Saturday, February 10
Bethlehem, Pa.
7:00 PM
Lehigh University
8-15,5-7Patriot
94
vs
90
Lafayette College
10-15,9-3Patriot
1
2
OT 1
OT 2
F
Lafayette
41
23
11
15
90
Lehigh
27
37
11
19
94
Photo by: Hannahally Photography
Lehigh Erases 21-Point Deficit To Defeat Lafayette 94-90 In 2OT
2/11/2024 12:07:00 AM | Men's Basketball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Fans piled into Stabler Arena for 2024's first installment of the Rivalry presented by Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute between Lehigh men's basketball and the Lafayette Leopards. Trailing by as many as 21 in the first half, the Mountain Hawks came from behind to pull off a stunning 94-90 upset victory in double overtime.
"When we started to change the complexion midway through the first half, I felt like we'd give ourselves a chance," said head coach Dr. Brett Reed on the thrilling comeback win.  "The fact that we were able to right the ship… We had to put our will into the game, and we really did it by trying to punch them in the gut on the inside."
Saturday's game marked the 244th all-time meeting between Lehigh (8-15, 5-7 PL) and Lafayette (10-15, 9-3 PL) in what is one of the country's oldest and most played rivalries. The win comes off the heels of last year's defeat to the Leopards in the Patriot League Tournament, but the Mountain Hawks had the last laugh this time around.
"[This win] feels amazing," said senior Dominic Parolin. "Especially since they knocked us out of the playoffs last season and obviously with the Lehigh/Lafayette rivalry, it feels amazing."
Lafayette's offense came out the gates firing on all cylinders in the first half, opening the night on a 10-12 clip from the field. The Leopards connected on 57.7% (15-26) of their shots in the frame, including 54.5% (6-11) from downtown. After gaining a 10-0 advantage in the first 2:40, Lafayette continued to build upon their lead until ultimately taking a 14-point lead into the locker room.
On the first possession of the second half, senior Burke Chebuhar converted an and-one layup inside that helped set the tone for the ensuing 20 minutes of basketball. The Mountain Hawks opened the second stanza on a 14-6 run, culminating in a Parolin triple to cut the lead to six. However, the Leopards responded with a quick 7-0 run of their own to extend their lead back to double-digits.
While Lehigh and Lafayette battled to begin the second half, the final ten minutes of regulation all belonged to the Mountain Hawks. Lehigh outscored Lafayette 23-10 over the course of the final 10 minutes, which was kicked off by a Keith Higgins Jr. four-point play, his first points since returning from an injury sustained on January 6 against Loyola.
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The Mountain Hawks continued to chip away at the Leopard lead by attacking the basket and converting on attempts at the line. Lehigh's 9-10 free throw shooting in the second half was critical in their comeback efforts, as several players contributed from the line. The Mountain Hawks pulled within two points with under three minutes to play, but two Mark Butler free throws kept the Leopards up two entering the final two minutes.
Higgins continued to be huge for Lehigh down the stretch, scoring a driving layup with 1:25 on the clock before Chebuhar tied the game on a baseline jumper with only two seconds remaining in the game. Devin Hines' halfcourt heave at the buzzer didn't fall, sending Saturday's rivalry game to overtime.
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After conceding a Kyle Jenkins triple to begin overtime, Lehigh took its first lead of the game with 3:19 on the clock thanks to two Parolin free throws. The two teams traded buckets in the closing minutes until a fading Higgins mid-range jumper put the Mountain Hawks up by four with under a minute to play. However, Lafayette would score on their next two possessions to force a second overtime period.
The two rivals continued to score back-and-forth against one another to begin the second overtime. A Ryan Pettit driving layup and free throws from Jenkins allowed the Leopards to gain an 80-78 advantage with under three minutes left to play. However, Parolin took the lead back from Lafayette by knocking down a triple, his fifth of the game. The ensuing possessions continued to sway back and forth, as Pettit responded with a triple to tie, Chebuhar converted an and-one to lead by three followed by an Eric Sondberg three to once again tie the contest at 86-86.
