Lehigh University Athletics
Lehigh Set to Host 24th Christmas City Classic
11/29/2024 1:10:00 PM | Women's Basketball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The Christmas City Classic, presented by Joshi Hotel Group returns to Bethlehem this upcoming holiday weekend as Lehigh women's basketball opens up the first day of competition against Marist on Saturday at 12 p.m.
The Mountain Hawks will also be hosting North Dakota and Valparaiso who are set to square off in the second game on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. This is the 24th time in program history that Lehigh is hosting the Christmas City Classic.Â
Lehigh will be looking to take home the Christmas City Classic title for the first time since 2010. The Mountain Hawks have won it four times, with the other victories happening in 2000, 2008 and 2009. The last time Lehigh hosted the Christmas City Classic was in 2022-23 and the Mountain Hawks dropped both of their matchups to Southern Illinois and Quinnipiac.Â
The Mountain Hawks (4-2) were on a three-game win streak this season before falling 65-62 to La Salle on Nov. 26. While Lehigh shot an impressive 55.4% from the field, the Mountain Hawks struggled to take care of the basketball, committing a season-high 28 turnovers.Â
Fifth-year guard Maddie Albrecht led the way for Lehigh against the Explorers, finishing with a game-high of 18 points. Albrecht has finished in double figures in each of Lehigh's six games, which marks the most consecutive double-figure games for the Billings, Mont., native. She is averaging 16.3 points per game and 6.3 rebounds per game.Â
Senior guard Ella Stemmer (12.5 points per game) and junior forward Lily Fandre (12.2 points per game) are also averaging double figures.Â
Marist comes into Saturday's game with a 3-3 record after picking up a 67-65 win over Yale on Nov. 26. Lexie Tarul led the way for the Red Foxes with a team-high 14 points. Tarul is averaging a team-high of 13.2 points per game. Morgan Lee (11.2 points per game) is the only other Red Fox averaging double figures.Â
Lehigh is 4-3 all-time against Marist. The two last played last season, where the Mountain Hawks rolled to a 82-64 win at the Savannah Invitational. Senior forward Meghan O'Brien netted a career-high of 17 points in the win.Â
North Dakota is 2-3 this season. The Fighting Hawks are on a three-game losing streak, most recently suffering a 74-69 loss to Western Kentucky on Nov. 24.Â
North Dakota has three players averaging double figures with Kiera Pemberton leading the way with 14.3 points per game. Mikayla Aumer is second with 14.0 points per game and Joceyln Schiller is averaging 10.6 points per game. If Lehigh plays North Dakota, it would mark the first-meeting between the two programs.Â
Valparaiso enters Saturday's game with a 2-4 record. The Beacons are coming off of a 72-41 win against Goshen. Nevaeh Jackson netted a team-high of 20 points. Jackson is leading the way for Valparaiso this season, averaging a team-high 15.3 points per game. Leah Ernest is next with 13.7 points per game.
If Lehigh plays Valparaiso, it will mark the third meeting between the two schools. Lehigh is 1-1 all-time against the Beacons. The Mountain Hawks won 41-39 the last time they played each other in 2011.Â
Both of Lehigh's games this weekend will be streamed live on ESPN+. If Lehigh beats Marist, the Mountain Hawks would face the winner of North Dakota/Valpo in the championship game on Sunday at 2:30. If they lose, they will face the loser of North Dakota/Valparaiso on Sunday in the consolation game at 12 p.m.
Following the Christmas City classic, Lehigh will hit the road for a midweek matchup at Drexel on Wednesday at 6 p.m.Â
The Mountain Hawks will also be hosting North Dakota and Valparaiso who are set to square off in the second game on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. This is the 24th time in program history that Lehigh is hosting the Christmas City Classic.Â
Lehigh will be looking to take home the Christmas City Classic title for the first time since 2010. The Mountain Hawks have won it four times, with the other victories happening in 2000, 2008 and 2009. The last time Lehigh hosted the Christmas City Classic was in 2022-23 and the Mountain Hawks dropped both of their matchups to Southern Illinois and Quinnipiac.Â
The Mountain Hawks (4-2) were on a three-game win streak this season before falling 65-62 to La Salle on Nov. 26. While Lehigh shot an impressive 55.4% from the field, the Mountain Hawks struggled to take care of the basketball, committing a season-high 28 turnovers.Â
Fifth-year guard Maddie Albrecht led the way for Lehigh against the Explorers, finishing with a game-high of 18 points. Albrecht has finished in double figures in each of Lehigh's six games, which marks the most consecutive double-figure games for the Billings, Mont., native. She is averaging 16.3 points per game and 6.3 rebounds per game.Â
Senior guard Ella Stemmer (12.5 points per game) and junior forward Lily Fandre (12.2 points per game) are also averaging double figures.Â
Marist comes into Saturday's game with a 3-3 record after picking up a 67-65 win over Yale on Nov. 26. Lexie Tarul led the way for the Red Foxes with a team-high 14 points. Tarul is averaging a team-high of 13.2 points per game. Morgan Lee (11.2 points per game) is the only other Red Fox averaging double figures.Â
Lehigh is 4-3 all-time against Marist. The two last played last season, where the Mountain Hawks rolled to a 82-64 win at the Savannah Invitational. Senior forward Meghan O'Brien netted a career-high of 17 points in the win.Â
North Dakota is 2-3 this season. The Fighting Hawks are on a three-game losing streak, most recently suffering a 74-69 loss to Western Kentucky on Nov. 24.Â
North Dakota has three players averaging double figures with Kiera Pemberton leading the way with 14.3 points per game. Mikayla Aumer is second with 14.0 points per game and Joceyln Schiller is averaging 10.6 points per game. If Lehigh plays North Dakota, it would mark the first-meeting between the two programs.Â
Valparaiso enters Saturday's game with a 2-4 record. The Beacons are coming off of a 72-41 win against Goshen. Nevaeh Jackson netted a team-high of 20 points. Jackson is leading the way for Valparaiso this season, averaging a team-high 15.3 points per game. Leah Ernest is next with 13.7 points per game.
If Lehigh plays Valparaiso, it will mark the third meeting between the two schools. Lehigh is 1-1 all-time against the Beacons. The Mountain Hawks won 41-39 the last time they played each other in 2011.Â
Both of Lehigh's games this weekend will be streamed live on ESPN+. If Lehigh beats Marist, the Mountain Hawks would face the winner of North Dakota/Valpo in the championship game on Sunday at 2:30. If they lose, they will face the loser of North Dakota/Valparaiso on Sunday in the consolation game at 12 p.m.
Following the Christmas City classic, Lehigh will hit the road for a midweek matchup at Drexel on Wednesday at 6 p.m.Â
Players Mentioned
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