LEHIGH MEN’S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE/RESULTS GAME TWENTY-EIGHT: LEHIGH AT BUCKNELL Date Opponent Time/Result Nov. LEHIGH (18-9 OVERALL, 11-1 PL) AT BUCKNELL (21-4 OVERALL, 12-0 PL) 13 vs. Northwestern ^ L, 61-59 14 vs. Coppin State ^ W, 65-64 SOJKA PAVILION (4,000) • LEWISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA 15 vs. Butler ^ L, 66-41 20 PRINCETON L, 64-54 FEBRUARY 22, 2006 • 7:05 22 STONY BROOK W, 58-54 27 at No. 4 Villanova L, 84-47 SETTING THE SCENE 29 EASTERN W, 67-48 Dec. In one of the most anticipated Patriot League regular season matchups in recent 4 at Cornell L, 57-53 memory, the past two league champions, Lehigh and Bucknell, get set to meet this 7 at Sacred Heart L, 66-55 evening. These two teams have been red hot of late, with the Mountain Hawks having 10 HARVARD W, 67-56 won six straight and 13 of 14, while the Bison have reeled off 12 victories in their last 12 MONMOUTH W, 71-57 23 at No. 7/9 Washington L, 54-37 13, becoming the first Patriot League school in history to be nationally ranked along 30 TOWSON L, 69-66 the way (No. 24 at the time). The average margin of victory in the last seven meetings Jan. between Lehigh and Bucknell has been a mere 5.1 points, including a five-point Bison 2 at Columbia W, 65-57 4 MUHLENBERG W, 80-70 victory last month in Bethlehem. Lehigh has not won here since a 60-56 victory on 7 at American* W, 70-59 January 15, 2003, which was the first-ever game played at Sojka Pavilion. 11 NAVY* W, 65-58 14 ARMY* W, 63-60 18 at Colgate* W, 53-45 TONIGHT’S PROJECTED LEHIGH STARTERS 21 at Lafayette* W, 76-58 No. Pos. Cl. Name PPG RPG Note 25 BUCKNELL* L, 59-54 13 G Jr. Jose Olivero 17.6 3.3 Leads PL in made 3FG’s w/ 64 28 HOLY CROSS* W, 64-63 Feb. 21 G Sr. Mitch Gilfillan 5.4 2.3 Leads PL in assist/TO ratio (2.79) 4 AMERICAN* W, 65-58 5 F Jr. Kyle Neptune 11.1 5.3 17 games of double figure points 8 at Navy* W, 74-49 20 F So. Bryan White 6.6 5.1 3rd in PL in blocked shots (1.08) 11 at Army* W, 69-44 15 COLGATE* W, 67-58 44 C Sr. Mike Fischman 4.8 4.9 13 games of six-plus rebounds 19 LAFAYETTE* W, 82-64 22 at Bucknell* 7:05 Lehigh Top Reserves 26 at Holy Cross* 1:05 3 C Jr. Jason Mgebroff 4.0 2.6 55% FG’s in wins, 29% in losses Mar. 3-5 Patriot League Tournament TBA 10 G Sr. Joe Knight 14.6 3.5 1-11, 4 pts at Bucknell last year 10 Patriot League Championship TBA 23 F Fr. Greg Page 2.7 1.2 Sat out last 5 games with injury *Patriot League Game 32 F Jr. James Anderson 2.3 3.3 5.2 rebounds/game in last 5 Bold = Tonight’s Game ^BCA Invitational (Laramie, Wyo.) 33 C Fr. John Gourlay 1.5 1.6 50% FG’s, 83% FT’s in last four All times eastern 35 G Fr. Matt Szalachowski 1.2 0.6 First pts in a league game at Navy MEDIA INFORMATION 42 F Fr. Philip Anderson 1.7 0.8 1-1 FG’s, 3 points vs. Lafayette Contact: LEHIGH HEAD COACH BILLY TAYLOR Mike Stagnitta Two-time Patriot League Coach of the Year Billy Taylor (Notre Dame ‘95) is in his Office . (610) 758-6631 fourth season, with an overall record of 68-47. In his rookie campaign, Taylor led the Cell: . (610) 509-6848 Mountain Hawks to the second largest turnaround in America, with 11 more wins than E-mail: . [email protected] the season before. In 2003-04, the Aurora, Illinois native took Lehigh to its first NCAA Press Row: . (610) 758-4903/4933 Tournament since 1988, guiding the Brown and White to its first-ever Patriot League Television: Tonight’s game will be regular season and tournament championships. shown live on WFMZ-TV, as well as FCS Atlantic, WSWB TV-38 Scranton IF LEHIGH WINS... Wilkes Barre, and lehighsports.com, - The Mountain Hawks would improve to 12-1 in Patriot League play for the first time with Steve Degler and Nathan ever, and will have won 12 league games for the first time in school history Jameson. Radio and Internet: - Lehigh will clinch the final home postseason berth for next month’s tournament Tonight’s game - It will be tied with Bucknell for first place in the Patriot League with one regular can be heard live on ESPN Radio 1230 season game remaining and 1320 AM as well as on lehighsports.com with veteran Matt Kerr and Greg Falkenbach ‘72 2004 PATRIOT LEAGUE CHAMPIONS beginning at 6:30. Lehigh Athletic