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Members of Lehigh University’s basketball team celebrate their 74-59 victory over Lafayette in the Patriot League Championship title game Friday in Bethlehem, Pa. Next up for Lehigh: Kansas on Thursday in the first round of the NCAAs.
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Lehigh at a glance
Location: Bethlehem, Pa.
Record: 22-10
Nickname: Mountain Hawks. Coach: Brett Reed.
Conference: Patriot League. Bid: Patriot champion.
Region: Midwest. Seed: No. 16.
Tournament Record: 0-3, 3 years. Last appearance: 2004.
Scoring: Team (75.1); C.J. McCollum 18.9; Marquis Hall 11.0; Zahir Carrington 10.8.
Rebounds: Team (36.5); Zahir Carrington 6.7; Gabe Knutson 5.6; C.J. McCollum 4.9.
Assists/Turnovers: Team (15.1/13.0); Marquis Hall 5.7/2.2; C.J. McCollum 2.4/1.9.
For Lehigh University’s men’s basketball team, the suspense of Selection Sunday was over early.
After CBS revealed the identity of the four No. 1 seeds in this year’s NCAA Tournament — of which Kansas University (32-2 overall) was tapped as the No. 1 overall team in the field — the Mountain Hawks were the next squad to see their name appear in the bracket.
Senior guard Marquis Hall, 6-foot, 190 pounds, who will make his first appearance in the NCAA Tournament when Lehigh (22-10, 10-4 in Patriot League) faces KU approximately 8:40 p.m. Thursday in Oklahoma City, said the moment was one of extreme pride.
“Everybody exploded,” Hall said. “To be that first team after all the No. 1s come out, there was kind of a moment of shock for just one second, but everybody was excited, and we were happy to see our name up on the board.”
Although Lehigh coach Brett Reed saw the pairings from a slightly different point of view, he said he was able to share in the thrill of the tourney berth, which the Mountain Hawks earned by winning the Patriot League tournament title Friday.
“Our first reaction was excitement, completely,” Reed said. “I was pleased to share that with our players. It was just terrific to see them enjoy that experience of seeing Lehigh University officially in the NCAA Tournament.”
Lehigh is making its fourth appearance in the NCAAs, its first since 2004. Reed, who is in his third year as head coach of the program, was an assistant at Lehigh in ’04. Although he plans to draw on that experience, Reed said the theme of the week for the Mountain Hawks would be to focus on what’s in front of them and not worry about the past.
“One of the biggest things that I look at is the opportunity of this moment,” he said. “With the character of the kids we have and the talent that’s on this team, I truly believe that special things can happen. There’s no doubt about it.”
Lehigh’s is led by freshman guard C.J. McCollum, who averaged 18.9 points per game this season. McCollum, 6-3, 165, became the first player in league history to be named the player and freshman of the year. He also was named to The Sporting News’ all-freshman team.
Fellow-freshman Gabe Knuston (6-9, 215) was fourth on the team in scoring, at 9.6 points per contest, while seniors Hall and Zahir Carrington (6-7, 220) averaged 11 points apiece.
Although Hall said he would not describe his team’s offensive style as up-tempo, the Mountain Hawks averaged a league-best 75.1 points per game this season. They surrendered an average of 70 points per game on defense.
“For our conference, we run a little bit,” Hall said. “But compared to the rest of the country, it’s a little different. But we try to get out and get any easy baskets that we can.”
In 2005, Patriot League-champion Bucknell broke the hearts of the Jayhawks in the first round of the NCAA Tournament by doing just that. In fact, KU is just 4-2 all-time against the Patriot League, and Hall said that fact was not lost on his team, especially since the Mountain Hawks will play the Jayhawks in the same arena that Bucknell did in ’05.
After winning the regular-season title outright, the Mountain Hawks rolled through their conference tournament by an average margin of victory of 19 points per game.
“We’re walking into this tournament with a great deal of momentum and confidence,” Reed said. “I told our team, ‘Why not us, why not now?’ The history is in the past. Kansas’ 32 wins are in the past. This is all about this one moment.”
Despite entering the tournament on a roll, both Reed and Hall had nothing but good things to say about the Jayhawks.
“Kansas is such a terrifically well rounded team,” Reed said. “I really see them as a complete team and feel they’re definitely worthy of being a No. 1 seed. We have a tremendous amount of respect for them — the team that they have this year and the program with its rich history and tradition.”
Added Hall: “The excitement has come and gone. Now it’s back to reality. We’re happy for the opportunity to go to the tournament and play the No. 1 team. If you want to be the best, you gotta beat the best, and that’s who we’re matched up against.”
