Thursday, January 13
Lewisburg, Pa.
7 p.m.
Lehigh University
at
Bucknell
Photo by: Justin Lafleur
Lehigh, Bucknell Renew Rivalry in Lewisburg Thursday Night
1/12/2022 12:59:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Winners of four of its last five, the Lehigh men's basketball team hits the road on Thursday night to face rival Bucknell in Sojka Pavilion. Opening tipoff is set for 7 p.m. on ESPN+. The Mountain Hawks are 3-1 in Patriot League play, and tied for second in the standings, following a 77-69 win over Holy Cross on Monday night. Bucknell enters at 0-4 in the league and 3-13 overall, but 3-2 at home this season.
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Trailing 10-9 on Monday, the Mountain Hawks used a 15-0 run to open a 14-point lead, and they would lead by at least six the rest of the way. Early in the second half, Holy Cross pulled within 41-35, but Lehigh immediately responded with a 7-0 run and the Mountain Hawks held on to a relatively comfortable advantage the rest of the way. In the end, Lehigh won for the fourth time in five games – its best five-game stretch since also going 4-1 at the end of the regular season into the Patriot League Tournament in 2019-20. It marks the Mountain Hawks' best regular-season stretch since winning five-of-six from Jan. 23 to Feb. 9 of 2019.
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Fifth year Marques Wilson led Lehigh with 17 points on Monday, 12 of which came in the second half. Junior Evan Taylor posted his first double-double of the season and fourth of his career, posting 15 points (12 in the second half) and 12 rebounds (a season high). Taylor was 3-of-4 from 3-point range while Wilson finished 2-of-4 from long distance, as did first year Keith Higgins Jr. who scored 12 points - his fifth straight game with double-figure points. Sophomore Dominic Parolin posted 12 points and nine rebounds (10 points and six rebounds of which were in the second half). It was his second straight game with 10 second-half points. Meanwhile, first year Tyler Whitney-Sidney scored a career-high nine points, to go with five rebounds, two assists and a steal.
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The Mountain Hawks had just four second-half turnovers to finish with 11 for the game; after committing 16.4 turnovers per game in nonleague play, Lehigh has committed just 10.8 per contest in the league. Defensively, the Mountain Hawks held the Crusaders scoreless for more than six minutes during their 15-0 run. Holy Cross was 0-for-8 shooting in that stretch and shot just 33.8 percent for the game, a season-best for Lehigh's defense. In the end, Lehigh won its fourth straight against Holy Cross and improved to 7-2 over its last nine against the Crusaders.
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The Bison have lost five straight and eight of their last nine, but it has come against some strong competition (including facing Boston University, Army West Point, Navy and Loyola to begin league play). The Bison wins this season have come over Rider, Siena (in overtime) and La Salle. Andrew Funk leads Bucknell and is second in the Patriot League in scoring (18.1) while Xander Rice (11.8) and Andre Screen (10.5) are also averaging double-figure points. Screen leads the Bison in rebounding (6.6 per game) while Rice is first in assists (59 in 16 games). Bucknell is 3-3 at home, 0-9 on the road and 0-2 in neutral-site games.
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Bucknell went 4-0 against the Mountain Hawks last season to improve to 111-69 in the all-time series. The Bison have won eight of the last nine vs. Lehigh overall, with the Mountain Hawks' victory coming on their Senior Day in 2020 - a wire-to-wire 69-60 victory. Lehigh won four-of-five in the series between 2015 and 2017. Bucknell is Lehigh's second-most played rival of all-time, only behind Lafayette. The teams first met in 1902.
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Following Thursday's game, the Mountain Hawks return home on Sunday to host Loyola at 2 p.m.
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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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Trailing 10-9 on Monday, the Mountain Hawks used a 15-0 run to open a 14-point lead, and they would lead by at least six the rest of the way. Early in the second half, Holy Cross pulled within 41-35, but Lehigh immediately responded with a 7-0 run and the Mountain Hawks held on to a relatively comfortable advantage the rest of the way. In the end, Lehigh won for the fourth time in five games – its best five-game stretch since also going 4-1 at the end of the regular season into the Patriot League Tournament in 2019-20. It marks the Mountain Hawks' best regular-season stretch since winning five-of-six from Jan. 23 to Feb. 9 of 2019.
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Fifth year Marques Wilson led Lehigh with 17 points on Monday, 12 of which came in the second half. Junior Evan Taylor posted his first double-double of the season and fourth of his career, posting 15 points (12 in the second half) and 12 rebounds (a season high). Taylor was 3-of-4 from 3-point range while Wilson finished 2-of-4 from long distance, as did first year Keith Higgins Jr. who scored 12 points - his fifth straight game with double-figure points. Sophomore Dominic Parolin posted 12 points and nine rebounds (10 points and six rebounds of which were in the second half). It was his second straight game with 10 second-half points. Meanwhile, first year Tyler Whitney-Sidney scored a career-high nine points, to go with five rebounds, two assists and a steal.
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The Mountain Hawks had just four second-half turnovers to finish with 11 for the game; after committing 16.4 turnovers per game in nonleague play, Lehigh has committed just 10.8 per contest in the league. Defensively, the Mountain Hawks held the Crusaders scoreless for more than six minutes during their 15-0 run. Holy Cross was 0-for-8 shooting in that stretch and shot just 33.8 percent for the game, a season-best for Lehigh's defense. In the end, Lehigh won its fourth straight against Holy Cross and improved to 7-2 over its last nine against the Crusaders.
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The Bison have lost five straight and eight of their last nine, but it has come against some strong competition (including facing Boston University, Army West Point, Navy and Loyola to begin league play). The Bison wins this season have come over Rider, Siena (in overtime) and La Salle. Andrew Funk leads Bucknell and is second in the Patriot League in scoring (18.1) while Xander Rice (11.8) and Andre Screen (10.5) are also averaging double-figure points. Screen leads the Bison in rebounding (6.6 per game) while Rice is first in assists (59 in 16 games). Bucknell is 3-3 at home, 0-9 on the road and 0-2 in neutral-site games.
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Bucknell went 4-0 against the Mountain Hawks last season to improve to 111-69 in the all-time series. The Bison have won eight of the last nine vs. Lehigh overall, with the Mountain Hawks' victory coming on their Senior Day in 2020 - a wire-to-wire 69-60 victory. Lehigh won four-of-five in the series between 2015 and 2017. Bucknell is Lehigh's second-most played rival of all-time, only behind Lafayette. The teams first met in 1902.
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Following Thursday's game, the Mountain Hawks return home on Sunday to host Loyola at 2 p.m.
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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: | January 13, 2022 |
| Opponent: | Bucknell Bison |
| Tip-off: | 7 p.m. |
| Arena (Capacity): | Sojka Pavilion (4,000) |
| Location: | Lewisburg, Pa. |
| Lehigh's Record: | 5-11, 3-1 Patriot League |
| Bucknell's Record: | 3-13, 0-4 Patriot League |
| Series: | Bucknell leads, 111-69 |
| TV: | ESPN+ |
| Radio: | Fox Sports Radio 94.7 FM & 1230 AM |
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