Final Stats

ANNAPOLIS, Md. ---- The Navy women's basketball team shot over 50 percent from the floor in each of the last three quarters to overcome a slow start offensively and defeat Lehigh, 79-44, Wednesday night at Alumni Hall in Annapolis. With the win the Mids remain tied for first place in the Patriot League with Bucknell with a 12-2 record (19-6 overall), while the Mountain Hawks fell to 3-11 in league play and 8-17 overall with the loss.

Navy struggled offensively in the first quarter, but a stingy defense allowed the Mids to take a 10-7 lead after the opening frame. The Mids were 5-16 (31.3%) from the floor and missed all five of their three-point attempts in the first 10 minutes of the game, but the Mountain Hawks were just 2-10 (20%) from the floor (both makes were three-point attempts). After the teams combined for 17 points in the first quarter, Navy promptly scored 17 points on its own in the second quarter on 8-14 (57.1%) shooting and took a 27-16 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Defensively, the Mids limited the Mountain Hawks to 6-23 (26.1%) shooting in the first half.

"We got some easy baskets in the first half, some transition baskets," said Navy head coach Stefanie Pemper. "Laurel Jaunich (Fr., Charlotte, Vt.) was a huge spark off the bench. Last time we played Lehigh (a 66-64 win by the Mids) the game was so close. Lehigh played great and was as much deserving of (winning) that game as we were. We were prepared, and I think that's half the battle in mid-week games in the league. Obviously, we host our rival here Saturday, so this is a good time to be focused."

After connecting on just one of its eight (12.5%) three-point attempts in the opening 20 minutes, Navy was 6-9 (66.7%) from three-point land in the third quarter as part of an 11-16 (68.8%) shooting performance in the stanza. That proficient shooting catapulted the Mids into a 55-29 advantage through three quarters.

"We talked about movement," said Jaunich, of the halftime discussion. "Sarita (Condie) had been denied the whole first half and we talked about ways to get her the ball."

Navy would end the game shooting 53.1 percent from the field, which included a 9-24 (37.5%) showing from three-point land. The Mids limited the Mountain Hawks to 27.1 percent shooting from the floor for the game.

"It (our defense) was really good," said Pemper. "We were really prepared. Our assistant, Ryenn Micaletti, did a great job. They (Lehigh) have some really good players and really good shooters. They have a nice inside game and had an impressive win Saturday over Holy Cross. We just thought they were trending in the right direction and we had to play tough defense."

Navy also won the battle of the boards, 43-31, and forced 17 turnovers while committing 15 turnovers of its own.

Navy's bench outscored Lehigh as a team 49-44. Leading the way for the Mids was Jaunich, who was 7-8 from the field ---- including 1-1 from three-point range ---- in tying her career high of 15 points. Hannah Fenske (Jr., Albuquerque, N.M.) tallied 10 points, six assists and two steals, and Molly Sanders (So., Ames, Iowa) scored nine points. Also, Ashanti Kennedy (Sr., Virginia Beach, Va.) snared a team-high seven rebounds for Navy.

"I'm just looking at where the spaces are, where I can get to for an open shot," said Jaunich on when she enters the game from off the bench.

Cameryn Benz led Lehigh with 12 points.

Navy will be back in Alumni Hall Saturday for the Star Game against Army West Point. The women's game tips at 11 a.m., with the men's game following at 1:30 p.m. Both games will be televised nationally on the CBS Sports Network.