With the game tied and under a minute left to play in the frame, Higgins connected from distance to give Lehigh a three-point lead. Unable to answer on their next attempt, the Leopards began fouling to stay in the game. Chebuhar knocked down five free throws in the final 20 seconds to ice the game and complete the miraculous comeback for Lehigh.
"This was a well-played game, Lafayette did not give us this game," said Reed. "They answered the call on multiple occasions. It was a great game, and for people who love basketball in the Lehigh Valley, that was fun."
Parolin finished the night with a career-high 33 points, shooting 10-21 from the field while shooting 55.6% (5-9) from three. The senior from Coquitlam, B.C. added nine rebounds, two assists and a steal while shooting a perfect 8-8 from the free throw line.
"I've always kind of had [three-point shooting] in my game, but never efficient enough to be shooting in games," said Parolin. "This year, I've been working a lot and it's been paying off."
Following closely behind was Chebuhar, who posted his new career-high of 28 points on the night. The senior shot an absurd 16-19 from the free throw line in the game while adding four rebounds, an assist and a steal on 60% (6-10) from the field.
"We needed somebody to say 'let's go' instead of staying on our heels," said Reed. "Let's continue to fight, let's continue to work, and fortunately [Burke] was able to do that."
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In his return from injury, Higgins put up 15 points on a 5-11 mark off of the bench. The junior hauled in three boards and dished out two assists while knocking down all three of his free throw attempts.
"It was great to see [Keith] out there," said Reed. "He's a terrific player who's been dealing with an injury. When you've got a guy who can make big time plays, you've got to ride him, and I couldn't be prouder of him."
Also playing an integral role for the Mountain Hawks was first-year Cam Gillus, who played a career-high 43 minutes in the win. Gillus provided excellent on-ball defense while adding five points, two assists, a steal, and a career-high seven rebounds.
The Mountain Hawks will have a short turnaround, as they travel west on Monday evening for a tilt with the Bucknell Bison. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.
Like Lehigh men's basketball on Facebook, follow on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
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"When we started to change the complexion midway through the first half, I felt like we'd give ourselves a chance," said head coach Dr. Brett Reed on the thrilling comeback win.  "The fact that we were able to right the ship… We had to put our will into the game, and we really did it by trying to punch them in the gut on the inside."
Saturday's game marked the 244th all-time meeting between Lehigh (8-15, 5-7 PL) and Lafayette (10-15, 9-3 PL) in what is one of the country's oldest and most played rivalries. The win comes off the heels of last year's defeat to the Leopards in the Patriot League Tournament, but the Mountain Hawks had the last laugh this time around.
"[This win] feels amazing," said senior Dominic Parolin. "Especially since they knocked us out of the playoffs last season and obviously with the Lehigh/Lafayette rivalry, it feels amazing."
Lafayette's offense came out the gates firing on all cylinders in the first half, opening the night on a 10-12 clip from the field. The Leopards connected on 57.7% (15-26) of their shots in the frame, including 54.5% (6-11) from downtown. After gaining a 10-0 advantage in the first 2:40, Lafayette continued to build upon their lead until ultimately taking a 14-point lead into the locker room.
On the first possession of the second half, senior Burke Chebuhar converted an and-one layup inside that helped set the tone for the ensuing 20 minutes of basketball. The Mountain Hawks opened the second stanza on a 14-6 run, culminating in a Parolin triple to cut the lead to six. However, the Leopards responded with a quick 7-0 run of their own to extend their lead back to double-digits.
While Lehigh and Lafayette battled to begin the second half, the final ten minutes of regulation all belonged to the Mountain Hawks. Lehigh outscored Lafayette 23-10 over the course of the final 10 minutes, which was kicked off by a Keith Higgins Jr. four-point play, his first points since returning from an injury sustained on January 6 against Loyola.
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He's baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack! 👌 @keith_higgins13
— Lehigh M. Basketball (@LehighMBB) February 11, 2024
📺 https://t.co/IoBpFfsZSw@ESPN @PatriotLeagueTV #GoLehigh pic.twitter.com/FAdhVtf1LQ
The Mountain Hawks continued to chip away at the Leopard lead by attacking the basket and converting on attempts at the line. Lehigh's 9-10 free throw shooting in the second half was critical in their comeback efforts, as several players contributed from the line. The Mountain Hawks pulled within two points with under three minutes to play, but two Mark Butler free throws kept the Leopards up two entering the final two minutes.
