Mountain Hawks Picked Third in Patriot League Preseason Poll, Taylor Selected to Preseason All-League Team
10/12/2022 11:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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The Mountain Hawks, who were selected 10th in the Patriot League preseason poll a season ago, finished fourth and hosted a quarterfinal game at Stabler Arena last season. This year, Lehigh is selected to finish third with 128 points and two first-place votes. The Mountain Hawks return 13 players and brought in four first-years to replace the three student-athletes that graduated from the program.
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Following a season which saw him earn third team All-Patriot League honors, Taylor was one of five players from around the league recognized. The Mountain Hawks' leading returning scorer averaged 13.0 points per contest last season – good for tops on the Mountain Hawks and tied for13th in the Patriot League. On top of Taylor's third team All-League honors, he was also named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Honors Court and Academic All-Patriot League Team.
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Taylor reached double-figure points 21 times in 32 games after doing so 15 times in his first 43 contests through his first two seasons. As a junior, he also eclipsed 20 points on seven occasions. He scored in double-figures seven straight contests for the entire month of December and the first game of January, including a then career-high of 25 points versus American. Taylor then strung together another stretch of seven consecutive games reaching double-figures.
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Taylor also scored 26 points against Boston University, which is his career high through three seasons. He averaged a team-highs of 5.8 rebounds per game (tied for eighth in the Patriot League) and 1.0 block per contest (tied for third in the league). Taylor shot 47.2 percent from the field and averaged 1.3 assists per contest.
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Lehigh also returns sophomore guards Keith Higgins Jr. and Tyler Whitney-Sidney, who were selected to the Patriot League's All-Rookie Team following last season.
The Mountain Hawks' season opener is less than a month away as they travel to Syracuse on Nov. 7. Game coverage will be on ACC Network Extra and Fox Sports Radio 94.7 FM & 1230 AM.
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2022-23 Patriot League Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
1. Colgate, 161 points (17 first-place votes)
2. Boston University, 130 (1)
3. Lehigh, 128 (2)
4. Navy, 121
5. Army West Point, 92
6. Loyola Maryland, 83
7. American, 68
8. Bucknell, 52
9. Holy Cross, 35
10. Lafayette, 30
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2022-23 Patriot League Men's Basketball Preseason Major Awards
Preseason Player of the Year – Tucker Richardson, Colgate, Sr., G
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year – Tucker Richardson, Colgate, Sr., G
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2022-23 Patriot League Men's Basketball Preseason All-League Team
Jalen Rucker, Army West Point, Jr., G
Walter Whyte, Boston University, Gr., F
Tucker Richardson, Colgate, Sr., G
Gerrale Gates, Holy Cross, Sr., F
Evan Taylor, Lehigh, Sr., G
