LEHIGH MEN’S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE/RESULTS GAME THIRTEEN: LEHIGH VS. COLUMBIA Date Opponent Time/Result Nov. LEHIGH MOUNTAIN HAWKS (9-3) VS. COLUMBIA LIONS (4-7) 15 at Saint Peter’s W, 79-62 17 DELAWARE STATE W, 76-58 STABLER ARENA (5,600) • BETHLEHEM, PA 20 RIDER L, 69-68 JANUARY 2, 2009 • 4:30 24 ST. FRANCIS (Pa.) W, 61-56 26 at Rutgers W, 76-71 29 at Dartmouth W, 73-60 SETTING THE SCENE Dec. Lehigh rings in the New Year this afternoon with a showdown versus the Columbia 2 ST. JOSEPH’S L, 77-64 Lions at Stabler Arena as the Mountain Hawks aim for their fi fth consecutive victory. 5 at Stony Brook L, 71-50 8 ALBANY W, 65-64 Lehigh downed NJIT on Wednesday in New Jersey 66-38 in a game in which the Brown 21 at Monmouth W, 80-71 and White limited the Highlanders to 11 total fi eld goals on 22-percent shooting. Sopho- 23 at Washington Postponed more Michael Ojo came off the bench and ignited the Lehigh offense with a career-high 28 LONGWOOD W, 72-57 31 at NJIT W, 66-38 14 points, including a perfect three-of-three showing from three-point range, while Jan. classmate Rob Keefer (12) and junior Zahir Carrington (11) also hit for double fi gures. 2 COLUMBIA 4:30 Marquis Hall and Prentice Small combined for 16 of the Mountain Hawks’ 18 assists as 7 at Princeton 7:00 Lehigh won its ninth game of the season. Columbia was last in action on Monday eve- 10 at American* 2:00 14 NAVY* 7:00 ning when the Lions fell to Sacred Heart 84-79 in overtime at home. Freshman Noruwa 17 ARMY* 7:00 Agho netted 21 points in a game in which Columbia led by 14 in the second half. 21 at Colgate* 7:00 24 at Lafayette* 1:00 28 BUCKNELL* 7:00 TODAY’S PROJECTED LEHIGH STARTERS 31 HOLY CROSS* 1:00 No. Pos. Cl. Name PPG RPG Note Feb. 7 AMERICAN* 7:00 1 G Jr. Marquis Hall 14.9 4.9 ast. 17th in PL history in assists (320) 11 at Navy* 7:00 10 F Jr. Zahir Carrington 12.5 6.9 Car-high 15 boards vs. Longwood 14 at Army* 4:00 15 G So. Rob Keefer 9.3 3.8 Season-best 15 pts at Monmouth 18 COLGATE* 7:00 32 G Jr. Dave Buchberger 7.2 3.5 Season-high 8 rebs at Monmouth 22 LAFAYETTE* 12:00 25 at Bucknell* 7:00 42 F Sr. Phil Anderson 10.5 6.5 Averaging 13.7 ppg in last three 28 at Holy Cross* 3:30 Mar. Lehigh Top Reserves 4 Patriot League Tournament TBA 6 Patriot League Tournament TBA 4 F Fr. John Adams 1.5 2.7 Appeared in all 12 games 13 Patriot League Championship 4:45 5 G So. Prentice Small 6.7 4.1 ast. Season-high 12 pts. vs. St. Joe’s * P atriot League Game 23 G So. Michael Ojo 5.8 2.8 Career-high 14 pts at NJIT Home games in CAPS 31 F/C Fr. Justin Maneri 1.0 1.3 Season high in pts and rebs at NJIT All times Eastern and subject to change 33 C Sr. John Gourlay 1.0 1.8 Shooting 60% on fi eld goals MEDIA INFORMATION 35 G Sr. Matt Szalachowski 1.2 1.1 DNP the last three games Contact: Mike Stagnitta LEHIGH HEAD COACH BRETT REED Offi ce . (610) 758-6631 Brett Reed (Eckerd ‘95) is in his second season as the Murray H. Goodman ‘48 Head Cell: . (610) 509-6848 Men’s Baketball Coach at Lehigh University. In his fi rst-ever season as a collegiate head E-mail: . [email protected] coach, Reed led the Mountain Hawks to the third most wins for a fi rst-year head man in Press Row . 610-758-4903/4933 the 107-season history of Lehigh Basketball. Despite leading a team that had lost over 3,000 points from the previous year and consisted of 10 of 14 players in their freshmen Radio/Internet: Today’s game will be broad- or sophomore years, Reed guided the Brown and White to more wins than the previous cast live on ESPN Radio 1230 and 1320 season and the second most victories in the near 30-year history of Stabler Arena. Reed AM with veteran Matt Kerr and Lehigh has been at Lehigh since the 2002-03 season, serving as the associate head coach for the Hall of Famer Greg Falkenbach ‘72. Pre- 2006-07 campaign. Reed also has enjoyed stops at High Point University (N.C.) , North game coverage gets underway at 4:00. Carolina-Greensboro and Oakland Community College (Mich.). IF LEHIGH WINS... - Lehigh will improve to 17-10 versus non-league teams under Brett Reed. - The Mountain Hawks will win fi ve consecutive games for the fi rst time under Brett Reed. - Lehigh will maintain