By Quincy Burns
12/7/2024
DAYTON, Ohio – Lehigh men’s basketball took a two-game winning streak on the road Saturday afternoon to UD Arena against the (RV) Dayton Flyers. The Mountain Hawks were bested 86-62 after a hot shooting night from the Flyers.
“Give credit to Dayton, I thought they played well and shot well,” said head coach Dr. Brett Reed. “I thought our guys took care of the basketball, battled on the glass, and showed some positive steps and positive fight.”
Saturday’s game was only the second-ever meeting between Lehigh (3-6) and Dayton (8-2), the first of which occurred in the 2009-10 season at UD Arena. The game was a homecoming for senior guard Ben Knostman, who played at nearby Tippecanoe High School.
The Flyers opened the game shooting a high percentage from downtown, as their first three field goals were all triples. Lehigh’s first field goal came five minutes into the game courtesy of a Keith Higgins Jr. jumper, setting the score at 11-4. However, Dayton continued to shoot the ball efficiently and limit the Mountain Hawks offensively, leading by as many as 18. The Flyers shot 52.0% from the floor and 62.5% from three in the opening 20 minutes while limiting the Mountain Hawks to 38.5% and 16.7%. Higgins and sophomore Nasir Whitlock gave Lehigh an offensive spark towards the end of the half, but the Flyers entered the locker room holding a 41-25 advantage.
Dayton once again started hot in the second half, opening the frame on a 15-4 run. Higgins continued to provide much needed offense for Lehigh, scoring 12 points in under five minutes to narrow the gap. Joshua Ingram, who did not score in the first half, went on a personal 7-0 run to bring Lehigh within 15. Despite their efforts, the Flyers’ efficient offense continued to hum, ultimately outscoring the Mountain Hawks 45-37 in the second half.
The Flyers shot an outstanding 57.1% from the field and 63.6% from three while the Mountain Hawks shot 38.7% and 34.8%. Lehigh rebounded the ball well, tying Dayton 33-33 on the boards. The Mountain Hawks found an advantage in bench points, outscoring the Flyers 23-12. Both teams also took care of the ball, as Lehigh and Dayton combined for eight turnovers.
Dayton was led offensively by Nate Santos, who scored 24 points on 8-11 shooting and a perfect 6-6 from three. Malachi Smith added 17 points and a game-high nine assists while Enoch Cheeks (14p) and Zed Key (12p) also scored in double-digits for the Flyers.
Higgins posted 24 points on 9-18 shooting and 4-8 from three while grabbing a game-high nine rebounds. The senior extended his double-digit scoring streak to eight games in a row and has now scored 20+ points four times this season.
Ingram and Whitlock provided a scoring punch off the bench, as both sophomores added nine points apiece. Knostman led Lehigh with a season-high six assists.
Sophomore Tommy Conniff provided solid minutes off the bench for Lehigh, grabbing five rebounds and dishing out three assists in 17 minutes while also knocking down his first career three-point attempt.
“He battled and competed, it was really good to see,” said Reed. “Tonight, Tommy was ready to go. When that door was opened to him, he wanted to step in and produce and I thought he brought an element of toughness and determination that was really valuable for us.”
The Mountain Hawks will take two weeks off ahead of finals and will return to action on December 21 on the road against Long Island University.
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COURTESY LEHIGH ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
