Posted: 02/01/2013
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Looking for its third Patriot League victory, the Lehigh women’s basketball team will host the Black Knights of Army on Saturday night inside Stabler Arena for a 7 p.m. tip. The Mountain Hawks will hope to use their success on Saturday to hand Army its third Patriot League loss and also snap a three-game skid. Saturday’s game will feature the top two freshmen in the Patriot League in Lehigh’s Kerry Kinek and Army’s Kelsey Minato.
The Mountain Hawks fell on Wednesday night after a hot shooting Navy team nearly doubled its per game average for three-point field goals. The Mids missed tying the Patriot League record in three-pointers (15), which they own, by just one trey after connecting on 14-of-26 attempts from beyond the arc (54 percent) en route to the 72-47 win over Lehigh on Wednesday night. Navy’s Chloe Stapleton led the way with 19 points, including a 6-of-10 effort from long range. Lehigh’s Kerry Kinek led the team with 15 points and seven rebounds, her ninth consecutive game in double figures and 16th on the season.
Kinek is averaging 12.7 ppg and 8.1 rbg on the season, which leads the team, and has also posted 15.5 ppg against league opponents. That league mark is second to just Army’s Kelsey Minato who is averaging 16.8 ppg against league opponents this season. Minato and Kinek have combined for nine Patriot League Rookie of the Week awards, Minato earning six and Kinek earning three. This will be the first meeting between the two of their collegiate careers.
Along with Kinek, sophomore Katie O’Reilly is averaging 8.2 ppg and is third in the league in free throw shooting as the Colts Neck, N.J. native is 80.6 percent from the charity stripe this season. As a team, Lehigh is third in the Patriot League from the line as the Mountain Hawks are shooting 71.8 percent on freebies.
The Black Knight’s Aimee Oertner will be making a homecoming to the Lehigh Valley as the freshman is a Lehighton native and Northern Lehigh product. Oertner is averaging 7.8 ppg and 7.5 rbg in her first season at West Point. Senior Anna Simmers leads the squad, averaging 12.6 ppg this season, among three Black Knights averaging double figures. Along with Simmers and Minato (11.9 ppg), junior guard Jen Hazlett is putting up 10.0 ppg as well as taking on the role of setting up the offense, pacing the team with 53 assists on the season (2.5 apg).
Army will enter Saturday’s game on the heels of a two-game losing streak after being clipped by American 45-42 before falling to Holy Cross on Wednesday 51-46. The Black Knights started their Patriot League slate by winning four straight, but have since tied their season-long losing streak (December 7-10 at Rider, vs. Loyola, Md.). Army is currently tied with Bucknell for the third spot in the Patriot League as Navy and American are knotted for the top sport, each at 5-1.
After Saturday’s action, Lehigh will conclude its three-game homestand with a nationally-televised game on CBS Sports Network on Sunday, February 10 when the Mountain Hawks host Holy Cross at 2 p.m. That game will also be the National Girls and Women in Sports Day inside Stabler Arena.
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Date:
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February 2, 2013
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Opponent:
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Army
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Tip-off:
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7:00 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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10-11 overall, 2-4 Patriot League
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Army’s Record:
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15-6 overall, 4-2 Patriot League
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Series:
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Lehigh leads, 28-23
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Radio:
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Live on ESPN Radio and Lehighsports.com with Matt Markus Pregame coverage gets underway at 6:45 PM
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Television:
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Service Electric 2 Sports
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Internet Video:
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None
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Behind Enemy Lines:
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