Thursday, January 2
Annapolis, Md.
7 p.m.
Lehigh University
at
Navy
Mountain Hawks set to return home Sunday afternoon vs. Loyola
1/3/2020 4:34:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Following seven-of-eight games on the road, the Lehigh men's basketball team returns home on Sunday for the first time in the new year, and just the second time since mid-November, to host Loyola. Opening tipoff is set for 2 p.m. on Service Electric 2 Sports and the Patriot League Network. The Mountain Hawks played another competitive contest in their league opener at Navy Thursday, but fell a little short 64-58.
Despite standing 3-10 on the season, the Mountain Hawks have been ever-so close in a number of games. Lehigh dropped contests against Monmouth, at Columbia, at Saint Francis (Pa.), at Princeton and at Navy by single digits in games that came down to the wire. The other losses were by double figures against highly-ranked teams, but even in those games, the Mountain Hawks were within shouting distance fairly deep into the second half.
Lehigh opened Patriot League play on Thursday with a strong start at Navy, but tough finish. The Mountain Hawks used a 12-0 first-half run to take a double-digit lead, but the Midshipmen later responded with an 11-0 run. Lehigh scored just two points over the final 7:18 of the first half, but still held a 30-29 halftime advantage. Navy knocked down 3-pointers on its first two second-half possessions, the Mountain Hawks pulled even once but could never retake the lead as their three-game winning streak in Patriot League openers was snapped.
A pair of subs led the offense, with junior Marques Wilson scoring a season-high 12 points and freshman Jake Betlow adding a career-high 11 points. Both shot well, with Wilson hitting 4-of-7 from the field and Betlow knocking down 4-of-6 (including 3-of-5 from 3-point range).
Sophomore Jeameril Wilson added 10 points and freshman Reed Fenton scored seven (all in the first half), helping offset tough offensive nights from the Mountain Hawks' top two scorers - senior Jordan Cohen (five points on 1-of-11 shooting) and junior James Karnik (six points on 2-of-7 shooting). Karnik did tie a career high in steals (3) and blocks (3). Karnik has recorded three blocks in four different games this season after no games with three over his first two years. He is up to 16 blocks in 2019-20, already tying his career high set last season.
The Mountain Hawks continued their strong defensive efforts and are now tied for third in the Patriot League in scoring defense. Lehigh held Navy to 64 points and just 19 made field goals (tied for the second lowest total by a Mountain Hawks' opponent this season). The Mountain Hawks' ten 2-pointers allowed were a season best and lowest by a Lehigh opponent since Marist had just eight on Nov. 13, 2018. Lehigh finished with 10 steals, reaching double digits in that category for the third time this season.
The Mountain Hawks return to Stabler Arena for the first time since a hard-fought 78-65 defeat vs. Yale on Dec. 8. Lehigh is now 2-2 at home this season and 1-8 on the road.
Loyola is off to a strong start this season, entering Sunday with a 9-5 record and 1-0 in Patriot League play. The Greyhounds have won six of their last seven overall, most recently coming back from a halftime deficit to defeat Holy Cross in Thursday's league opener. The league's leading scorer Andrew Kostecka has carried the offense, scoring 37 points vs. the Crusaders to increase his season average to 23.4 points per contest. Noone else is averaging double-figure points, but four are averaging between 7.0 and 9.9 points per game. Loyola is 5-0 at home and 1-0 in a neutral site, but only 3-5 on the road. The Greyhounds stand third in the Patriot League in scoring offense (72.6) and second in field goal percentage (46.9).
Lehigh has won two of the last three against Loyola, but the Greyhounds won the last meeting in the regular season finale last year. That gave Loyola an 11-10 advantage in the all-time series. Prior to that game, the Mountain Hawks won two in a row – 89-72 (earlier last season) and 80-74 (in February of 2018). Prior to meeting as Patriot League opponents, the teams previously played on Nov. 26, 1988, an 86-72 Lehigh victory. The sides first met in 1912-13, a 41-19 Lehigh victory. Loyola's first win was in 1915-16 by a 35-15 final.
Following Sunday's game, Lehigh hits the road next Wednesday to play at Boston University at 7 p.m.
Like Lehigh Men's Basketball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.
