Edwards Scores 25 Bramer Scores 23 as #4 Lehigh Defeats #1 Navy in PL Semifinals in OT

Thursday, March 12

Annapolis, Md.

7:00 PM

Lehigh University

17-13,11-6Patriot

Navy

22-8,15-2Patriot

OT 1

Lehigh

Navy

Edwards Scores 25 Bramer Scores 23 as #4 Lehigh Defeats #1 Navy in PL Semifinals in OT

3/13/2026 12:30:00 AM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Thursday night, the No. 4-seeded Lehigh Mountain Hawks defeated the No. 1-seeded Navy Midshipmen 81-76 in overtime in the Patriot League semifinals. With the win, Lehigh advances to the Patriot League championship game for the second straight season and will face Holy Cross on Sunday, in Worcester, Mass.

Lehigh was led by Leia Edwards and Belle Bramer. Edwards paced the team with a career-high 25 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field, including an impressive 5-of-7 from 3-point range, and grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds. Bramer added a career-high 22 points and pulled down seven rebounds.

Gracyn Lovette tied her career high with 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field and matched a career best by knocking down 4-of-8 attempts from beyond the arc.

As a team, Lehigh connected on 13-of-34 shots from 3-point range, one shy of the season high of 14 made 3-pointers, a mark the Mountain Hawks reached twice earlier this season.

The game began with the Midshipmen getting off to a strong start, controlling the glass early, particularly on the offensive end. Navy's Mary Gibbons knocked down two early 3-pointers to help the Midshipmen build a 21-15 lead after the first quarter. Bramer scored nine of Lehigh's 15 points in the period, helping keep the Mountain Hawks within striking distance.

With five minutes left in the second quarter, Lehigh trailed 31-22. The Mountain Hawks closed the half on a 15-5 run. The surge included contributions from Bramer, who finished the half with 17 points, along with baskets from Lovette and Whitney Lind, who finished with 14 points on the night, and a couple of free throws from Edwards. The run gave Lehigh a 37-36 lead at halftime.

Navy opened the third quarter with a five-point lead, but Lovette and Lind responded for the Mountain Hawks. A layup from Lind and a 3-pointer from Lovette, followed by two free throws from Edwards, gave Lehigh a two-point lead with 4:35 remaining in the quarter.

Additional free throws from Edwards, who finished 8-of-10 from the line, along with a 3-pointer from Edwards helped Lehigh keep pace before Patriot League Player of the Year Zanai Barnett-Gay hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to give Navy a one-point lead entering the fourth quarter. Barnett-Gay finished with 29 points on 12-of-28 shooting for the Midshipmen, while also accounting for eight assists.

A layup from Lind, followed by back-to-back 3-pointers from Lovette and Edwards, put Lehigh in front 61-58 with 8:30 left in regulation. Navy responded immediately as Zoe Mesuch, who finished with 21 points, scored a layup to give the Midshipmen the lead back. Lovette and Edwards later connected on back-to-back 3-pointers again to push Lehigh ahead 67-62 with 4:32 remaining. A 3-pointer from Lind extended the Mountain Hawks' lead to 72-65 with 3:30 left.

Navy closed the quarter on a 7-0 run, with Barnett-Gay tying the game at 72 with a layup to send the contest into overtime.

Edwards opened overtime by drilling a step-back 3-pointer, but Barnett-Gay responded with a layup, leaving Lehigh ahead 1 with 2:42 to play. Barnett-Gay drove to the basket again to put Navy in front with 1:26 remaining. On the ensuing possession, Bramer hit a corner 3 to give Lehigh a 78-76 lead, an advantage it would not relinquish.

Lehigh held Navy scoreless for the final minute of overtime, and Edwards sealed the win at the free-throw line, finishing the game at 81-76.

"We said it's free basketball, right? If there's anything we learned from our men's team, it's free basketball, fun basketball," head coach Addie Micir said. "The team was smiling. We reminded Belle that if they were going to leave her open, shoot it, and she took that to heart. We just said keep defending, keep rebounding and let our offense flow. I thought we did a good job with that."

Up Next
Lehigh will face Holy Cross on Sunday at noon on CBS Sports Network for the Patriot League championship. The Mountain Hawks and Crusaders have met twice this season, with Lehigh winning both matchups.