Tuesday, December 21
Bethlehem, Pa.
7 p.m.
Lehigh University
vs
UAlbany
Photo by: Justin Lafleur
Mountain Hawks Host UAlbany Tuesday Night in Stabler
12/20/2021 1:44:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh men's basketball team will try again to hit the court after finals, when the Mountain Hawks host UAlbany on Tuesday night. Gametime is set for 7 p.m. on ESPN+. Lehigh was originally set to break a two-week hiatus of games at Syracuse Saturday, but COVID-19 protocols within Syracuse's program forced the postponement of the game. This Tuesday is Ugly Sweater Day; fans who wear a holiday sweater to the game receive a $10 concessions voucher.
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The last time they were on the court, the Mountain Hawks dropped an 81-75 final to Maryland Eastern Shore on Dec. 4. Despite the loss, Lehigh saw some of its strongest offensive play of the season to date. Juniors Reed Fenton and Jake Betlow led the way with career highs in points (20 and 15, respectively). They were each 5-of-8 from 3-point range, marking the first time Lehigh has had two with five or more made threes since Jan. 8, 2018 at Boston University (when Pat Andree was 5-of-9 and Lance Tejada finished 5-of-11). It actually marked the first time since Feb. 1, 2020 that one Mountain Hawk had 5+ made threes (when Fenton knocked down six vs. Army West Point).
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Against Maryland Eastern Shore, five Mountain Hawks tallied double-figure points. Along with Fenton and Betlow, another junior Evan Taylor had 15. Sophomore Dominic Parolin recorded 11 and junior Jeameril Wilson added 10. It marked the first time Lehigh featured five in double figures since the Patriot League First Round game against Loyola on Mar. 3, 2020. First-year Ben Knostman helped facilitate the offense, tallying a career-high six assists (also the most by any Mountain Hawk this season and most since Marques Wilson dished six last Feb. 28 vs. Lafayette). For the game, Lehigh shot 51.9 percent from the floor, the first time over 50 percent since Jan. 24, 2021.
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After Tuesday's game, the Mountain Hawks are scheduled to return home on Wednesday, Dec. 29 to host Eastern University at 7 p.m. That precedes Lehigh's Patriot League opener on New Year's Day at American.
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UAlbany enters Tuesday with a 3-8 record, most recently falling to Niagara in Buffalo, 66-58. The Great Danes turned a 15-point first-half deficit into a second-half lead, but Niagara responded for the victory. The game prior, UAlbany picked up a 61-57 win at Boston College of the ACC. The Great Danes' other wins have come against Eastern Illinois and Columbia. UAlbany's roster is full of graduate students and transfers, including two former Patriot League players in Paul Newman (Bucknell) and Chuck Champion (Loyola). The Great Danes' leading scorer and rebounder is Temple transfer and graduate student De'Vondre Perry, who averages 12.6 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per contest. UAlbany has struggled a bit shooting the ball, hitting 39.4 percent of its field goals on the season and 29.0 percent from 3-point range. UAlbany is led by first-year head coach Dwayne Killings.
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Lehigh picked up a hard-fought 74-70 win at UAlbany in November of 2019 to take a 4-3 lead in the all-time series. That marked the first meeting between the sides since Dec. 8, 2008, which also marked the last time the teams played at Lehigh. That was also a Mountain Hawk victory, 65-64, snapping a string of three UAlbany wins in the previous four meetings. In that one-point victory, Zahir Carrington had an offensive rebound and putback with one second remaining. The teams first met on Jan. 8, 2000, a 75-74 Lehigh win. The home teams in the all-time were 3-0 before Lehigh's road victory in 2019.
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Lehigh will return home next Wednesday to host Eastern University at 7 p.m. The Mountain Hawks then open Patriot League play on New Year's Day at American.
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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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The last time they were on the court, the Mountain Hawks dropped an 81-75 final to Maryland Eastern Shore on Dec. 4. Despite the loss, Lehigh saw some of its strongest offensive play of the season to date. Juniors Reed Fenton and Jake Betlow led the way with career highs in points (20 and 15, respectively). They were each 5-of-8 from 3-point range, marking the first time Lehigh has had two with five or more made threes since Jan. 8, 2018 at Boston University (when Pat Andree was 5-of-9 and Lance Tejada finished 5-of-11). It actually marked the first time since Feb. 1, 2020 that one Mountain Hawk had 5+ made threes (when Fenton knocked down six vs. Army West Point).
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Against Maryland Eastern Shore, five Mountain Hawks tallied double-figure points. Along with Fenton and Betlow, another junior Evan Taylor had 15. Sophomore Dominic Parolin recorded 11 and junior Jeameril Wilson added 10. It marked the first time Lehigh featured five in double figures since the Patriot League First Round game against Loyola on Mar. 3, 2020. First-year Ben Knostman helped facilitate the offense, tallying a career-high six assists (also the most by any Mountain Hawk this season and most since Marques Wilson dished six last Feb. 28 vs. Lafayette). For the game, Lehigh shot 51.9 percent from the floor, the first time over 50 percent since Jan. 24, 2021.
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After Tuesday's game, the Mountain Hawks are scheduled to return home on Wednesday, Dec. 29 to host Eastern University at 7 p.m. That precedes Lehigh's Patriot League opener on New Year's Day at American.
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UAlbany enters Tuesday with a 3-8 record, most recently falling to Niagara in Buffalo, 66-58. The Great Danes turned a 15-point first-half deficit into a second-half lead, but Niagara responded for the victory. The game prior, UAlbany picked up a 61-57 win at Boston College of the ACC. The Great Danes' other wins have come against Eastern Illinois and Columbia. UAlbany's roster is full of graduate students and transfers, including two former Patriot League players in Paul Newman (Bucknell) and Chuck Champion (Loyola). The Great Danes' leading scorer and rebounder is Temple transfer and graduate student De'Vondre Perry, who averages 12.6 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per contest. UAlbany has struggled a bit shooting the ball, hitting 39.4 percent of its field goals on the season and 29.0 percent from 3-point range. UAlbany is led by first-year head coach Dwayne Killings.
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Lehigh picked up a hard-fought 74-70 win at UAlbany in November of 2019 to take a 4-3 lead in the all-time series. That marked the first meeting between the sides since Dec. 8, 2008, which also marked the last time the teams played at Lehigh. That was also a Mountain Hawk victory, 65-64, snapping a string of three UAlbany wins in the previous four meetings. In that one-point victory, Zahir Carrington had an offensive rebound and putback with one second remaining. The teams first met on Jan. 8, 2000, a 75-74 Lehigh win. The home teams in the all-time were 3-0 before Lehigh's road victory in 2019.
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Lehigh will return home next Wednesday to host Eastern University at 7 p.m. The Mountain Hawks then open Patriot League play on New Year's Day at American.
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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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| Date: | December 21, 2021 |
| Opponent: | UAlbany Great Danes |
| Tip-off: | 7 p.m. |
| Arena (Capacity): | Stabler Arena (5,600) |
| Location: | Bethlehem, Pa. |
| Lehigh's Record: | 1-8, 0-0 Patriot League |
| UAlbany's Record: | 3-8, 0-0 America East |
| Series: | Lehigh leads, 4-3 |
| TV: | ESPN+ |
| Radio: | Fox Sports Radio 94.7 FM & 1230 AM |
Players Mentioned
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