BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Riding two straight wins, the Lehigh women’s basketball team looks to make it three in a row when it travels to Bucknell Wednesday night for a showdown with the Bison. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. The teams enter in a sixth-place tie with 4-6 league marks and only a game behind fourth, which would mean a home game in the Patriot League Quarterfinals.
Most recently, Lehigh won its second straight game by double figures, topping Colgate 62-40 on Play 4 Kay night. The Mountain Hawks raised $2,829 towards female cancer research and awareness, courtesy of Lehigh Gas. That snapped a five-game home losing streak and gave Lehigh its first home win since Jan. 7 against Columbia.
Freshman Kerry Kinek led the way with 16 points and seven rebounds, combined with her double-double at American Wednesday, earned her Patriot League Rookie of the Week for the fifth time. Juniors Hilary Weaver and Lindsay Hoskins added 12 and 11 points, respectively.
Lehigh looks to continue its road success on Wednesday night as the Mountain Hawks have won five of their last six away from home. Lehigh has also won five straight against Bucknell at Sojka Pavilion, last losing there during the 2006-07 season.
The Mountain Hawks held a commanding 52-39 edge on the glass Saturday against Colgate, their second straight game with 50+ boards (and fifth this season). Their season high was 56 against Niagara. Lehigh has eclipsed 40 rebounds in 14 games this season.
Several players tied or set new season/career highs for rebounds Saturday. Senior Marybeth Egan’s five marked a career high while freshman Amina Affini tied a career high with three rebounds. Senior Kelly Peterson grabbed a season-high five boards as well.
Bucknell got off to a hot 4-1 start in Patriot League play, but enters Wednesday on a five-game losing streak. Last time out, the Bison took a commanding 37-21 lead over Lafayette at the half, but the Leopards rallied to down Bucknell in overtime. Its last win came against Holy Cross on Jan. 26. Shelby Romine leads the team in scoring (13.9) and assists (3.7) while Audrey Dotson also averages double-figure points (11.8) to go with eight boards per game. Lindsay Horbatuck leads the team in rebounding with 10.2 per contest. Bucknell is +5.2 on the glass this season (42.8-36.0). Bucknell is third in the league in scoring offense (58.3) and fourth in scoring defense (58.2). Its free throw percentage (.713) is second, one ahead of Lehigh in third (70.8). The Bison lead the Patriot League in field goal percentage defense, allowing opponents to shoot just 34 percent from the field.
Lehigh is 40-32 all-time against Bucknell, winners of 11 of its last 13 against the Bison. The Mountain Hawks had won 10 straight from 2007-12 before Bucknell responded by winning two of the last three. In the first meeting this season, Bucknell beat Lehigh in Stabler Arena, 53-37 despite 18 points and nine rebounds from Kinek. The Mountain Hawks’ offensive woes of the first half were too much to overcome as Lehigh dropped its second Patriot League tilt of the season. Lehigh won the first-ever meeting between the two sides back in 1976-77, a 68-66 Lehigh victory.
Following Wednesday night, the Mountain Hawks will return home Saturday for Senior Night vs. archrival Lafayette. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. in Stabler Arena.
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Date:
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February 20, 2013
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Opponent:
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Bucknell Bison
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Tip-off:
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7:00 PM
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Arena/Capacity:
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Sojka Pavilion/4,000
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Location:
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Lewisburg, Pa.
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Lehigh’s Record:
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12-13 overall, 4-6 Patriot League
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Bucknell’s Record:
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13-12 overall, 4-6 Patriot League
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Series:
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Lehigh leads, 40-32
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Radio:
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Live on WLVR 91.3 and Lehighsports.com with Matt Markus Pregame coverage gets underway at 6:45 PM
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Television:
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None
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Internet Video:
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Behind Enemy Lines:
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