Courtesy of LehighSports.com
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh men’s basketball team opened an 8-0 lead, but Boston University responded with a 12-0 run and wouldn’t look back, downing the Mountain Hawks (12-9, 6-4 Patriot League) 76-59 on Monday evening in Stabler Arena. Senior Tim Kempton scored 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting to lead the way while freshman Jordan Cohen also added 16 points. Lehigh shot just 6-of-20 from three-point range and turned the ball over 20 times, which proved too much to overcome.
“We started the game and were aggressive, both defensively and offensively,” said Lehigh head coach Brett Reed. “We attacked their pressure and we attacked to score, which was one of our goals. However, in that first half, turnovers were such a huge variable. Boston ended up taking the ball from us and we got really loose with some of our decision making, even in the half court, which promoted the turnovers, and Boston was able to score. That gave them life and a great deal of confidence.”
Cohen finished 5-of-9 from the floor, including 3-of-6 from three-point range. Sophomore Kyle Leufroy added seven points while sophomore Matt Holba was aggressive on the glass, recording a game and career-high nine rebounds.
Lehigh scored the game’s first eight points, holding the Terriers scoreless until the game was 5:06 old. Kempton scored four of those points before a Kahron Ross jumper gave the Mountain Hawks an 8-0 advantage. Boston University immediately responded with the next 12 points and 22 of the next 25.
A Brandon Alston basket ended the Terriers’ run, pulling Lehigh within 12-10, but Boston University went on to open a 22-11 lead following an Eric Fanning three-pointer with 8:07 on the clock.
Lehigh scored the next five points to pull within six, then later pulled as close as five following two Kempton free throws, which pulled the Mountain Hawks within 25-20. Boston University scored nine of the next 11 points, but a Cohen trey pulled Lehigh within 34-25 following 20 minutes of play.
The Mountain Hawks scored the first four second-half points to pull within five, but the Terriers responded with a 12-2 run to open a 46-31 advantage with 16:20 on the clock.
Boston University eventually extended its lead to 20 following a Kyle Foreman three-point play with 9:07 remaining. Trailing by 23, Lehigh got as close as 17, 69-52, following a Cohen three-pointer with 4:07 on the clock. The Mountain Hawks also pulled within 17 at the final whistle.
Lehigh shot 42.9 percent for the game (21-of-49), including 30.0 percent from three-point range (6-of-20). Boston University shot 46.2 percent (24-of-52) and 39.1 percent from long distance (9-of-23). The Terriers held a 34-30 edge in rebounds.
The Mountain Hawks now hit the road for two more games this week, at Loyola on Wednesday (7 p.m.) and American on Saturday (2 p.m.).
“As a team, we really talk about and try to promote an element of toughness,” said Reed. “Today, when things weren’t going right, I didn’t feel like we displayed the toughness we needed to right the ship and bounce back. Teamwork is a major component of everything that we do, and that’s what you need when you have a bad loss and have to turn around quickly. I’m hopeful that our guys can get their feet back underneath them, be able to take a positive step forward and play in what is going to be a very competitive game in two days on the road.”
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