its best start since 1925. Lehigh Athletic Media Relations • 641 Taylor Street, Bethlehem, PA • Phone 610-758-3174 • Fax 610-758-4407 2008-09 LEHIGH MEN’S BASKETBALL • GAME THIRTEEN: LEHIGH VS. COLUMBIA • PAGE 2 TODAY’S GAME DEFENSIVE MINDED The Mountain Hawks currently lead the Patriot League in fi eld goal percentage defense (.375) and three-point fi eld goal percentage defense (.301). Lehigh has held seven oppo- Lehigh meets Columbia for the 34th nents below 40-percent from the fi eld thus far, and 11 opponents below 40-percent from time this afternoon with the Lions hold- three-point range. ing a 21-12 advantage, including a win last year in New York City and the pre- vious season here at Stabler Arena. The CLAMPING DOWN Mountain Hawks last win in the series The 38 points and 22-percent shooting Lehigh surrendered versus NJIT were the fewest came in 2006, a 65-57 victory at Levien the Mountain Hawks have allowed since Swarthmore scored 33 points and shot 21-per- Gymnasium in the Big Apple. cent in a 96-33 Lehigh victory on November 29, 2006 at Stabler Arena. LAST MEETING STRONG OUT OF THE GATE NEW YORK, N.Y. (1/2/08) - Senior Lehigh has outscored its last three opponents a combined 110 to 59 in the fi rst half, captain Bryan White scored a career- including a season-high 48 points at Monmouth. Under Brett Reed, the Mountain Hawks high 23 points, but it wasn’t enough are 16-3 when leading at the break, and just 7-12 when trailing at intermission. as Lehigh fell to Columbia 74-64 at Levien Gym. Ivy League Preseason O-FFENSE FROM OJO Player of the Year John Baumann netted During Lehigh’s four-game win streak, sophomore Michael Ojo has averaged 10.3 points a game-high 27 points for the Lions. on 56-percent shooting from the fi eld and 67-percent shooting from downtown to go Lehigh took a 34-31 lead into halftime, along with 4.3 rebounds per game. The California native has established his career-high but Columbia tied the game at 36 just twice during that time, and made at least two three-pointers in three separate contests. 40 seconds into the second half. The Lions took their fi rst lead of the half POUNDING THE GLASS at the 14:56 clip, and extended to a Lehigh is averaging 41.5 rebounds per game this season, including 44.4 per game in its seven-point advantage with 11:45 to go. last fi ve. The Mountain Hawks have already posted seven games of 40+ rebounds, with Lehigh got to within two in the closing a season high of 54 versus Longwood. Last season, the Brown and White had only three minutes, but Baumann sank a step-back games of 40 or more rebounds. three-pointer with White’s hand in his face, to put the Lions went ahead 64-54 and they never looked back. ANDERSON’S PHIL(IN) IT UP Senior Phil Anderson is having a career year for the Brown and White averaging career- highs in minutes (25.3), points (10.5), rebounds (6.5), shooting-percentage (49%) and LAST TIME OUT blocked shots (1.1). Through 12 games a season ago, Anderson was averaging 15 min- NEWARK, N.J. - Lehigh improved to utes, 4 points, and 3 rebounds, while shooting 37-percent from the fi eld. 9-3 for the fi rst time since 1925 with a 66-38 victory over the NJIT Highlanders THREE-FOR-ALL at the Fleischer Center on Wednesday In their last four contests, the Mountain Hawks are averaging 7.5 made three-pointers on afternoon. The Mountain Hawks used 37-percent shooting. For the season Lehigh has connected on a Patriot League leading a stifl ing defensive effort to hold the 36-percent of its three-pointers, having made at least fi ve in eight of 11 games. Highlanders to 11 total fi eld goals and 22-percent shooting, and a balanced offensive attack, led by sophomore Mi- SCOUTING THE LIONS... chael Ojo’s career-high 14-point effort Head coach Joe Jones (Oswego ‘87) is in his sixth season as the leader of the Columbia to earn their fourth consecutive victory. program ... Lehigh and Columbia have seven common opponents this season, including Lehigh held NJIT scoreless for the fi rst Albany, Stony Brook, American, NJIT, Cornell, Princeton and Dartmouth ... the Lions 6:11 of the game and raced out to a 12-0 have played only three road games this season, going 1-2 in those contests ..