
Photo by: Hannahally Photography
Lehigh Travels to Loyola for Key Sunday Matchup in Baltimore
2/18/2022 2:39:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Following an 86-77 win over Bucknell Monday night, the Lehigh men's basketball team heads to Loyola on Sunday to face the Greyhounds in a key late-season matchup. Gametime is set for 5 p.m. on ESPN+. The Mountain Hawks stand all alone in fourth place in the Patriot League standings at 8-7, one game ahead of Loyola and Army West Point at 7-8. Lafayette and Holy Cross are also each 6-8.
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Sunday's game could go a long way towards a coveted top four seed in the standings and home game in the Patriot League Quarterfinals. The Mountain Hawks lost the first meeting with the Greyhounds, and would need a win on Sunday to earn the series split. In the first eight seasons Loyola has been in the Patriot League, six of them have finished in regular season splits between the Mountain Hawks and Greyhounds.
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On Monday, Lehigh trailed Bucknell by 10 in the first half, but came back from a double-figure deficit for the third time in Patriot League play - also at American (19) and vs. Navy (17). The Mountain Hawks put up 51 second-half points, including 22 over the game's final 7:27. Senior Nic Lynch scored 16 of his 19 points in the second half, including one stretch of eight points in 1:02 late in the game, turning a two-point Lehigh lead into a 10-point advantage. Lynch finished with 19 points and a season-high 11 rebounds for his sixth-career double-double (second this season). He finished 3-of-4 from 3-point range, a career high for made threes.
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As a team, the Mountain Hawks knocked down 14-of-24 from behind the arc (58.3 percent), including 9-of-13 in the second half (69.2 percent). It was the sixth time in the last 11 games Lehigh has hit at least 50 percent of its treys. Over its last 11 games, the Mountain Hawks are 47.3 percent from deep. In its regular-season sweep vs. Bucknell, Lehigh knocked down 32 3-pointers in 58 attempts (55.2 percent). The Mountain Hawks' 14 made threes on Monday were one from tying the Stabler Arena record.
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Fifth year Marques Wilson also had 19 points (14 coming in the second half) and a season-high eight rebounds. He made a career-high five 3-pointers (in seven attempts). First year Keith Higgins Jr. added 17 points and a game-high six assists. Senior Jeameril Wilson scored 11 points as well, shooting 2-of-2 from three. In league games, the Mountain Hawks now feature five of the top eight 3-point shooters in the Patriot League (led by Lynch at 54.3 percent).
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Loyola has had an up-and-down season, and enters Sunday having dropped four in a row. Most recently, the Greyhounds fell at Lafayette, 77-68. The other defeats came vs. Colgate, at Holy Cross and against Navy. Earlier in Patriot League play, Loyola won five straight - capped off by its win at Lehigh. Cam Spencer leads the Greyhounds, and Patriot League, in scoring - averaging 18.7 points per game. Jaylin Andrews is second on the team and eighth in the league in scoring (14.4) while Golden Dike averages a team-leading 6.2 rebounds. Kenneth Jones is first in the Patriot League in assists per game (4.8) with 124 in 26 contests. As a team, the Greyhounds stand sixth in scoring offense (67.2) and third in scoring defense (66.7).
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Despite Loyola's win on Jan. 16, the Mountain Hawks have still won four of the last six and six of the last nine vs. the Greyhounds and lead the all-time series, 14-13. Last season, the teams split, with each winning in the other's building. Lehigh's win was a 76-72 victory, just one day after falling 75-47 in Stabler Arena. Reed Fenton led the way with 19 points in the win. Two years ago (2019-20), the Mountain Hawks went 3-0 vs. the Greyhounds, including a 75-72 Patriot League Tournament victory. Before 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.
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After Sunday's game, the Mountain Hawks return home to host American on Wednesday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. on Senior Night.
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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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Sunday's game could go a long way towards a coveted top four seed in the standings and home game in the Patriot League Quarterfinals. The Mountain Hawks lost the first meeting with the Greyhounds, and would need a win on Sunday to earn the series split. In the first eight seasons Loyola has been in the Patriot League, six of them have finished in regular season splits between the Mountain Hawks and Greyhounds.
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On Monday, Lehigh trailed Bucknell by 10 in the first half, but came back from a double-figure deficit for the third time in Patriot League play - also at American (19) and vs. Navy (17). The Mountain Hawks put up 51 second-half points, including 22 over the game's final 7:27. Senior Nic Lynch scored 16 of his 19 points in the second half, including one stretch of eight points in 1:02 late in the game, turning a two-point Lehigh lead into a 10-point advantage. Lynch finished with 19 points and a season-high 11 rebounds for his sixth-career double-double (second this season). He finished 3-of-4 from 3-point range, a career high for made threes.
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As a team, the Mountain Hawks knocked down 14-of-24 from behind the arc (58.3 percent), including 9-of-13 in the second half (69.2 percent). It was the sixth time in the last 11 games Lehigh has hit at least 50 percent of its treys. Over its last 11 games, the Mountain Hawks are 47.3 percent from deep. In its regular-season sweep vs. Bucknell, Lehigh knocked down 32 3-pointers in 58 attempts (55.2 percent). The Mountain Hawks' 14 made threes on Monday were one from tying the Stabler Arena record.
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Fifth year Marques Wilson also had 19 points (14 coming in the second half) and a season-high eight rebounds. He made a career-high five 3-pointers (in seven attempts). First year Keith Higgins Jr. added 17 points and a game-high six assists. Senior Jeameril Wilson scored 11 points as well, shooting 2-of-2 from three. In league games, the Mountain Hawks now feature five of the top eight 3-point shooters in the Patriot League (led by Lynch at 54.3 percent).
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Loyola has had an up-and-down season, and enters Sunday having dropped four in a row. Most recently, the Greyhounds fell at Lafayette, 77-68. The other defeats came vs. Colgate, at Holy Cross and against Navy. Earlier in Patriot League play, Loyola won five straight - capped off by its win at Lehigh. Cam Spencer leads the Greyhounds, and Patriot League, in scoring - averaging 18.7 points per game. Jaylin Andrews is second on the team and eighth in the league in scoring (14.4) while Golden Dike averages a team-leading 6.2 rebounds. Kenneth Jones is first in the Patriot League in assists per game (4.8) with 124 in 26 contests. As a team, the Greyhounds stand sixth in scoring offense (67.2) and third in scoring defense (66.7).
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Despite Loyola's win on Jan. 16, the Mountain Hawks have still won four of the last six and six of the last nine vs. the Greyhounds and lead the all-time series, 14-13. Last season, the teams split, with each winning in the other's building. Lehigh's win was a 76-72 victory, just one day after falling 75-47 in Stabler Arena. Reed Fenton led the way with 19 points in the win. Two years ago (2019-20), the Mountain Hawks went 3-0 vs. the Greyhounds, including a 75-72 Patriot League Tournament victory. Before 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.
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After Sunday's game, the Mountain Hawks return home to host American on Wednesday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. on Senior Night.
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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: | February 20, 2022 |
Opponent: | Loyola Greyhounds |
Tip-off: | 5 p.m. |
Arena (Capacity): | Reitz Arena (2,100) |
Location: | Baltimore, Md. |
Lehigh's Record: | 10-17, 8-7 Patriot League |
Loyola's Record: | 13-13, 7-8 Patriot League |
Series: | Lehigh leads, 14-13 |
TV: | ESPN+ |
Radio: | Fox Sports Radio 94.7 FM & 1230 AM |
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