The Lehigh men’s and women’s basketball teams both played Holy Cross on Wednesday, as the men’s team grabbed a second win in a row while the women’s team lost a close contest 65-62.
Lehigh Men’s Basketball
The men’s team (7-18) won a shootout by a final score of 89-82 to cement a first winning streak since Nov. 12.
Sophomore forward Jeameril Wilson and senior guard Jordan Cohen led the way for the Mountain Hawks with 19 and 18 points respectively, while junior guard Marques Wilson contributed 16.
Star junior center James Karnik made his long-awaited return from injury, which has kept him out since Jan. 5. He provided a boost off the bench against the Crusaders, scoring 9 points in 21 minutes.
The Mountain Hawks succumbed to an early 15-8 deficit before three consecutive three-pointers tied the game at 17. Lehigh subsequently pulled away for a 41-33 lead at the half.
The men held a comfortable lead throughout the game, as Holy Cross could not get closer than a four-point deficit despite keeping the game relatively close throughout.
A Karnik dunk and Jeameril Wilson free throws stretched the lead to 88-78 with 1:19 left to seal the game for Lehigh, improving to a 4-9 Patriot League record.
The men will look to make it three straight wins when they travel to West Point, New York, to face Army at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
Lehigh Women’s Basketball
The women’s team (15-7), unable to make it three wins in a row, gave up a fourth quarter lead to the Crusaders in a tough away game.
Senior forward Cameryn Benz and senior guard Camryn Buhr were Lehigh’s most dangerous offensive players on the night, leading the scoring for the Mountain Hawks with 16 and 13 points, respectively.
Lehigh only managed eight points in a low-scoring first quarter, but a strong showing in the second gave the Mountain Hawks a cushion as the team led 36-22 going into halftime.
Buhr and Benz continued to provide an offensive presence in the third quarter, but Holy Cross managed to cut the Mountain Hawks’ lead to nine entering the fourth quarter.
After the Crusaders scored seven unanswered points, the game suddenly became a one-point contest.
Late fourth quarter free throws from Lauren Manis, Oluchi Ezemma and Jenay Faulkner sealed the result for Holy Cross, as the game finished 65-62.
Next, the women face Army at Stabler Arena on Feb. 15 as the team searches for its eighth Patriot League victory of the season.
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