Feb. 21, 2010
Box Score | 
Photo Gallery | 
| 
News Stand
EASTON, Pa. - A near capacity Kirby Sports Center crowd witnessed the Leopards hitting a season-high 16 three-pointers and a 90-75 win over Lehigh on Sunday afternoon. The nationally televised game featured four Leopards in double figures led by sophomore Ryan Willen with 22 points who hit 9-of-11 from the field and grabbed seven rebounds.
On senior day it was appropriate that Marek Koltun dropped in Lafayette's first bucket of the game after receiving his third start of the season. Fellow senior Jeff Kari scored 18 points, including a career-high six three-pointers while classmate Michael Gruner added 12 points and a game-high six assists. Jim Mower knocked down 16 points on four three-pointers for Lafayette which now sits in a third-place tie with Navy, one game out of first place with two road games remaining.
The Leopards (16-11, 7-5) trailed 10-5 in the opening minutes. Gruner hit a three at the 16:46 mark as the Leopards caught fire. It kicked off a 23-8 run that included seven three-pointers. Kari hit three three-pointers and Willen, Mower, and Levi Giese all added their own. Darion Benbow's jumper put the Leopards up 25-18 at 11:43.
Behind their 65 percent shooting from the field, the Leopards led 47-41 at intermission.
Five minutes into the second half, Lafayette extended its lead to 17 points (67-50) when Mower and Kari each hit a pair of three's. Lehigh cut the Leopards' margin to 11 on three occasions, the final time at 5:05 when C.J. McCollum's drained a three. The freshman finished the afternoon with a game-high 28 points and 10 rebounds.
Three more players for Lehigh (17-10, 8-4), Marquis Hall (14), Zahir Carrington (12) and Gabe Knutson (10), finished in double digits.
The Leopards shot 59 percent from the field, with half of those points coming off three's where Lafayette made 55 percent (16-of-29). The Mountain Hawks shot 47 percent from the field, 30 percent from the long range and 65 percent from the line. Lafayette picked Lehigh for a season-high 13 steals and held its own on the glass, outrebounded 31-30.
Jared Mintz, who missed Wednesday's game with an ankle injury, played for 25 minutes and ended with nine points, four rebounds and tied a career-high with three blocks.
Lafayette takes to the road for its final two games of the regular season. The Leopards will travel to Army on Wednesday for a 7 p.m. tip and close up the regular season on Saturday at American at 4 p.m.
NOTES:
Over 60 former players returned to celebrate 100 Years of Lafayette Basketball. All returning players were recognized at halftime.
Kirby Sports Center saw its largest crowd of the season with 3375 fans.
The Leopards are guaranteed their first winning season since 2003-04.
It was the fourth game that Ryan Willen scored 20+ points.
Saturday's win marked the fourth time the Leopards have reached 90 points in a game.
The Leopards finished 11-3 at home during the regular season.
