BETHLEHEM, PA. - Lehigh went on an 11-0 scoring run to start the game and that proved to be all the team needed, defeating the Lions 67-38. First-year guard Katrina Cragg led the Lions with nine points.
Lehigh started out fast, leading the Lions 11-2 at the first media timeout (15:49). With 11:56 left in the half Cragg hit a three to bring the score to 19-9, but the Mountain Hawks kept the pressure up, taking a 24-9 lead. Cragg cut the lead to 11 points (30-19) with another three and then sophomore forward Cate Taylor scored a layup to make the score 21-30. Lehigh took a 34-22 lead with a basket from Adrienne Blount and a free throw from Tricia Smith gave the Hawks a 13-point advantage. The two teams traded the last baskets and headed into the locker room with Lehigh ahead, 37-24.
Lehigh's Sara Ellis led the half with 13 points and teammate Jenny Callan led with 10 rebounds. For the Lions, Cragg had 8 points and sophomore forward Brittney Carfora had four rebounds. Despite having less turnovers and more steals than Lehigh, the Lions shot only 28.1 percent from the field, compared to Lehigh's 50 percent.
The second half started with the Mountain Hawks increasing their lead to twenty points (46-26). Lehigh continued to increase its lead to 54-26 when Cragg hit a free throw to cut the Mountain Hawk lead by one point. Lehigh continued to dominate for the rest of the game, winning by a final score 67-38.
Cragg finished the game with nine points, leading the Lions in scoring for the first time in her career. For Lehigh, Ellis had 20 points and Callan finished with 19 rebounds.
Columbia travels to Sacred Heart on Monday, January 9th. Game time is 6 p.m