The Lehigh men’s basketball team beat Robert Morris University 64-58 for its first win in three games at Stabler Arena on Saturday afternoon.
Senior captain Tim Kempton, who was averaging 22.3 points entering the contest, put together another impressive performance. Despite being surrounded and battered by Robert Morris defenders all day, Kempton was able to keep his composure and focus his efforts to the tune of 15 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks.
Kahron Ross, Kyle Leufroy and Austin Price also put in solid offensive performances for the Mountain Hawks, as they all scored in double digits. Sophomore Matt Holba stepped up for the Mountain Hawks on the defensive side of the ball, collecting five defensive rebounds and two blocks.
Robert Morris’ leading-scorer, sophomore Isaiah Still, was able to put up 17 points on the Mountain Hawks despite their defensive efforts.
Coach Brett Reed was also pleased with the second half effort, as well as the overall victory.
“Generally we’re a team that gets more excited when we’re on the offensive side of the ball,” Reed said. “But I saw more than that today. The defense actually gave us twice as much energy today and we’re going to carry that forward with us.”
The Colonials’ fast-paced style of play was able to aggravate the Mountain Hawks for most of the first half, but, a 3-pointer by Ross at the halftime buzzer to put Lehigh within five points shifted some of the momentum. The Mountain Hawks improved in the second half, specifically in using Kempton, as he racked up 12 of his points and seven of his rebounds toward the end of the game.
Robert Morris continued to fight all the way to the end, with solid second halves from Still and Kavon Stewart, as well as a lackluster shooting effort from the Mountain Hawks. However, the momentum all shifted to the Lehigh bench when Kempton threw down a slam dunk with two minutes to go to put the Mountain Hawks up by five.
Leufroy, among others, was taken off guard by the intensity of Kempton’s slam in the moment.
“I knew he was going to get up, but I didn’t know he was about to get that high,” Leufroy said.
The dunk was just about the finishing touch on an all-around, hard-fought victory for the Mountain Hawks.
“We didn’t embrace the physical presence of the game that (Robert Morris) brings until the second half,” Kempton said. “But once we did, we were able to adapt and score some baskets late in the second half.”
Lehigh will be on the road against Stony Brook on Tuesday night at 7 p.m.
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