02 to go pulled the Mountain Hawks within 38-35.
Â
However, Lafayette held Lehigh scoreless the rest of the half while scoring five points of its own to take a 43-35 halftime advantage.
Â
Lehigh began the second half on an 11-4 run as a Leufroy trey pulled the Mountain Hawks within 47-46.Â
ÂMountain Hawks 8-of-10 from three after this trey. Watch: https://t.co/IleZR3qIP8 pic.twitter.com/uyamnFQ8SJ
— Lehigh M. Basketball (@LehighMBB) January 3, 2019
Lafayette answered with seven straight points to retake its halftime lead of eight, 54-46 with 16:13 left in the stanza.
Â
Back and forth they went. The Mountain Hawks answered with an 8-0 run of their own, capped off by a jumper from Bennett to even the score at 56. Then, before the second half was to its midway point, Lafayette used a 7-0 surge to go back up 65-58.
Â
Lehigh again answered, with a 7-0 run of its own as two Jordan Cohen free throws evened the score at 65 with 8:04 remaining. Over the ensuing minutes, neither team led by more than four, as an Andree trey gave Lehigh its largest lead at 71-67.Â
ÂPAT ANDREE CAN'T MISS!!! 7-OF-7 from the field and Lehigh with its largest lead of the game. Lafayette timeout. Watch: https://t.co/IleZR3qIP8 pic.twitter.com/FhcHL5Yc2I
— Lehigh M. Basketball (@LehighMBB) January 3, 2019
Lafayette responded as a Justin Jaworski three gave Lafayette an 83-81 lead with 1:28 remaining, its first lead since the 6:02 mark, but on the ensuing possession, Tejada nailed a trey of his own to give Lehigh an 84-83 advantage with 1:05 remaining. Cohen added two free throws and the Mountain Hawks forced a contested three in the final seconds that didn't fall to pick up the hard-fought victory.
ÂHUGE THREE FROM LT! pic.twitter.com/qBCPnxEEqz
— Lehigh M. Basketball (@LehighMBB) January 3, 2019
For the game, Lehigh shot 58.3 percent from the field (28-of-48), including 78.6 percent from three (11-of-14) and 95.0 percent from the free throw line (19-of-20). Lafayette finished at 50.0 percent (30-of-60), 48.3 percent (14-of-29) and 81.8 percent (9-of-11), respectively. The Mountain Hawks held a 27-24 edge in rebounding.
Â
Lehigh will remain home on Sunday to host Loyola at 2 p.m. Tickets are available online by clicking here.
Â
Lehigh and Northampton Counties Drug & Alcohol Divisions plan, coordinate, fund and monitor drug and alcohol services for their respective counties through contracts with local providers. These services include prevention education, intervention programs, and both inpatient and outpatient treatment. If you or a loved one has a substance use disorder, there is help available through your county Drug & Alcohol Division. They can answer your questions, help coordinate services, and provide funding for treatment. In Lehigh County, call 610-782-3555; in Northampton County, call 610-829-HELP. The Center for Humanistic Change is a not-for-profit agency that gives community members the knowledge and tools they need to make better-informed and more positive life choices. For 37 years, CHC has developed and delivered high quality prevention education and life skills programming in the Lehigh Valley. CHC, through funding from both counties, has educated thousands throughout the valley about the opioid crisis through HOPE (Heroin & Opioid Prevention Education), focusing on the fact that, "Yes, it CAN happen to you."
Â
Like Lehigh Men's Basketball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.
Â
Team Stats
LAFAYETT
LEHIGH
FG%
.500
.583
3FG%
.483
.786
FT%
.818
.950
RB
24
27
TO
10
14
STL
6
1
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
23
FGM
7
3FGM
3
FTM
6
Pts
16
FGM
6
3FGM
4
FTM
0
Pts
12
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
5
Pts
9
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballSeason Preview: Men's Basketball
Thursday, October 31
Lehigh Sports Central: Men's Basketball
Wednesday, October 30
Lehigh Sports Central: Men's Basketball
Wednesday, February 07
Men's Basketball vs SUNY Oneonta
Thursday, November 16