Despite standing 3-10 on the season, the Mountain Hawks have been ever-so close in a number of games. Lehigh dropped contests against Monmouth, at Columbia, at Saint Francis (Pa.), at Princeton and at Navy by single digits in games that came down to the wire. The other losses were by double figures against highly-ranked teams, but even in those games, the Mountain Hawks were within shouting distance fairly deep into the second half.
Lehigh opened Patriot League play on Thursday with a strong start at Navy, but tough finish. The Mountain Hawks used a 12-0 first-half run to take a double-digit lead, but the Midshipmen later responded with an 11-0 run. Lehigh scored just two points over the final 7:18 of the first half, but still held a 30-29 halftime advantage. Navy knocked down 3-pointers on its first two second-half possessions, the Mountain Hawks pulled even once but could never retake the lead as their three-game winning streak in Patriot League openers was snapped.
A pair of subs led the offense, with junior Marques Wilson scoring a season-high 12 points and freshman Jake Betlow adding a career-high 11 points. Both shot well, with Wilson hitting 4-of-7 from the field and Betlow knocking down 4-of-6 (including 3-of-5 from 3-point range).
🎥 Every basket from @jake_betlow's career-high 11 points last night at Navy. pic.twitter.com/8T4GmTLDAB
— Lehigh M. Basketball (@LehighMBB) January 3, 2020
Sophomore Jeameril Wilson added 10 points and freshman Reed Fenton scored seven (all in the first half), helping offset tough offensive nights from the Mountain Hawks' top two scorers - senior Jordan Cohen (five points on 1-of-11 shooting) and junior James Karnik (six points on 2-of-7 shooting). Karnik did tie a career high in steals (3) and blocks (3). Karnik has recorded three blocks in four different games this season after no games with three over his first two years. He is up to 16 blocks in 2019-20, already tying his career high set last season.
The Mountain Hawks continued their strong defensive efforts and are now tied for third in the Patriot League in scoring defense. Lehigh held Navy to 64 points and just 19 made field goals (tied for the second lowest total by a Mountain Hawks' opponent this season). The Mountain Hawks' ten 2-pointers allowed were a season best and lowest by a Lehigh opponent since Marist had just eight on Nov. 13, 2018. Lehigh finished with 10 steals, reaching double digits in that category for the third time this season.
The Mountain Hawks return to Stabler Arena for the first time since a hard-fought 78-65 defeat vs. Yale on Dec. 8. Lehigh is now 2-2 at home this season and 1-8 on the road.
Loyola is off to a strong start this season, entering Sunday with a 9-5 record and 1-0 in Patriot League play. The Greyhounds have won six of their last seven overall, most recently coming back from a halftime deficit to defeat Holy Cross in Thursday's league opener. The league's leading scorer Andrew Kostecka has carried the offense, scoring 37 points vs. the Crusaders to increase his season average to 23.4 points per contest. Noone else is averaging double-figure points, but four are averaging between 7.0 and 9.9 points per game. Loyola is 5-0 at home and 1-0 in a neutral site, but only 3-5 on the road. The Greyhounds stand third in the Patriot League in scoring offense (72.6) and second in field goal percentage (46.9).
Lehigh has won two of the last three against Loyola, but the Greyhounds won the last meeting in the regular season finale last year. That gave Loyola an 11-10 advantage in the all-time series. Prior to that game, the Mountain Hawks won two in a row – 89-72 (earlier last season) and 80-74 (in February of 2018). Prior to meeting as Patriot League opponents, the teams previously played on Nov. 26, 1988, an 86-72 Lehigh victory. The sides first met in 1912-13, a 41-19 Lehigh victory. Loyola's first win was in 1915-16 by a 35-15 final.
Following Sunday's game, Lehigh hits the road next Wednesday to play at Boston University at 7 p.m.
Like Lehigh Men's Basketball on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content, team updates and more.
| Date: | January 5, 2020 |
| Opponent: | Loyola Greyhounds |
| Tip-off: | 2 p.m. |
| Arena/Capacity: | Stabler Arena/5,600 |
| Location: | Bethlehem, Pa. |
| Lehigh's Record: | 3-10, 0-1 Patriot League |
| Loyola's Record: | 9-5, 1-0 Patriot League |
| Series: | Loyola leads, 11-10 |
| Radio: | Lehighsports.com with Tom Fallon and Greg Falkenbach '72. Pregame coverage begins at 1:30 p.m. |
| Television: | Service Electric 2 Sports |
| Internet Video: | Patriot League Network |
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