Feb. 20, 2011
Box Score
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Gabe Knutson's putback from the paint with five seconds left handed Lehigh a 67-66 decision over Lafayette on Sunday afternoon in Patriot League men's basketball action.
Knutson's play loomed larger on the other end of the floor. With 1:09 left, Jared Mintz ripped down a rebound, Mintz flailed his elbows and was whistled for an apparent foul. After several minutes while watching the television replay, the officials determined that no contact had been made and that Knutson's abrupt dive to the floor was self-initiated. Mintz was still whistled for a "violation," and Lehigh received the ball.
C.J. McCollum was fouled on the ensuing possession and made two free throws to cut the lead to 66-65. The Leopards had the ball on offense and a Rob Delaney's jumper. When Lehigh got the ball back, McCollum missed a jumper that Delaney corralled in the corner near the Lehigh bench. Delaney immediately called for a timeout.
Lafayette struggled to get the ball inbounds, needing to call another timeout, while having a second try tipped out of bounds to the baseline. The third try was thrown out of bounds, giving the ball back to Lehigh. Lehigh called a timeout with 15 seconds left and McCollum missed a try at the game winner before Knutson' decisive bucket. The Leopards had one more opportunity when Tony Johnson hoisted a three-pointer as the clock expired, but the attempt rimmed out.
In the first half, Lafayette took a 19-17 lead that it held until late in the second half on Mintz layup and Ben Wheeler assist.
Lafayette put together an 18-5 to lead 33-24 with 3:35 left. Five players scored in the run for the Leopards, but Lafayette couldn't close out the half. Lehigh ended the first stanza with a 9-3 spurt capped by an alley-oop at the buzzer to Knutson to cut the margin to 36-33. The Leopards held McCollum to six points in first half.
Late in the second half (3:16) McCollum hit his only three-pointer of the afternoon to give Lehigh a 62-61 lead. He made one of two free throws with 2:43 lead to lead 63-61.
The Leopards answered with a Jim Mower three-pointer in the corner off a Ryan Willen drive and dish with 2:23 left. Lafayette led 64-63. Lafayette extended the lead on Johnson's spin move and reverse layup with 1:29 left.
On the next possession, Mintz rebounded but turned it over underneath the Lehigh basket with 1:17 left. Knutson and McCollum both missed attempts before Mintz's elbow swinging violation and Knutson's fateful flop.
Mintz had a game-high 18 points while Mower contributed 12. For Lehigh McCollum finished with 16 points (nine below his conference average) while Holden Greiner contributed 11 points and 13 rebounds.
Lafayette closes out Patriot League regular-season play with home games against Army on Wednesday at 7 p.m. and American on Saturday at 4 p.m. Tickets are available for both contests and both will be televised live on the Lafayette Sports Network (RCN-4, RCN-8, WBPH-60 and tape delay on MASN).
