Wednesday, January 9
Bethlehem, Pa.
6 P.M.
Lehigh University
vs
Holy Cross
Photo by: Timothy D. Sofranko
Mountain Hawks Host Holy Crusaders For Patriot League Home Opener
1/8/2019 6:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The Mountain Hawks are soaring high after completing a two-game road swing to start Patriot League play that saw Lehigh take down Lafayette and Navy to begin league play 2-0. Lehigh is looking for its first 3-0 start in league play since the 2014-15 season where the Mountain Hawks took down Colgate, Boston U. and Army. The 2014-15 season was also the last time Lehigh swept Holy Cross in the regular season. Currently, 10-3 on the year, this quickest season the Mountain Hawks have reached 10 wins since going 10-2 to start the 2009-10 season.Â
Freshman Clair Steele had an explosive week for Lehigh off the bench, scoring 25 points in the past two games including a team-high 14 against Navy. Steele was also recently named the Patriot League Rookie of The Week. She also ended the week 7-of-12 (.580) from the field and 7-of-8 (.880) from the charity stripe. Steele joins fellow freshman Emma Grothaus as the only two Mountain Hawks to win a weekly award. Grothaus took home ROTW in the first week of the season.
The Mountain Hawks currently have had six different players lead them in scoring throughout the year, with Steele joining that list with her team-high 14 points against Navy on January 6. Camryn Buhr leads that category, being the leading scorer seven times this season for Lehigh.
This will be the first home game for the Mountain Hawks since December 20, where they downed the LIU Blackbirds 72-38 for their then eight wins of the year. Â At Stabler Arena, Lehigh has outscored opponents by an average of 12.1 points, scoring an average of 64.4 points a game while only letting up 52.2 points a game.Â
Lehigh will look to bring its stellar defensive play against the Crusaders, as The Mountain Hawks currently rank 16th in the nation in team scoring defense, allowing an average of 54.7 points per game. The Mountain Hawks have also held their opponents to a shooting percentage of 40 or less 10 times this season, winning nine of those 10 Â games. The Mountain Hawks have also help opponents below 30 percent three times this year.Â
Holy Cross enters the season 0-2, losing to Colgate and most recently, a 10-point defeat to the Lafayette Leopards. The Crusaders and Mountain Hawks share no common opponents in the non-league portion of their respective schedules. Against the Leopards junior Lauren Manis had a double-double of 12 points and 13 rebounds, while junior Megan Swords had 12 points with six rebounds. Freshman Avery LaBarbera posted 10 points and six rebounds, and freshman Madison Demski had a career-best 10 points along with four rebounds.
Mannis will be one of the key players to watch out for on this Crusaders roster, as she averages and leads Holy Cross with 20.1 points per game along with rebounding at 12.3 per game. On the flip side, Mannis is also leading the Crusaders in turnovers with 2.9 per game. LaBarbera will also be someone to keep an eye out, as the freshman averages 12 points per game and has garnished numerous Patriot League Rookie of The Month awards so far this season.
Fans looking to purchase tickets to see the Mountain Hawks take on the Crusaders can purchase them online at LehighTickets.com or by calling 610-7LU-GAME during business hours.
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Freshman Clair Steele had an explosive week for Lehigh off the bench, scoring 25 points in the past two games including a team-high 14 against Navy. Steele was also recently named the Patriot League Rookie of The Week. She also ended the week 7-of-12 (.580) from the field and 7-of-8 (.880) from the charity stripe. Steele joins fellow freshman Emma Grothaus as the only two Mountain Hawks to win a weekly award. Grothaus took home ROTW in the first week of the season.
The Mountain Hawks currently have had six different players lead them in scoring throughout the year, with Steele joining that list with her team-high 14 points against Navy on January 6. Camryn Buhr leads that category, being the leading scorer seven times this season for Lehigh.
This will be the first home game for the Mountain Hawks since December 20, where they downed the LIU Blackbirds 72-38 for their then eight wins of the year. Â At Stabler Arena, Lehigh has outscored opponents by an average of 12.1 points, scoring an average of 64.4 points a game while only letting up 52.2 points a game.Â
Lehigh will look to bring its stellar defensive play against the Crusaders, as The Mountain Hawks currently rank 16th in the nation in team scoring defense, allowing an average of 54.7 points per game. The Mountain Hawks have also held their opponents to a shooting percentage of 40 or less 10 times this season, winning nine of those 10 Â games. The Mountain Hawks have also help opponents below 30 percent three times this year.Â
Holy Cross enters the season 0-2, losing to Colgate and most recently, a 10-point defeat to the Lafayette Leopards. The Crusaders and Mountain Hawks share no common opponents in the non-league portion of their respective schedules. Against the Leopards junior Lauren Manis had a double-double of 12 points and 13 rebounds, while junior Megan Swords had 12 points with six rebounds. Freshman Avery LaBarbera posted 10 points and six rebounds, and freshman Madison Demski had a career-best 10 points along with four rebounds.
Mannis will be one of the key players to watch out for on this Crusaders roster, as she averages and leads Holy Cross with 20.1 points per game along with rebounding at 12.3 per game. On the flip side, Mannis is also leading the Crusaders in turnovers with 2.9 per game. LaBarbera will also be someone to keep an eye out, as the freshman averages 12 points per game and has garnished numerous Patriot League Rookie of The Month awards so far this season.
Fans looking to purchase tickets to see the Mountain Hawks take on the Crusaders can purchase them online at LehighTickets.com or by calling 610-7LU-GAME during business hours.
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Date: |
    January 9, 2019 |
| Opponent: | Holy Cross |
| Tip-off:Â Â Â Â | 6:05 p.m. |
| Arena/Capacity: | Stabler Arena (5,600) |
| Location: | Bethlehem, Pa |
| Lehigh's Record: | 10-3, 2-0 Patriot League  |
| Holy Cross Record:    | 8-5 0-2 Patriot League  |
| Series Record: | Holy Cross 44-23 |
| Audio: | Lehighsports.com/watch |
| Television: | |
| Internet Video: | PatriotLeague.TV |
| Behind Enemy Lines: | Holy Cross Official Website |
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
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