Courtesy of LehighSports.com.
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh men’s basketball team kicks off a highly-anticipated 2012-13 season on Friday when it travels to Waco, Texas to face the #19/18 Baylor Bears. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. Eastern (4 p.m. local) and will air regionally on Fox Sports Southwest. It can also be seen on Dish Channel 416 and DirecTV channel 676. Friday will mark the first time the Mountain Hawks hit the court for game action since their memorable run in the NCAA Tournament when they defeated Duke before falling to Xavier in a tight contest. Ironically, the team Lehigh would have faced in the Sweet 16 is Baylor; the sides will still get a chance to square off, instead to open the season.
Baylor is ranked in both preseason national polls: 19th in the AP Top 25 and 18th in the USA Today Coaches Poll. The Bears mark Lehigh’s first nationally-ranked opponent since Duke in last season’s NCAA Tournament and first in the regular season since #19/20 Michigan State last December. The Mountain Hawks are ranked sixth in the Mid-Major Top 25.
Lehigh returns four-of-five starters from a season ago, led by a senior class of C.J. McCollum, Gabe Knutson and Holden Greiner, which has combined for 3,788 career points and 1,534 career rebounds. They’re joined by two-year starter Mackey McKnight, a junior. The Mountain Hawks also return several other key players, including juniors B.J. Bailey and Anthony D’Orazio, and sophomores Corey Schaefer, Conroy Baltimore and Stefan Cvrkalj who all showed strong flashes in 2011-12.
Friday’s game will feature two of the top guards in the country in McCollum and Baylor senior Pierre Jackson, who was an honorable mention AP All-American and Bob Cousy Award finalist last season. The Bears lost three players to the NBA: Perry Jones III, Quincy Acy and Quincy Miller. Last season’s Baylor squad advanced to the Elite Eight before succumbing to top seed and eventual National Champion Kentucky.
The Mountain Hawks are looking to snap a four-game losing streak in season openers and win a season opener for the first time since 2008-09 when it topped Saint Peter’s (79-62). Lehigh hasn’t opened at home since Nov. 21, 2003 against Long Island. A win would give the Mountain Hawks their sixth straight regular season win dating back to last season and fifth straight road victory (regular season and postseason).
Lehigh is 0-4 all-time against members of the Big 12 Conference, posting 0-1 records against Iowa State, Kansas, Texas and Texas A&M. This will mark the second straight season and third time in the last four years the Mountain Hawks play a Big 12 squad. Lehigh hung tough at Iowa State a season ago (86-77) while playing top-seed Kansas in the 2010 NCAA Tournament.
The Nov. 9 tipoff ties for the earliest regular season game in program history. It ties last season as the earliest; Lehigh played at St. John’s in the 2K Sports Class last Nov. 9.
Baylor lost three players to the 2012 NBA Draft, but returns a plethora of talent led by Jackson. A senior, Jackson was the leading scorer on last year’s 30-8 squad, averaging 13.8 points and 5.9 assists per game. He finished last season with an impressive 223 helpers. Junior Brady Heslip also averaged double-figure points a year ago (10.2). Baylor defeated South Dakota State, Colorado and Xavier in the NCAA Tournament to reach 30 wins and the Elite Eight. A potent offense saw the Bears average 74.7 points per game in the tough Big 12. Baylor features an impressive recruiting class, which includes 7-1 center Isaiah Austin, a consensus top-5 national recruit.
Friday marks the first-ever meeting between Lehigh and Baylor.
Lehigh will return to action on Monday when it faces NEC power Robert Morris in the NIT Season Tip-Off. Tipoff is set for 8:30 p.m. following the first game of the day featuring host Pittsburgh and Fordham. The winners will then meet on Tuesday with a trip to Madison Square Garden on the line while the losers will square off in a consolation game.
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Individual and season tickets may be purchased on Lehighsports.com, over the phone (610-758-4263) or in-person at Stabler Arena, Monday-through-Friday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
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Date:
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November 9, 2012
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Opponent:
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Baylor Bears
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Tip-off:
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5:00 PM (ET)
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Arena/Capacity:
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Ferrell Center/10,284
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Location:
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Waco, Texas
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Lehigh’s Record:
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0-0 overall, 0-0 Patriot League
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Baylor’s Record:
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0-0 overall, 0-0 Big 12
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Series:
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First Meeting
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Radio:
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Live on ESPN Radio 1230 and 1320 AM and Lehighsports.com with Tom Fallon. Pregame coverage gets underway at 4:30 PM.
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Television:
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Fox Sports Southwest (Dish Channel 416, DirecTV Channel 676)
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Internet Video:
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None
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Behind Enemy Lines:
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