Higgins continued to be huge for Lehigh down the stretch, scoring a driving layup with 1:25 on the clock before Chebuhar tied the game on a baseline jumper with only two seconds remaining in the game. Devin Hines' halfcourt heave at the buzzer didn't fall, sending Saturday's rivalry game to overtime.
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.@BChebuhar SENDS US TO OVERTIME!!
— Lehigh M. Basketball (@LehighMBB) February 11, 2024
📺 https://t.co/IoBpFfsZSw@ESPN @PatriotLeagueTV #GoLehigh pic.twitter.com/lvYwGfhHPI
After conceding a Kyle Jenkins triple to begin overtime, Lehigh took its first lead of the game with 3:19 on the clock thanks to two Parolin free throws. The two teams traded buckets in the closing minutes until a fading Higgins mid-range jumper put the Mountain Hawks up by four with under a minute to play. However, Lafayette would score on their next two possessions to force a second overtime period.
The two rivals continued to score back-and-forth against one another to begin the second overtime. A Ryan Pettit driving layup and free throws from Jenkins allowed the Leopards to gain an 80-78 advantage with under three minutes left to play. However, Parolin took the lead back from Lafayette by knocking down a triple, his fifth of the game. The ensuing possessions continued to sway back and forth, as Pettit responded with a triple to tie, Chebuhar converted an and-one to lead by three followed by an Eric Sondberg three to once again tie the contest at 86-86.
With the game tied and under a minute left to play in the frame, Higgins connected from distance to give Lehigh a three-point lead. Unable to answer on their next attempt, the Leopards began fouling to stay in the game. Chebuhar knocked down five free throws in the final 20 seconds to ice the game and complete the miraculous comeback for Lehigh.
"This was a well-played game, Lafayette did not give us this game," said Reed. "They answered the call on multiple occasions. It was a great game, and for people who love basketball in the Lehigh Valley, that was fun."
Parolin finished the night with a career-high 33 points, shooting 10-21 from the field while shooting 55.6% (5-9) from three. The senior from Coquitlam, B.C. added nine rebounds, two assists and a steal while shooting a perfect 8-8 from the free throw line.
"I've always kind of had [three-point shooting] in my game, but never efficient enough to be shooting in games," said Parolin. "This year, I've been working a lot and it's been paying off."
Following closely behind was Chebuhar, who posted his new career-high of 28 points on the night. The senior shot an absurd 16-19 from the free throw line in the game while adding four rebounds, an assist and a steal on 60% (6-10) from the field.
"We needed somebody to say 'let's go' instead of staying on our heels," said Reed. "Let's continue to fight, let's continue to work, and fortunately [Burke] was able to do that."
Â
Hear from @BChebuhar after his career-high 28 points in tonight's 2OT win over the Pards!#GoLehigh pic.twitter.com/r8mB8f8Etw
— Lehigh M. Basketball (@LehighMBB) February 11, 2024
In his return from injury, Higgins put up 15 points on a 5-11 mark off of the bench. The junior hauled in three boards and dished out two assists while knocking down all three of his free throw attempts.
"It was great to see [Keith] out there," said Reed. "He's a terrific player who's been dealing with an injury. When you've got a guy who can make big time plays, you've got to ride him, and I couldn't be prouder of him."
Also playing an integral role for the Mountain Hawks was first-year Cam Gillus, who played a career-high 43 minutes in the win. Gillus provided excellent on-ball defense while adding five points, two assists, a steal, and a career-high seven rebounds.
The Mountain Hawks will have a short turnaround, as they travel west on Monday evening for a tilt with the Bucknell Bison. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.
Like Lehigh men's basketball on Facebook, follow on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram for continued updates on the Mountain Hawks.
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Team Stats
Laf
Lehigh
FG%
.556
.468
3FG%
.435
.364
FT%
.714
.848
RB
30
34
TO
15
12
STL
5
8
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
33
FGM
10
3FGM
5
FTM
8
Pts
28
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
16
Pts
15
FGM
5
3FGM
2
FTM
3
Pts
5
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
F
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