Courtesy of LehighSports.com
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Lehigh men’s basketball team scored 30 of the first 43 second-half points to open a 21-point lead as the Mountain Hawks (13-10, 7-5 Patriot League) cruised to a 70-55 win at American on Saturday afternoon. Junior Kahron Ross led the way with 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting while senior Tim Kempton recorded his 13th double-double of the season with 15 points and 12 boards. Lehigh shot a season-high 59.2 percent from the field, including an astonishing 71.4 percent on two-point field goals (25-of-35).
“It was good to see our team play well, play together and play with defensive energy,” said Lehigh head coach Brett Reed. “They were passing it to the open guy and making the right play.”
The Mountain Hawks’ 59.2 field goal percentage was their best mark since Dec. 1, 2012 when they shot 63.3 percent (38-of-60) in a 102-62 win over Fairleigh Dickinson.
Ross scored 11 of his points in the second half as he helped spark Lehigh’s charge. Five other Mountain Hawks also scored five or more points, including eight apiece from senior Austin Price and sophomore Kyle Leufroy. Freshman Jordan Cohen scored seven points, junior Brandon Alston had six and senior Devon Carter scored five.
“That is the Kahron Ross that has really elevated our team,” said Reed. “Kahron and I had a heart-to-heart. He had to step it up. He is so good and our team responds so well to him that he’s doing himself a disserve and he’s doing his team a disserve when he doesn’t come with that aggressiveness. He can make a play and he can also make a play for his teammates.”
Kempton began the game with Lehigh’s first two baskets to help the Mountain Hawks open a 6-2 advantage. Leading 11-8 with under 12 minutes on the clock, Lehigh staged a 10-3 run, beginning with a Kempton jumper and including a three-pointer from Ross. Kempton’s seventh and eighth points gave Lehigh a 21-11 advantage with 8:15 remaining in the first.
A few minutes later, a Carter three-pointer gave Lehigh a 28-18 advantage, but the Eagles ended the half on an 8-2 run as Lehigh was held scoreless for the final 2:53 of the first.
Lehigh began the second half on a 9-2 run to create separation as a Ross three-point play gave the Mountain Hawks a 39-28 lead with 15:43 on the clock. The Mountain Hawks continued to impress over the ensuing minutes, and their lead continued to swell. A mini 9-2 surge capped off by a Kempton basket gave Lehigh its first 20-point lead as the Mountain Hawks led 60-39 with 8:11 remaining.
Lehigh’s lead continued to hover between 19 and 22 over the ensuing minutes until American pulled closer in the final two minutes. A Mark Gasperini gave American a 7-2 run to end the game, but it wasn’t nearly enough.
“In the second half, we made the commitment,” said Reed. “There were a lot of drives when we slid our feet extraordinarily well, got our chest back in front of the ball and made them make either a very challenging finish, or move onto the next guy. It wasn’t just one guy doing it. We would see it two to three times in a possession, which would continue to eat up the clock.”
The Mountain Hawks shot 59.2 percent for the game (29-of-49), including 28.6 percent from three-point range (4-of-14). The Eagles finished at 42.0 percent (21-of-50) and 31.3 percent from long distance (5-of-16). Lehigh won the battle of the boards, 29-24.
“We were active and we had some terrific rebounds,” said Reed. “We had guys going after the basketball. There were some loose balls that were tipped up and even some of our guards came up with it on the defensive end, which was a great sign to see.”
The Mountain Hawks look to continue the momentum on Wednesday (Feb. 8) when they host Bucknell at 7 p.m.
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