Feb. 6, 2007
Complete Box Score in PDF Format
Final Stats
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - A 52-percent field goal percentage in the first half and just three turnovers in the second half helped the Navy women's basketball team post a 59-46 victory over Lehigh, Tuesday night at Stabler Arena in Bethlehem, Pa.
The victory improves Navy's record to 10-13 on the year and 4-5 in the Patriot League, while Lehigh fell to 8-15 on the season and 3-6 in the league with the loss.
"We did a very nice job on both ends of the floor and during both halves," said Navy head coach Tom Marryott. "It might be as well as we have played in both halves all year. We had some very nice individual defensive performances against some good Lehigh shooters."
The Navy offense started the game strong, jumping out to an 8-2 lead less than three minutes into the game. The Mountain Hawks would respond with a run of their own and soon took a 15-14 lead just four minutes later.
A key stretch of the game took place over the final minutes of the first half. A Kalen Kropa (So., Reidsville, N.C.) three-pointer tied the game at 23-23 with 5:41 remaining in the half, a trey which started an 8-0 run for the Mids. After a Sara Ellis triple for Lehigh pulled the Mountain Hawks to within 28-26 with 28 seconds left in the half, the Mids worked the clock down and Betsy Burnett (Sr., New Holstein, Wis.) made a twisting baseline jumper just before the half expired to give Navy a 30-26 lead at intermission.
The bucket was Burnett's sixth field goal on seven attempts of the half.
Navy held a slim lead through the early portion of the second half, but soon took a 44-36 advantage with just under 12 minutes left in the game on a three-pointer by Carly Meyer (Sr., Orlando, Fla.). Another Meyer triple with 5:36 left to play gave the Mids their first double-digit lead of the game at 53-43, and from there the Navy advantage never dipped below eight points.
The Mids shot 43 percent from the field and made 6-of-13 three-point field goal attempts on the night, while holding Lehigh to 34 percent shooting from the field and to 3-of-15 shooting from behind the three-point arc.
Navy forced Lehigh into 14 turnovers in the game, while committing 13 of its own. Navy also outrebounded Lehigh by a 38-31 advantage.
Lehigh was called for zero fouls in the first half and forjust four fouls in the entire game to Navy's 13 on the night. The Mids did not attempt a free throw until 6:45 left in the game when Margaret Knap (Sr., Chicago, Ill.) was fouled while making a field goal.
Burnett scored 16 points in the game, while Meyer made four triples on the night in totaling 14 points. Joining the duo in double figures was Knap with 11. Also playing well was Kropa, who finished with a career-high eight assists, six rebounds and just three turnovers.
Navy returns to the Lehigh Valley this weekend for its next game when the Mids play at Lafayette Saturday at 1 p.m.
