EASTON, Pa. - Lafayette men's basketball welcomed Penn State Lehigh Valley to Kirby Sports Center on Tuesday evening and walked away with a 89-46 victory. It's the Leopards' first 40-plus point victory since November 2024 (91-45 vs. Rosemont).
14 Leopards scored on the Nittany Lions, with Luke Bevilacqua's 11 points leading the way. A trio of players collected nine points (Beckett Currie, Jasraj Gill, Patrick D'Arcy). 13 members of the Maroon and White managed at least two rebounds, paced by eight and seven from Shelton Henton and Gill, respectively. As a team, Lafayette pulled down 53 rebounds, reaching the 50-plus rebound mark for the first time since 2021.
The Leopards opened the contest on a 22-0 run, with Currie's shot from downtown at 15:25 capping off the run. During the stretch, Gill (7) and Cooper Kesler (5) combined for 12 points. The visitors' first point came shortly after, courtesy of a free throw from Manny Polanco. Lafayette's defense stood tall, preventing another score for the following four minutes before Penn State Lehigh Valley's Kyle John knocked down a jumpshot at 11:33 to make it 33-3.Â
The Maroon and White allowed just 13 more points over the last 10 minutes of the half and led at the break, 54-16. The Nittany Lions were held to a 24.2% shooting percentage from the field, including 12.5% from three-point range. As a team, Lafayette knocked down 21 of its 32 shots from the field, good for a 65.6% shooting percentage. The Leopards also held an advantage in assists, 17-4.Â
Lafayette outscored the visitors in the second half, 35-30, en route to a 89-46 final. Eight of Bevilacqua's 11 points came in the period, while D'Arcy added six. Gill and Folabomi Fayemi each grabbed five boards, with the squad hauling in 30 in the half.
The Leopards return to the court on Saturday at 4 p.m., when they travel to Olean, N.Y. to take on St. Bonaventure.
For the latest on the Lafayette College men's basketball program, follow the Leopards on Twitter @LafayetteMBB and Instagram @lafayettembb.
