Posted: 01/05/2012
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh women’s basketball team (7-7) has won six of its last eight games and it will look to keep its winning ways going as the Mountain Hawks host Holy Cross (8-6) Saturday at 2 p.m. to kick off Patriot League play. Lehigh – the three-time defending Patriot League regular season champion – has won seven straight games vs. Holy Cross as the Mountain Hawks cap off a six-game home stand in which they are 4-1.
The Mountain Hawks are led this season by senior forwards Emily Gratch and Alexa Williams. Gratch leads the team in scoring at 10.7 points per game and is second on the team in rebounding at 8.3 per game. She is also second on the team shooting 44.0 percent from the field. Williams ranks eighth in the Patriot League with 10.6 points and ranks first with 9.4 rebounds per game. Williams has put together three double-double games this season and she has been getting it done on the defensive end as well as she leads the team in blocks (1.5) and steals (1.4) which ranks fifth and seventh in the Patriot League, respectively.
Lehigh is coming off a 71-49 loss to Richmond Friday as part of the Christmas Classic. The Mountain Hawks were led by freshman Katie O’Reilly who had a team-high 12 points and added seven rebounds while Gratch had 10 points and nine rebounds. Lehigh kept it close in the first half, but was unable to overcome a tough shooting second half.
The night before, Lehigh won its opening game of the Classic, beating Rhode Island 67-56.
For her efforts over the two games, Gratch was named to the All-Tournament Team.
The loss to Richmond snapped Lehigh’ five-game winning streak and was the Mountain Hawks’ first loss in the month of December (19-0) since December 2nd, 2009 at Princeton.
Lehigh will look to start the new year with a new streak as the Mountain Hawks begin their Patriot League slate.
The Mountain Hawks, which were picked to finish second in the Patriot League Preseason Poll, will take on a Holy Cross team that was slated to finish fifth. Holy Cross enters Saturday’s game on a two-game winning streak and winners of three of its last four. The Crusaders finished their non-league slate 8-6 with their most recent victory coming Tuesday over Dartmouth 65-63.
Holy Cross features the highest scoring offense in the League as the Crusaders are averaging 63.7 points per game. Holy Cross has scored at least 75 points six times this season including 82 vs. Bryant and 80 vs. Quinnipiac. Holy Cross also ranks first in field goal percentage (40.3) and assists (17.4). On the other end of the floor, however, Holy Cross is allowing the most points in the League (66.9).
The Crusaders are led by Alex Smith and Amy Lepley. Smith leads the League in scoring with 13.3 points and is first in assists with 5.5 per game. Smith also ranks first in the League in three-point FG made (2.7). Lepley is third in scoring with 12.9 points per game and she also ranks second in the League shooting 50.3 percent from the field.
Holy Cross finished 6-8 in the League last season finishing the regular season in sixth place as the Crusaders fell in the Patriot League Quarterfinals 72-44 at American.
Saturday will be the 51st meeting between Lehigh and Holy Cross. The Crusaders hold the all-time edge 37-13, but the Mountain Hawks have won seven straight games. The teams previously met last season when the Mountain Hawks swept the season series. Lehigh defeated Holy Cross in Worcester on January 29th 77-67 and then at home 83-55 on February 26th.
The series started in the 1990-91 season and over the next 10 years, Lehigh dropped 26 of the first 27 games. But the Mountain Hawks have won the seven previous meetings including a 73-57 Patriot League Semifinal victory in 2010.
The Mountain Hawks last loss to Holy Cross was in the 2008 Patriot League Semifinals in a 46-44 game that came down to the final six seconds.
Tickets for all home games are now on sale and may be purchased on Lehighsports.com or by calling the ticket office at (610) 7LU-GAME.
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Date:
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January 7, 2012
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Opponent:
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Holy Cross Crusaders
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Tip-off:
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2:00 PM
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Arena/Capacity:
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Stabler Arena/5,600
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Location:
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Bethlehem, Pa.
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Lehigh’s Record:
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7-7 overall, 0-0 Patriot League
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Holy Cross' Record:
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8-6 overall, 0-0 Patriot League
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Series:
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Holy Cross leads, 37-13
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Radio:
Television:
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ESPN Radio 1230 and 1320 with Matt Markus beginning at 1:45
The game will be televised on Service Electric 2 Sports.
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Behind Enemy Lines:
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Not by a computer?
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