Tuesday, November 5
Bethlehem, Pa.
7 p.m.
Lehigh University
0-1,0-0Patriot
62
vs
66
Monmouth
1-0,0-0MAAC
1
2
F
Monmouth
41
25
66
Lehigh
32
30
62
Photo by: Mark Mohrman
Lehigh can’t overcome early hole in 66-62 season-opening defeat vs. Monmouth
11/5/2019 11:01:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh men's basketball team trimmed an early 16-point hole down to one late in the second half, but Monmouth immediately answered with an 8-0 run, on the way to downing the Mountain Hawks 66-62 in the season opener for both sides Tuesday evening in Stabler Arena. Junior James Karnik was stellar, posting his 13 points and 11 rebounds for his seventh-career double-double. Freshman Evan Taylor scored a team-high 15 points in his collegiate debut.
"We couldn't adjust to the speed and quickness of the game," said Lehigh head coach Brett Reed. "It's a growth progress. We have people in new roles and people who are adjusting to college. Monmouth was a little bit more the aggressors, particularly in transition, which got us on our heels. Between their hard attack and some sloppiness on offense with our turnovers, that put us in a hole."
Karnik came alive in the second half, posting nine points and seven boards over the final 20 minutes. Karnik also had three blocks and took two charges, all in the second half as well.
"James was great," said Reed. "I loved it because there were some signature plays that came out of those charges that really gave us the run. In a game that requires toughness and sacrifice, he was embodying that, which you love to see from an upperclassman. He was sacrificing his body, taking away possessions, getting us extra possessions by crashing the glass and just working hard. He was a really big bright spot."
Meanwhile, Taylor's 15 points came on 5-of-11 shooting, 2-of-2 from 3-point range and 3-of-3 from the free throw line. Taylor was one of five Mountain Hawk first-years to see action and one of three to score points in their first collegiate games.
"It was good for them to break the ice," said Reed. "At some point, you need to have that first experience. I'm not sure all of them responded very well. You could see we were a little bit out of sync and part of it was the adjustment. These kids are pretty mature, they care about what they're doing and as long as they stay the course, they'll end up working through the kinks. Unfortunately, at times, they looked like they weren't quite ready for what we were going to face, but as they gained more experience, they're probably going to take on more and more of a prominent role."
Senior Jordan Cohen added 13 points, seven assists and four rebounds while junior Marques Wilson had 10 points and five boards to round out Mountain Hawks with double-figure points.
A back-and-forth first few minutes saw neither team lead by more than four. But after Karnik put the Mountain Hawks up 10-9 with 15:09 on the clock, Monmouth staged a big 17-0 run – capped off by a Deion Hammond 3-pointer – to give the Hawks a 26-10 advantage with 10:38 left in the first half.
Lehigh slowly chipped away from there, pulling within 12 after Marques Wilson treys with 9:04 then 7:55 remaining in the first.
Trailing by 16 once again with less than three minutes to go, the Mountain Hawks ended the half on a 7-0 run. Sophomore Jeameril Wilson accounted for the final five points behind a highlight-reel driving layup, then 3-pointer just 42 seconds later, to pull within 41-32 after 20 minutes of play.
The momentum continued into the second as a Taylor 3-pointer got Lehigh within 44-39. Less than two minutes later, Taylor finished a 3-point play to get the Mountain Hawks within three at 45-42.
Monmouth extended its lead back to two possessions for much of the ensuing minutes, until four consecutive Lehigh points got the Mountain Hawks within 54-52 with 7:51 on the clock.
The Mountain Hawks followed by scoring just two points over the next 3:30, but played tough defense to stay close. A Karnik offensive rebound and layup got Lehigh back within 57-56, but again Monmouth answered with an 8-0 run to go up 65-56 with 2:55 on the clock.
Taylor scored five of Lehigh's next six points to pull back within three, but a Cohen jumper with 12 seconds remaining was off line, and Monmouth wrapped up the 66-62 victory.
Lehigh shot 40.7 percent from the field (24-of-59), including 47.1 percent from three-point range (8-of-17). Monmouth also finished at 40.7 percent (24-of-59) and 42.1 percent from long range (8-of-19). Final rebounds were tied at 38 apiece.
Lehigh will now head to Albany this weekend to face the Great Danes on Saturday at 7 p.m.
Like Lehigh Men's Basketball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.
Gallery: (11/5/2019) Men's Basketball vs. Monmouth, 11/5/19
"We couldn't adjust to the speed and quickness of the game," said Lehigh head coach Brett Reed. "It's a growth progress. We have people in new roles and people who are adjusting to college. Monmouth was a little bit more the aggressors, particularly in transition, which got us on our heels. Between their hard attack and some sloppiness on offense with our turnovers, that put us in a hole."
