December 15, 2014
 |
LAST TIME OUT
Senior Dan Trist dropped in the second of a two-shot foul with 0.4 seconds left to break an 81-81 tie and Lafayette held on for an 82-81 victory over Sacred Heart inside Kirby Sports Center on Dec. 8.
On the final possession, Lafayette went into its offense with 12 seconds left, looking for a Joey Ptasinski jumper from beyond the arc on the left wing. His shot sailed long, but Trist was there for the board, gathering and drawing a foul with 0.4 seconds remaining. The senior rattled off the first, but drained the second and a last-second heave clanked off the rim as the Leopards survived.
With the win, Lafayette moved to 6-2 on the season overall, its best start since the 2003-04 campaign. Additionally, the Maroon and White are 3-0 inside the friendly confines of Kirby Sports Center. Lafayette had five players score in double figures, led by 20 points from Trist on 7-of-10 shooting from the floor. Ptasinski and Seth Hinrichs each tallied 14, while freshman Matt Klinewski added a career-high 11 points and junior Bryce Scott chipped in with 10. Ptasinski's four three-pointers moved him into fourth in the Lafayette record books for career threes at 204 during his time on College Hill.
Sophomore Nick Lindner had arguably the best game of his young career, facilitating the offense with a career-high 12 assists, the first to have a 10-plus assist game since Rob Delaney '12 dished out 10 against Colgate on Feb. 23, 2012. The Doylestown, Pa. native had just one turnover and chipped in with five points of his own on the offensive end.
The Leopards dropped in 31-of-65 shots from the field (47.7%), knocked down 10-of-28 from behind the arc (35.7%) and converted on 10 of their 14 free-throw attempts (71.4%), including the one that mattered most. On the other side, Sacred Heart (4-4) shot 52.5 percent from the field (31-of-59) and 35.7 percent from three (5-of-14). The Pioneers were led by De'Von Barnett with 18 points, while Cane Broome and Evan Kelley chipped in with 14 points apiece.
SCOUTING THE CRUSADERS
Susquehanna, looking to improve upon a 17-10 record a season ago, is Lafayette's only non-Division I opponent of the season. The Crusaders have opened the season with a 6-2 record, tallying wins over Lycoming (91-71), Penn State Worthington Scranton (99-57), King's (Pa.) (67-45), Penn State Harrisburg (76-62), Merchant Marine (78-75) and Wilkes (100-91). The Crusaders are led by a pair of double-figure scorers in Matt McGugan (14.0 ppg) and Steven Weidlich (13.0 ppg). Weidlich also paces Susquehanna on the glass with 6.0 boards per game. The Knights, averaging 79.5 points per game to start the year, have used their high-powered offense to be successful in addition to controlling the glass with a +8.5 rebounding margin.
LAST MEETING
Five players scored in double figures for Lafayette in a 95-73 win over Susquehanna on Dec. 1, 2010 inside Kirby Sports Center. It was the Leopards' highest scoring output of the season. Nick Petkovich, Levi Giese and Rob Delaney had career highs with Petkovich leading the way with 14 points followed by Giese and Delaney with 10 each.
LAFAYETTE VS. NON-DIVISION I OPPONENTS
Susquehanna is the only non-division I opponent the Leopards will face this season as the Crusaders play in Division III as a member of the Landmark Conference. Over the last 10 seasons, Lafayette has gone 6-0 against Division II and III opposition.
TARGET IS SECURE
Throughout the non-conference slate, the Leopards have emerged as a top team in the Patriot League in taking care of the basketball, leading the league in both assist/turnover ratio (1.2) and assists per game (15.9). Additionally, junior Bryce Scott and sophomore Nick Lindner are 1-2 in the Patriot League in assist/turnover ratio, respectively, at 3.6 and 3.0 marks. Scott's 3.6 clip ranks 26th nationally, while the 15.9 assists per game as a team is good enough for 42nd in the national rankings.
WHO NEEDS DEFENSE?
With the offensive firepower the Leopards are bringing to the floor, Lafayette has used an 'outscore the opponent' approach this season. The Maroon and White are second in the Patriot League in scoring at 77.5 points per game this season and lead the league in scoring margin, putting up an average of 4.5 points more per contest than their opponents. The Leopards have figured out how to put the ball through the basket, sitting atop the league table in both field-goal and three-point field-goal percentage at 51.4 percent and 43.1 percent, respectively.
AT IT A WHILE
Lafayette's Fran O'Hanlon has posted 275 wins in his career in his 20th season on the sideline for the Leopards, while Susquehanna's Anthony Latina is in his 26th year, holding a career overall mark of 347-290, all with the Crusaders.
