Friday, November 24
Providence, R.I.
7:00 PM
Lehigh University
1-5,0-0Patriot
64
at
78
Providence College
5-1,0-0Big East
1
2
F
Lehigh
29
35
64
Providence
41
37
78
Photo by: Providence College Athletics
Strong First Half Pushes Providence Past Lehigh 78-64
11/24/2023 10:41:00 PM | Men's Basketball
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Lehigh men's basketball traveled northeast following the Thanksgiving holiday to take on the Providence Friars in front of a packed Amica Mutual Pavilion on Black Friday. The Mountain Hawks competed, but ultimately fell by a score of 78-64 to their Big East foe.
"I'm really pleased that our guys started to figure out how to keep the ball out of the paint a little bit more," said head coach Dr. Brett Reed. "But at that point, a lot of the damage was done… Our kids made the adjustment better in the second half, and it was more competitive."
Friday's game marked the first-ever meeting between the Mountain Hawks and the Friars and the fifth overall matchup against a Big East opponent during Reed's tenure with Lehigh. The Friars were the third of four power conference opponents on Lehigh's non-league schedule, as a bout at Boston College on December 21 is yet to come.
Lehigh (1-5) found themselves in a hole after the first half of play, entering the locker room facing a 41-29 deficit. However, things certainly turned around for the Mountain Hawks in the second, as Providence narrowly outscored Lehigh 37-35 in the final 20 minutes. The Mountain Hawks played solid and efficient defense despite the loss, adding seven steals, four blocks, and only committing ten turnovers in the game.
"The ball security was solid," said Reed. "If you're walking out of here against a long, athletic team that really puts their emphasis on defense and you only turn the ball over ten times, that's not the worst thing in the world."
Providence (5-1) was led by Preseason Third-Team All-American Bryce Hopkins and George Mason transfer Josh Oduro, who combined for 54 of their 78 points. Their efficiency inside helped Providence outgain Lehigh 52-28 in points in the paint. However, Lehigh did hold their own on the glass, outrebounding the Friars in the first half and only conceding a -7 rebounding margin for the game.
Senior Dominic Parolin was key offensively for the Mountain Hawks, as his career-high 18 points led the way for Lehigh. Junior Keith Higgins Jr. and senior Jalin Sinclair also tallied double-digit points, scoring 16 and 10 respectively. Higgins led Lehigh and tied his career-high of eight rebounds while Sinclair dished out a season-high six assists.
"Jalin's got the ability to see plays develop, he's got that sixth sense," said Reed. "He did a great job. When we were struggling to score in some other areas, his point generation was really important for us as well."
Sophomore Bube Momah added eight points, four rebounds, a block, and knocked down his first-career three-pointer. In addition, Momah converted on a poster dunk over Providence's Hopkins that brought the Lehigh bench to its feet.
Lehigh returns to Stabler Arena on Wednesday, November 29 for a non-league clash with the Saint Francis Red Flash. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the first 50 students in attendance will receive a free dinner courtesy of Lehigh dining.
"Our kids are battling, they're fighting, and they're doing it together," said Reed. "Some of the teams we've played against have NBA-potential players, and our guys are going toe-to-toe with them… We keep figuring out more things about ourselves that I think are going to continue to help us evolve and continue to adapt."
Like Lehigh men's basketball on Facebook, follow on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
"I'm really pleased that our guys started to figure out how to keep the ball out of the paint a little bit more," said head coach Dr. Brett Reed. "But at that point, a lot of the damage was done… Our kids made the adjustment better in the second half, and it was more competitive."
Friday's game marked the first-ever meeting between the Mountain Hawks and the Friars and the fifth overall matchup against a Big East opponent during Reed's tenure with Lehigh. The Friars were the third of four power conference opponents on Lehigh's non-league schedule, as a bout at Boston College on December 21 is yet to come.
Lehigh (1-5) found themselves in a hole after the first half of play, entering the locker room facing a 41-29 deficit. However, things certainly turned around for the Mountain Hawks in the second, as Providence narrowly outscored Lehigh 37-35 in the final 20 minutes. The Mountain Hawks played solid and efficient defense despite the loss, adding seven steals, four blocks, and only committing ten turnovers in the game.
"The ball security was solid," said Reed. "If you're walking out of here against a long, athletic team that really puts their emphasis on defense and you only turn the ball over ten times, that's not the worst thing in the world."
Providence (5-1) was led by Preseason Third-Team All-American Bryce Hopkins and George Mason transfer Josh Oduro, who combined for 54 of their 78 points. Their efficiency inside helped Providence outgain Lehigh 52-28 in points in the paint. However, Lehigh did hold their own on the glass, outrebounding the Friars in the first half and only conceding a -7 rebounding margin for the game.
Senior Dominic Parolin was key offensively for the Mountain Hawks, as his career-high 18 points led the way for Lehigh. Junior Keith Higgins Jr. and senior Jalin Sinclair also tallied double-digit points, scoring 16 and 10 respectively. Higgins led Lehigh and tied his career-high of eight rebounds while Sinclair dished out a season-high six assists.
"Jalin's got the ability to see plays develop, he's got that sixth sense," said Reed. "He did a great job. When we were struggling to score in some other areas, his point generation was really important for us as well."
Sophomore Bube Momah added eight points, four rebounds, a block, and knocked down his first-career three-pointer. In addition, Momah converted on a poster dunk over Providence's Hopkins that brought the Lehigh bench to its feet.
OH MY GOODNESS BUBE MOMAH ‼️@ESPNAssignDesk @SportsCenter#GoLehigh pic.twitter.com/yFro5LV5pY
— Lehigh M. Basketball (@LehighMBB) November 25, 2023
Lehigh returns to Stabler Arena on Wednesday, November 29 for a non-league clash with the Saint Francis Red Flash. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the first 50 students in attendance will receive a free dinner courtesy of Lehigh dining.
"Our kids are battling, they're fighting, and they're doing it together," said Reed. "Some of the teams we've played against have NBA-potential players, and our guys are going toe-to-toe with them… We keep figuring out more things about ourselves that I think are going to continue to help us evolve and continue to adapt."
Like Lehigh men's basketball on Facebook, follow on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
Team Stats
Lehigh
PROV
FG%
.450
.516
3FG%
.353
.333
FT%
.667
.692
RB
30
37
TO
10
10
STL
7
4
Game Leaders
Pts
18
FGM
8
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
16
FGM
6
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
10
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
G
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