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Comments
minnhawk84 (anonymous) says…
Better Lehigh than Behigh........
UmbertoConforti (anonymous) says…
I thought the number one seed was supposed to play the weakest team in the playoffs. Lehigh doesn't seem to be the weakest. I think Duke will play either the 64th or 65th ranked team depending on which wins.
slaterman (anonymous) says…
For Duke, I think the seeding committee considers the fact that you don't know which team you are playing as more of a disadvantage because you have less time to prepare.
I was watching the tourny championship game on TV when Lehigh won. All they kept talking about was how great their three point shooting is. I'm not sure what their percentage actually is, but that worries me with the way we like to leave 3's open for the taking. Not that we're going to lose, but it might be closer than we think.
kik1958 (anonymous) says…
I agree. UNC was given a easy slate all the way to the final four last year for being top dog. Syracuse should have been oustered with the early loss this year. They get an easier route also. Just win and stick too all of the doubters.
TimmytheJayhawk (anonymous) says…
Did anyone hear a reason why West Virginia, who had serious consideration for a number one seed ended up playing Kentucky, the overall 2 seed. It makes no sense. I guess when they made the terrible decision to make Syracuse the 4 seed, they thought they couldn't put WVU as the 2, due to Big East love, but how then do they have 'nova, which didn't get consideration for a number one, play the 3 and then pass on the 5 seed to the 2... Makes no sense whatsoever...
Obviously stacking the Midwest (plus both teams that beat us!) defies logic, but I didn't hear the head of the committee verbalize anything other than that WVU craziness.
jkealing (Jonathan Kealing) says…
Part of the reason KU didn't get the play-in game winner was because the play-in winner has to go to a Friday/Sunday site, and KU was going to go to Oklahoma City, which is a Thursday/Saturday site.
khelm9 (anonymous) says…
Did anybody notice the part that said they give up 70 points per game against that competition? What do you think that will translate to for KU? Probably at least 90.
KANSTUCKY (anonymous) says…
Knee high.
leikness (anonymous) says…
For Lehigh's sake I hope this coach doesn't oversell the "opportunity of this moment" angle to his team. Once they realize there is no opportunity I would imagine you would start playing like you've been beat. If I was the coach of #65 all I would be talking about is having the most fun we've ever had playing basketball, not worry about the score, just playing hard and having fun.
oldalum (anonymous) says…
It said they average 75.1 and gave up 70, and yet in their tourney they beat everyone by an average margin of 19. I'm still trying to figure that one out. All I can imagine is that there were some wildly inconsistent scores.
kdeutch (anonymous) says…
March 18, 2005-The 5th anniversary of KU losing to the Patriot League champion in Oklahoma City (Bucknell) @the NCAA Tournament. I believe that game also had the late (8:40pm) start. Please, no repeat of that happening Thursday, March 18, 2010!!!!!
dynamitehawk (anonymous) says…
I was scouting Lehigh, and found that it was almost named Packer University, after Asa Packer. That would have been way cooler, and much more fun right now.
okiedave (anonymous) says…
Minnhawk 84:
I hear that "Lehigh" is undertaking a movement to change the school name l to "Behigh" for gameday only.
plasticJHawk (anonymous) says…
I think that we broke the curse of the killer Bs already anyway.
Jhawkerman (anonymous) says…
Its now officially One and Done... so lets focus on each game and try and break the all time NCAA tournament scoring win margin. Lets break the record for least turnovers. Lets break the record for scoring average. You get the idea .. Let's be the team we all think we can be and not take anyone lightly. Play full out from start to finish 40 mins each game. Let's make it our mission to get every defensive rebound, every offensive rebound and every loose ball. Let's out do all the 2008 team stats and start Thurs night with a dunk from Sherron to Cole after the tipoff. This team has such a great upside ... lets finally show how good we really are and win each game one at a time until there are 2007 win for KU at the end Monday night April 5th ..
Rock Chalk
jjarmstrong (anonymous) says…
Yes, one game at a time.
Lehigh is named after the area. They are located in the Lehigh Valley of PA in Bethlehem.
soobawls (anonymous) says…
We are completely capable of losing to this team.
memhawk (anonymous) says…
A Mountain Hawk could never beat a Jayhawk!
Their mascot was officially introduced in 1995, according to their website. They also go by the nickname "engineers". They've got to be trying their best to "engineer" a game plan for Thursday night. They're hawk is about to get Beaked by our hawk!