Media Relations Experience• 641 Taylor Street, Lehigh Bethlehem, Football PA • Phone 610-758-3174 2003 • Fax 610-758-4407 2005-06 LEHIGH MEN’S BASKETBALL • GAME TWENTY-EIGHT • LEHIGH AT BUCKNELL • PAGE 2 FIRST TO 60, WINS That could very well hold true this evening, as both of these teams are extremely good TONIGHT’S GAME on the defensive end. As of the latest NCAA statistics (Feb. 13), the Bison were third in LEHIGH VS. BUCKNELL the country, surrendering 55.3 points per game, and fourth in America in field goal percentage defense, allowing opponents to hit on just 37.7% of their shots. Lehigh Bucknell holds an 87-56 advantage in meanwhile, was eighth in field goal percentage defense (38.2%) and 18th in scoring the all-time series between the schools, defense, allowing just 59.2 points per game. Only three times in the last nine meetings but Lehigh has won five of the past have both teams scored at least 60 points. nine meetings. The Bison won last year’s matchup here in Lewisburg 65- 63 on an Abe Badmus three-pointer QUITE COMFORTABLE AWAY FROM HOME with six seconds remaining. After struggling mightily on the road to start the season, Lehigh has now won a school record six straight games away from home. In those six contests, the Mountain Hawks THE LAST MEETING have held opponents to a mere 52.0 points, 34.9 percent shooting on field goals and just 28.8 percent from beyond the arc, while outshooting them 109-90 at the free throw line Bethlehem, Pa. (1/25/06) - Lehigh and and outscoring them 226-163 in the second half. The Brown and White also owns a +2.7 Bucknell engaged in yet another hard- turnover margin in that time. fought down-to-the-wire affair, but for the first time since 2000, the Bison emerged victorious at Stabler Arena, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS downing the Mountain Hawks 59-54 in In three meetings here at Sojka Pavilion, Lehigh and Bucknell have treated fans to a trio front of 3,556 in attendance. The loss of down-to-the-wire action. snapped Lehigh’s seven game win streak and propelled the Bison into Date Outcome Note sole possession of first place in the 1/15/03 Lehigh wins 60-56 Lehigh battles back from 12-point halftime deficit Patriot League. Joe Knight led all 2/10/04 Bucknell wins 64-63 Intentional foul called on LU with 25 ticks left scorers with 21 points, while Kevin 1/23/05 Bucknell wins 65-63 Abe Badmus sinks a three with 6 seconds to go Bettencourt dropped in 16 for Bucknell. HEAVYWEIGHT MEETING 2005-06 LEHIGH LEADERS Lehigh and Bucknell have developed quite a rivalry in the past few seasons, with Jose Olivero 17.6 points/game tonight’s game ranking right at the top in terms of pre-game hype. Here are a few of Kyle Neptune 5.3 rebounds/game the other matchups in Patriot League history, pitting the league’s top two teams against Mitch Gilfillan 4.1 assists/game one another in the second go-round of league play. Mitch Gilfillan 1.2 steals/game Bryan White 1.08 blocks/game Teams(Final PL Records) Date Outcome League Champ Fordham (11-1) at Lehigh (10-2) 2/9/91 FU wins 76-73 Fordham LAST TIME OUT Holy Cross (12-2) at Bucknell (13-1) 2/27/93 BU wins 112-99 Holy Cross LEHIGH VS. LAFAYETTE Lafayette (10-2) at Navy (10-2) 2/11/98 LC wins 66-65 Navy Bethlehem, Pa. - Lehigh celebrated Lafayette (11-1) at Navy (11-1) 2/9/00 Navy wins 94-66 Lafayette Senior Day by defeating archrival Bucknell (10-4) at Holy Cross (13-1) 2/23/05 HC wins 69-54 Bucknell Lafayette 82-64 at Stabler Arena to improve to 11-1 in Patriot League play SCOUTING BUCKNELL... for the first time ever. The 18-point Head Coach Pat Flannery (Bucknell ‘80) is in his 11th season at the helm for his alma win over the Leopards was the largest mater ... Bucknell recently became the first Patriot League school in history to be at Stabler by Lehigh over its archrival nationally ranked, checking in at No. 24 in the AP and USA Today/ESPN Polls on since 1995. The Mountain Hawks were February 13 ... during league play, Bucknell leads the Patriot League in scoring margin led on offense by seniors Joe Knight, (+16.3), scoring defense (49.2), field-goal percentage (.467) and field-goal percentage with 21 points, and Mitch Giflillan, defense (.347) ..