Feb. 27, 2010
Box Score | PL Tourney Ticket Info | Whiteout Gear | 2010 PL Championship Info
WASHINGTON, D.C. - A slow start stymied the Leopards' chances at American on Saturday. The Eagles ran out to an 18-4 lead seven minutes in to the regular season finale and secured a 78-60 victory. The result dealt Lafayette the No. 3 seed in the Patriot League Tournament quarterfinals, hosting No. 6 seed Colgate at Kirby Sports Center on Wednesday night at 7 p.m.
On Saturday, sophomore Ryan Willen led the scoring for the Leopards (17-12, 8-6) with 17 points, going 10-for-11 from the line, while senior Jeff Kari chipped in 11 points and grabbed a team-high five boards.
Despite trailing by as many as 23 points with 11:50 left in the game, Lafayette made a run of it late in the second half. At the 6:33 mark, Jim Mower converted a layup that brought the Leopards within 11 (65-54). The teams exchanged a pair of free throws, and Lafayette cut the margin to 11 for the second time with 5:45 left.
American (10-19, 7-7) put the game away with a 9-2 spurt over the next 2:45. Stephen Lumpkins scored four points in the span and finished with 24 points on 11-of-13 shooting. Lumpkins and Vlad Moldoveanu, a George Mason transfer, combined for 50 of American's 78 points with Moldoveanu accumulating 11-of-13 at the line.
American led for the entire first half after the fast start. A three at the halftime buzzer by Moldoveanu gave the forward 18 points and American a 45-26 lead. The Eagles shot 62 percent from the floor compared to Lafayette's 33 percent in the opening half.
For the game, Lafayette shot 35 percent from the field and 83 percent from the charity stripe, while American sank 57 percent (27-of-47) from the field and made seven three's. Lafayette's leading scorers, Jared Mintz and Mower, were held to four and six points, respectively. The Leopards, who hit a combined 30 three pointers over the last two games, were limited to 19 three-point attempts, only six of which resulted in baskets.
The winner of Wednesday's Lafayette-Colgate matchup will play the winner of the No. 2 Bucknell vs. No. 7 Holy Cross affair. Wednesday's game marks the first Patriot League Tournament game that Lafayette will host since 2000.
NOTES:
Lafayette has lost 12 straight to American.
Former Romanian NBA player, Gheorge Muresan, was in attendance at the game, likely to watch fellow countryman Moldoveanu. Muresan was frequently at Lafayette vs. American matchups in the past when Andrei Capusan `06 suited up for the Leopards.
