Game 10: Loyola

[LU65Participant]

Game Notes

LU’s

http://www.lehighsports.com/custompages/Game%20Notes/Men's%20Basketball/2015-16/21%20-%20Lehigh%20vs.%20Loyola%20Notes%20020316.pdf

Loyola’s

We await

KenPom

Loyola (7-14, 6-4) ranked 269th by KenPom and presently sitting in 3rd place in the PL
@
Lehigh (6-14, 4-5) ranked 229th by KenPom and presently sitting in 6th place in the PL

LU wins by 6 (75-69)

For what it is worth, Pomeroy projects both squads will end up 9-9 at year end. He also sees 9-9 records for Boston U. and Colgate. The four teams will finish behind Bucknell and Navy yet ahead of American, Holy Cross, Army, and Lafayette.

Two Game Recaps of Interest

To refresh your memory, I first give you a report on our 1-point loss to Loyola on January 6th and later the highlights of Loyola’s win over Colgate this past Sunday. In that game, the guard combo of Laster and Walker combined for 35 on 11 for 28 shooting. It was the Greyhounds’ 3rd win in a row and followed a string of losses that numbered five. The up and down Greyhounds begun PL play with a run of 3W’s – including that earlier mentioned one over Lehigh.

Loyola 51 / Lehigh 50

http://www.lehighsports.com/news/2016/1/6/MBB_0106165930.aspx?path=mbball

Loyola 68 / Colgate 65

http://www.loyolagreyhounds.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/020116aaa.html

Interesting Lehigh Stats (PL games only)

Scoring O: 2nd @77.0 ppg
Scoring D: 6th @ 69.3 ppg
FG%: 4th @ .469
FG% D: 6th @ .449
3FG%: 1st @ .420
3FG% D: 8th @ .357
FT%: 2nd @ .738
Assists: 1st @ 15.4/game
Reb. Margin: 1st @ +3.9
Blocks: 4th @ 3.1/game
Steals: 5th @ 6.1/game

[LU65Participant]

As many of us wonder what’s up with our team and where we’re headed, it was nice to run across these kind words found on the Bison Message Board from someone who knows a thing or two about PL Basketball, Bison137.

As a Bucknell fan, the team I would least like to play in the tournament is still Lehigh. Yes they have underachieved. Yes, their defense is weak. Yes, their game coaching is not very good. But they have so much offensive firepower, including Kempton who most PL centers can’t guard at all, that they would scare me a lot in an elimination game.

[TMHParticipant]

I suppose that is a compliment

[jimk72Participant]

Bucknell is one of the more civilized boards around. Hopefully this talented team, despite the unfortunate lack of depth and suspect game coaching, can finally get some consistency on fundamentals. Very frustrating to watch. I’ll be there tonight, hoping its the beginning of a run.

[RichHParticipant]

Unusual game but nice to have KR back.
Hell of a day. Bball sweep and a really good recruit clasd for football.

[LU65Participant]

How good it feels to be 5-5 with AU (5-6) and LC (2-8) on the immediate horizon. Best case scenario 7-5 by Monday night……….worse case, you could argue with the way Lafayette is playing, 6-6, with a win over the Leopards. Basically, it’s where we need to be if we have a chance to finish in the top-half of the League with four of our final six on the road. That stretch begins with a visit to Lewisburg next Wednesday night.

Back to last night…………….“Welcome Back, KR!” After going 4 for 19 in his previous three, he stepped-up big time with a 5 for 8 performance and dished out 8 assists. Despite hitting a “3,” let’s not get too accustomed to that (.263 in PL play and .289 overall). I’ve long insisted our talented PG is far better equipped to dish out assists (8 last night) and find the open man for a long-range shot when needed. And, with TK underneath, that’s not too often. But, as of this morning – ten games into our PL play – let’s not forget we sit atop the PL in terms of our ability to knock down the “3” @ .424 with three of the top four 3-point shooters in the League wearing the Brown and White.. They are: AP (.490), KL (.464), and JC (.457).

Next up: AU at home on Saturday with a chance to record the all-important series-sweep over the present 5-6 Eagles. It won’t be easy. No doubt, AU is thinking they can do no wrong after setting down the now 9-2 and 1st place Bisons last night, 69-55. AU gives us this report of that game:

http://www.aueagles.com/sports/m-baskbl/2015-16/releases/20160203zuzvim

[toddcuddParticipant]

I was absolutely shocked to see that Bucky-American score last night. So much for what I thought I knew about the PL this year. Somebody on twitter recently suggested that this should be new official logo for PL hoops, and I agree:

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[sundayamqbParticipant]

With LU’s lack of depth, it’s going to take a lot to have big wins. Every game basically is a big win.

The potential is there. Question is, who will step up from night to night? The other time it was KR’s turn.

Fun game to watch; glad I do not invest myself too much in it and set the bar low — they’re cardiac kids.

[vanParticipant]

well said Sunday, I cringe every time DC steps on the court, we could beat anybody if the starting 5 had stamina to play 40 minutes each, in fact those guys are getting so many minutes that I think some of the fouls and lapses on D are due to fatigue, especially late in the half and late in the game

[lehigh90Participant]

KL has become a savior on this team. What a contribution he is giving in his freshman season. If my math correct, 13.1 ppg in PL play. Far exceeding expectations. Really looking forward to seeing him in a Lehigh uniform for 3 more years.

[toddcuddParticipant]

I strongly agree, 90! For a frosh, he’s been surprisingly consistent while others have really been up and down from game to game. He makes some ball-handling mistakes, imo, but that is more than offset by his production. If he continues to improve his handle and decision-making, he looks like a future star.

[TMHParticipant]

Interesting fact. Although popular opinion is that KR is going backwards, I think it may be a matter of perception or expectations rather than reality. Once again he leads the PL in a/g with about the same #s as last year. He is also 2nd in a/TO to a far less productive PG from Army and again is about the same as last year. His scoring is less than a ppg short of last year.
If KR continues stays healthy and produces at the current pace, he will break the PL career assist mark by over 100.

Granted, he needs to spend some serious time working on his outside shot but with a healthy team, he wouldn’t need to fill that role.
Just my opinion.

[travismParticipant]

So impressed with kyle. We were all talking at the game the other night. He is one cool cat. Nothing bothers the kid. Just goes about his business. As for ross something just seems different. His demeanor and attitude deff seems different. I think he needs that push that miles was giving him all.last year.

And is it me or does Jenkins worry anyone else when he enters the game. I wish also goldy would have seen more second half.action the other night. Played a solid first half

[jimk72Participant]

Actually I’m fairly happy with Tyler as the backup PG, compared to my preseason expectations. He’s not MS, but I’ve been impressed with his progress considering virtually zero minutes as a frosh. Had two big three’s against Colgate at crucial times.
DC an entirely different story. Expectations coming in were high (ESPN 2**,87 rating) relative to JG & JC (both no stars, no rating). Injuries certainly a contributing factor.

[jimk72Participant]

Ditto on KL…. Big expectations. Big contributions. But he’s been “through the mill” as they say back home. Very high competition level last year at that basketball academy. He seems to have adapted quickly to the speed at this level.

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