The Lehigh Mountain Hawks secured a 78-69 win over the Lafayette Leopards, led by Hank Alvey's impressive 22 points and 9 rebounds. This performance marked a significant contribution to Lehigh's 45-point second half, which ultimately sealed the deal. Lafayette's Caleb Williams put up a notable 26 points and 6 assists, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Mountain Hawks' strong showing. The 9-point margin of victory exceeded the predicted 4.3-point margin by the CHD Scout, demonstrating Lehigh's dominance in the matchup.
Lehigh's Hank Alvey Achieves 5th Double-Double of the Season
The game unfolded with Lafayette taking an early lead, ending the first half with a 37-33 score. However, Lehigh came back strong in the second half, scoring 45 points to Lafayette's 32. A key factor in this turnaround was Lehigh's ability to capitalize on Lafayette's mistakes, scoring 15 points off turnovers. The Mountain Hawks also outrebounded the Leopards 35-28, with Alvey and Nasir Whitlock combining for 14 rebounds. Lafayette's Andrew Phillips added 19 points to the Leopards' total, but the team's overall performance was hindered by their 41.9% field goal percentage. Lehigh, on the other hand, shot 49.1% from the field, including 7 three-pointers.
The top performers of the game were undoubtedly Caleb Williams from Lafayette and Hank Alvey from Lehigh. Williams' 26 points and 6 assists made him a formidable opponent, while Alvey's 22 points and 9 rebounds earned him a double-double. Other notable performances included Joshua Ingram's 20 points and 5 assists for Lehigh, and Andrew Phillips' 19 points for Lafayette. Ryan Pettit also contributed 10 points and 5 rebounds for the Leopards. Nasir Whitlock's 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists rounded out Lehigh's impressive showing, with the team's top three scorers combining for 57 points.
CHD Scout Report Card
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Final
A closer look at the box score reveals some telling statistics. Lehigh's 49.1% field goal percentage and 45% three-point percentage were significant factors in their victory. The Mountain Hawks also outscored Lafayette 34-24 in the paint and 15-9 in points off turnovers. Lafayette, on the other hand, struggled with their free throw shooting, making only 12 of 19 attempts (63.2%). The Leopards did manage to force 14 turnovers, but Lehigh's ability to capitalize on their own opportunities ultimately made the difference. The Mountain Hawks' 35-28 rebounding advantage also played a crucial role in their win.
The CHD Scout predicted a Lehigh win by 4.3 points, and the actual margin of 9 points exceeded this expectation. This correct prediction demonstrates the model's accuracy in assessing the teams' relative strengths. The predicted score of 71-75 was close, but Lehigh's strong second half pushed the final score to 78-69. The model's success in forecasting the outcome highlights its effectiveness in evaluating team performance. With this win, Lehigh improved their record to 12-15, while Lafayette fell to 8-19.
This game was classified as a Quad 4 matchup for both teams, given Lafayette's NET ranking of 319 and Lehigh's ranking of 299. The win improves Lehigh's resume, albeit slightly, as they continue to navigate their schedule. For Lafayette, the loss drops them further down the rankings, making their path to a potential tournament bid even more challenging. As the season progresses, both teams must focus on securing wins in their remaining games to bolster their resumes. Lehigh's current NET ranking of 299 could see a slight improvement with this win, while Lafayette's ranking of 319 may drop further.
Lehigh's next game is scheduled against a yet-to-be-determined opponent, while Lafayette will face off against another team in the coming days. The exact dates and opponents for these matchups have not been announced. As the teams look ahead to their next challenges, they must build on their strengths and address their weaknesses in order to come out on top.