Karnik came alive in the second half, posting nine points and seven boards over the final 20 minutes. Karnik also had three blocks and took two charges, all in the second half as well.
"James was great," said Reed. "I loved it because there were some signature plays that came out of those charges that really gave us the run. In a game that requires toughness and sacrifice, he was embodying that, which you love to see from an upperclassman. He was sacrificing his body, taking away possessions, getting us extra possessions by crashing the glass and just working hard. He was a really big bright spot."
James Karnik has been a man on a mission! He's up to 12 points and 12 boards. Also two charges taken and this block in the last media session alone. Watch: https://t.co/WUw3LK8FOt pic.twitter.com/KKOaFaYDDb
— Lehigh M. Basketball (@LehighMBB) November 6, 2019
James Karnik with the rejection 🚫
— Lehigh M. Basketball (@LehighMBB) November 6, 2019
Watch: https://t.co/WUw3LK8FOt pic.twitter.com/DKf4MgDw9k
Meanwhile, Taylor's 15 points came on 5-of-11 shooting, 2-of-2 from 3-point range and 3-of-3 from the free throw line. Taylor was one of five Mountain Hawk first-years to see action and one of three to score points in their first collegiate games.
"It was good for them to break the ice," said Reed. "At some point, you need to have that first experience. I'm not sure all of them responded very well. You could see we were a little bit out of sync and part of it was the adjustment. These kids are pretty mature, they care about what they're doing and as long as they stay the course, they'll end up working through the kinks. Unfortunately, at times, they looked like they weren't quite ready for what we were going to face, but as they gained more experience, they're probably going to take on more and more of a prominent role."
Senior Jordan Cohen added 13 points, seven assists and four rebounds while junior Marques Wilson had 10 points and five boards to round out Mountain Hawks with double-figure points.
A back-and-forth first few minutes saw neither team lead by more than four. But after Karnik put the Mountain Hawks up 10-9 with 15:09 on the clock, Monmouth staged a big 17-0 run – capped off by a Deion Hammond 3-pointer – to give the Hawks a 26-10 advantage with 10:38 left in the first half.
Lehigh slowly chipped away from there, pulling within 12 after Marques Wilson treys with 9:04 then 7:55 remaining in the first.
Trailing by 16 once again with less than three minutes to go, the Mountain Hawks ended the half on a 7-0 run. Sophomore Jeameril Wilson accounted for the final five points behind a highlight-reel driving layup, then 3-pointer just 42 seconds later, to pull within 41-32 after 20 minutes of play.
The momentum continued into the second as a Taylor 3-pointer got Lehigh within 44-39. Less than two minutes later, Taylor finished a 3-point play to get the Mountain Hawks within three at 45-42.
Tough 3-point play for Evan Taylor! Watch: https://t.co/WUw3LK8FOt pic.twitter.com/mP83SMahWG
— Lehigh M. Basketball (@LehighMBB) November 6, 2019
Monmouth extended its lead back to two possessions for much of the ensuing minutes, until four consecutive Lehigh points got the Mountain Hawks within 54-52 with 7:51 on the clock.
Marques Wilson jumper pulls the Mountain Hawks back within two, forcing a Monmouth timeout! Watch: https://t.co/WUw3LK8FOt pic.twitter.com/ZdCcOAEt3n
— Lehigh M. Basketball (@LehighMBB) November 6, 2019
The Mountain Hawks followed by scoring just two points over the next 3:30, but played tough defense to stay close. A Karnik offensive rebound and layup got Lehigh back within 57-56, but again Monmouth answered with an 8-0 run to go up 65-56 with 2:55 on the clock.
Taylor scored five of Lehigh's next six points to pull back within three, but a Cohen jumper with 12 seconds remaining was off line, and Monmouth wrapped up the 66-62 victory.
Lehigh shot 40.7 percent from the field (24-of-59), including 47.1 percent from three-point range (8-of-17). Monmouth also finished at 40.7 percent (24-of-59) and 42.1 percent from long range (8-of-19). Final rebounds were tied at 38 apiece.
Lehigh will now head to Albany this weekend to face the Great Danes on Saturday at 7 p.m.
Like Lehigh Men's Basketball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.
Team Stats
MU
Lehigh
FG%
.407
.407
3FG%
.421
.471
FT%
.625
.667
RB
38
38
TO
16
17
STL
7
6
Game Leaders
Pts
15
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
3
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
13
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballC
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballG
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