Marques Wilson hits career high five 3s in comeback win

Lehigh defeated Bucknell 86-77 on Feb. 14 to move to 8-7 in the Patriot League with three games remaining.

After a tough loss to Lafayette, coach Brett Reed made some lineup alterations for Lehigh’s game against Bucknell on Monday, starting Jake Betlow and Marques Wilson at guard, Jakob Alamadun and Evan Taylor at forward and Nic Lynch at center.

For most of the season, Reed has opted to start freshmen standout guards Keith Higgins Jr. and Tyler Whitney-Sidney. Senior Jeameril Wilson was notably not in the starting lineup for only the second time this year. 

Betlow got his first start of the year, Alamadun his second.

“Our bench had been playing really well for us,” Reed said. “In particular, in our last game, they brought us tremendous energy. … We wanted to reward them, which is one of our philosophies at Lehigh.”

When the two freshmen entered the game in the first half, they provided a much needed energy injection after Lehigh’s slow start. 

Whitney-Sidney used his quickness to get to the rim for four points on 2-2 shooting and dished out three assists in the first half.

“Tyler (Whitney-Sydney) was really focused tonight on bringing energy to our team because he has that type of ability with his quickness, speed and personality,” Reed said.

Lehigh never led in the first half, trailing by as much as 10. The Mountain Hawks struggled with Bucknell’s interior presence and gave up 15 points from 3-point land.

In the second half, the Mountain Hawks started their more traditional starting lineup with Higgins Jr. and Whitney-Sidney at guard, Jeameril Wilson and Taylor at forward and Lynch at center.

The team found its groove in the second frame, coming within one 3-pointer of breaking the men’s Stabler Arena record with 14 total.

Higgins Jr. got the scoring started in the second half, getting to the rim for a layup and then hitting a 3 out of an inbounds play to cut the Bison lead to five.

Higgins Jr. followed up his first second-half 3 with another one, taking a hard dribble right, shedding his defender and stepping into a 3 on the right wing to cut the lead to one with 16 minutes remaining.

After a Bucknell bucket, Jeameril Wilson attacked the rim with his left hand for a layup, drawing a foul and hitting the free throw to tie the game with 14 minutes left, the first tie of game. 

With the ball back in his hands, Higgins Jr. created for his teammates, working out of the pick-and-roll to get Lynch, the team’s best free-throw shooter, a pair of from the stripe, putting Lehigh up 50-49, its first lead.

Higgins Jr., a shooting guard in high school, has played heavy minutes at point guard for the Mountain Hawks in his freshman year.

Lynch finished the game with a dominant 19 points and 11 rebounds, the sixth double-double of his career.

This was Lynch’s first game since Lehigh’s victory over Colgate on Jan. 4 with 10 or more rebounds.

“Coach (Reed) talked to me last night about getting my rebounding up,” Lynch said. “I had a double double today, I kind of took that personally and had a chip on my shoulder.”

With nine minutes remaining, Bucknell’s Andrew Funk and Marques Wilson traded tough baskets in the most electrifying stretch of the night. 

With the shot clock expiring, Funk put up a deep fadeaway jumper, giving the Bison the lead back, 59-58.

Wilson answered, letting a 3 fly and taking contact in the process. Wilson on the floor, ball in the net. And-one.

Funk returned with a tough and-one layup, his free throw knotting the game at 62. 

On Lehigh’s next offensive possession, Wilson let loose from 3 again, netting his fourth of the game.

Undeterred by a raucous Lehigh student section, Bucknell’s Jake Van Der Heijden answered with a 3-pointer of his own, tying the game once again.

Wilson wasn’t done, though. After a Bucknell timeout, Whitney-Sidney grabbed a rebound and pushed the ball in transition, where he found Wilson for his third straight 3-pointer.

Wilson’s five 3s in the game was a new career high.

“Marques (Wilson) played like a senior today,” Reed said. “His contributions go beyond the stat sheet, because he did an excellent, excellent job defensively in a lot of key spots… He had a no-quit determination to him tonight that was really impressive to compliment a great shooting day as well.”

Once again, Van Der Heijden answered with a 3, this one heavily contested. Game tied at 68.

After losing to Lafayette on Saturday after a similar late game surge, the Mountain Hawks seemed determined not to let another one slip. 

Marques Wilson drove along the left baseline before getting caught in the air and throwing a pass to Higgins Jr. with his off-hand. Seeing the Bucknell defense scrambling to find the ball, the Mountain Hawks made two extra passes to find Whitney-Sydney for a wide open 3 on the left wing. 71-70, Lehigh.

Lynch added two back-to-back 3s of his own down the stretch, the latter of the two putting Lehigh up 10 and the nail in the coffin.

After the game was over, the team filed over to the student section to be greeted by loud cheers. A jubilant Reed walked into the stands to give students high-fives.

“Our student section has been very supportive, particularly here in February,” Reed said. “The energy that they bring is very important, and I recognize that… There’s a lot of things that take the time of a college student on Lehigh’s campus, but for them to come out and support their team, their Lehigh, it’s really important and incredibly appreciated by everybody who’s a part of Lehigh basketball.” 

Students are now back in Stabler after a 2021 season with entirely vacant seats.

Wilson said that after playing last year, fans’ presence at Stabler means a lot.

 “Playing sometimes (last season) it didn’t feel like basketball,” Wilson said. “It didn’t feel like the game we fell in love with. There was no celebration and it felt monotonous. Having fans in the stands, having people come and support you who don’t even really know you, but you’re all part of this Lehigh family… It’s amazing.”