Jan. 12, 2005

Box Score

BETHLEHEM, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - Lafayette went on a 21-4 run in the middle of the second half and led by as many as four, but Lehigh pulled out a 63-55 win in Patriot League men's basketball on Wednesday night at Stabler arena.

The Leopards trailed 41-25, but used their depth and a trapping half-court defense to force six turnovers. Eight players scored in the stretch, and a layup by Jamaal Douglas with 9:43 left gave Lafayette a 46-45 lead, its first advantage in 20 minutes.

Andrei Capusan scored Lafayette's next seven points, as his layup with 6:14 remaining put the Leopards (5-9, 1-1) ahead 53-49. Joe Knight hit a pair of free throws with 5:09 on the clock to make the score 53-51. Neither team scored until Knight's three-pointer with 3:00 to go following a no-call on a drive by Bilal Abdullah gave Lehigh (8-7, 2-0) a 54-53 edge.

Abdullah emphatically blocked a fastbreak layup by Knight with 1:54 left, but was whistled for a hold on Jose Olivero on the ensuing inbounds play. The free throws put the Mountain Hawks up 56-53, and Lehigh made five free throws and an uncontested layup in the final minute to put the game away.

Lehigh went to the foul line 19 times in the second half on 15 Leopard fouls, while Lafayette attempted three free throws after intermission.

The Mountain Hawks scored the first seven points of the game and led 16-14 before Marcus Harley buried a jumper and a three-pointer to give Lafayette a 19-18 advantage with 9:36 left. Lehigh scored the last nine points of the half and led 33-23 going into the locker room.

Harley had 12 points for Lafayette, and Douglas pulled down 12 rebounds and scored seven points. Capusan and Paul Cummins netted nine and eight points, respectively.

Olivero finished with 15 points to lead four players in double figures.

Lafayette will return to action on Saturday, Jan. 15 at 2 p.m. at American.