Forum › Forum › Lehigh Sports › Lehigh Men’s Basketball › Army – Game 11
This topic contains 22 replies, has 9 voices, and was last updated by StablerBum 10 years ago.
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February 3, 2015 at 10:03 pm #18151
Game Notes
KenPom
Army (14-7, 5-5) ranked 235tth
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Lehigh (11-10, 5-5) ranked 2091th
Lehigh wins 75-69 (70% chance)Commentary
Two games out of first and in a five way tie for third, we play host to one of those tied teams and a team we have already beaten, Army, on Wednesday. With just eight games remaining on the schedule, every game is significant in the race for the NIT bid. But, knowing how ties are broken (see link below), this one takes on a bit of added significance knowing a Mountain Hawk win gives us seeding preference over Army should the two teams finish league play with equal W/L records.
http://www.patriotleague.org/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/081308aaa.html
All signs point to a close game tomorrow night. Why not, if you believe in “payback, knowing we soundly beat the Black Knights by 11 on their home court just four weeks ago and, hey, it’s the Patriot League where 8 of our 10 games have been decided by 6 points or less. Of note, too, is the fact that both Lehigh and Army struggled in recent wins over Boston U. We won our Jan. 31st contest by 3; Army took the measure of the Terriers by 4 just two days prior. To take the “like opponent” comparison a bit further, we loss to Loyola by 5 while Army fell to the Greyhounds by 6. Oddly enough, in that loss to Loyola on Saturday, Army was out-rebounded 26 to 41 and out-scored in the paint 31 to 37 – a fact that I’m sure didn’t escape our coaches’ eyes or, for that matter, the attention of TK and JG. I’m expecting a high scoring affair with us attacking the basket and Army leaning on their 3-point shot-makers, Kyle Wilson (G) and Tanner Plomb (F), to keep pace. Of note is that fact that while Army leads the league in “Made 3’s” with 8.4/game, they find themselves in 7th place in terms of 3-point accuracy @ just .361. We defend the shot well @ .358 – good for 4th in the League and, even better over the last two games against Bucknell and Boston U. who, combined, sank just 32.7% of their long-range shots. While it’s only one-half the 3 pt. threat, we’ll need to be at our best along the perimeter to hold down Army’s 6’4” Junior Guard, Kyle Wilson. The first team all-conference player from a year ago is at it again this year. Third in the league in scoring @ 16.8ppg and averaging 7.7 attempts from beyond the arc each game, Wilson is connecting on 42% of his trays and, in my eyes, is their go-to guy. Oh yeah, he’s quite comfortable at Stabler, too. A year ago, I watched from behind the bench as he burned us for 23 – included late free throws in a game where Mackey’s 3-failed to force an overtime period.
Stat of the Year: We assisted on 24 of 29 made field goals in our win over Boston U. on Saturday. Sure we had our problems on “D” for much of the second half before eking out a win, but our unselfish play on offense needed to be mentioned. I’m sure someone will come up with a bigger number, but I can’t recall a more insane assist rate than .828 (24/29), led by KR’s 10.
February 3, 2015 at 10:33 pm #18153not surprised by the assist to made ratio, creating their own shot not a strength for this team, team offense and team D wins this game
February 3, 2015 at 10:34 pm #18154Not sure where we were prior to the BU game, but we are now up to #59 in D1 for A/FGM rate (59.1%), per KenPom. Only one team in PL is higher, and curiously, it’s Navy at 62.2%.
Our 3pt D appears to be good statistically, but digging a little deeper is confusing me. We allow an exceptionally high % of points (35.2%) via the 3; 17th highest in D1. Seems to be driven by an equally high 3PA/FGA from our opponents – but it’s VERY unclear what that means. Best I can make out, that might be due to very good 2 pt D. But I dunno. No clear consensus on 3pt D in general. KenPom seems to believe that 3pt % is largely dictated by the offense; little effect by D.February 3, 2015 at 10:49 pm #18155think the high 3 pt # may be due in part to the good D of our bigs, both TK and JG are hard to score on down low and they help cut off any drives to the hoop
February 4, 2015 at 1:51 pm #18173Add to our Wish List and watch on PL Live:
Lafayette over Bucknell – tonight @ 7pm
Holy Cross over Colgate – tomorrow night@ 7pmOne can hope, can’t he?
February 5, 2015 at 1:01 am #18219WOW…it may be safe to say that Lehigh just played their best half of basketball in a long, long time. Total team effort. MS is en fuego. KR with 9 assists in the 1st half. He just passed a lot of guys in the record book. JC playing great with 11 and 3 dimes. TK is almost an afterthought with 12 and 3 boards.
Please, please, please don’t let this game get close in the 2nd half.
February 5, 2015 at 1:54 am #18220superb 36 minutes by the team tonight then the bench guys got their turn, Army not very good on the D end, but our guys played it well at both ends, no reason they cannot beat anyone in the league when they play like that
February 5, 2015 at 2:24 am #18221Wow,so want to say we’ve turned the corner. Think I’ll stick with we played as clise to a whole game as we have this year.
February 5, 2015 at 2:43 am #18222Silly happy over here. Great performance, wire-to-wire. Seeing Simo breakout is really exciting news to me.
100+ blowout, on a very exciting signing day? Priceless.February 5, 2015 at 3:11 am #18223To 65’s point: if HC somehow beats ‘gate tomorrow – we’re 1 game back. ‘pards beat bucky in OT tonight.
February 5, 2015 at 3:13 am #18224So I’m thinking wr’re a lock thru March
February 5, 2015 at 3:14 am #18225hahaha! you sound like me…
February 5, 2015 at 3:22 am #18226Hoping we’re right this time.
February 5, 2015 at 3:51 am #18227Total domination tonight. An example of what this team is capable of. And this time Doc made sure we did not take our foot off the gas. Also an example of what most other teams already figured out: do not try to run up and down with LU. And despite the torrid pace, the Lehigh defense was smothering. It seemed that we substituted more freely this game, perhaps to counteract potential fatigue from the constant flow of Army’s extended bench.
Offensively KR and MS alternated setting the tone at the point and everyone contributed offensively. To be sure we won’t shoot 55% from the field very often, but we should be in good shape if we continue this type of team play (29 assist on 35 field goals) for 40 minutes.
I do believe Doc left the main rotation in as long as he did because of recent, painful late game problems …. and maybe because coach Stricker was in the officials’ ears on virtually every possession the entire game.
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This reply was modified 10 years ago by
jimk72.
February 5, 2015 at 4:16 am #18229These guys may be on their way to do what LU wrestling used to be famous for: Peak in March … Sounds like fun.
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This reply was modified 10 years ago by
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