QU Men's Basketball Hosts Lehigh Thursday night at 7 PM
12/17/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Quinnipiac University (3-5, 0-2 MAAC) vs.
Lehigh University (4-4, 0-0 Patriot League)
Thursday, December 18, 2014 • 7:00 PM
TD Bank Sports Center • Hamden, Conn.
All-Time Series vs. Lehigh (DI): 3-4 (3-4)
Last Meeting: December 21, 2013 • L, 69-58
QU Last Five: 1-4
LEH Last Five: 4-1
- Quinnipiac Game Notes as a PDF
- Lehigh University Game Preview
- Live Stream: QuinnipiacBobcats.com
- Live Audio: AM 1220 WQUN
(PxP: Bill Schweizer • Color: Bill Mecca) - Live Stats: QuinnipiacBobcats.com
- Tickets: QuinnipiacBobcats.com
THE OPENING TIP
Quinnipiac hosts Lehigh University on Thursday night in hopes of snapping a pair of three-game slides by games end. The Mountain Hawks have won three straight against the Bobcats, while Quinnipiac also seeks to snap its longest losing streak since January of the 2012-13 season. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at the TD Bank Sports Center.
ALL-TIME AGAINST LEHIGH
Quinnipiac holds a 3-4 mark all-time against Lehigh, which features a 2-1 record at home in Hamden. The teams have met in seven of the last eight seasons in a series that saw Quinnipiac jump out to a 3-1 lead. However, Lehigh regained bragging rights by defeating Quinnipiac in each of the last three seasons. Last year, the Mountain Hawks held off Quinnipiac's second half charge and escaped with a 69-58 victory in Bethlehem.
QUINNIPIAC FALLS IN FINAL SECONDS AT BU
Boston University's Jon Papale nailed a three-pointer from the top of the key with 3.4 seconds left to give the hosting Terriers a 71-68 victory at Case Gymnasium on Sunday. Papale hit the same shot in a similar situation two years ago. All tied up at 68-68 and the shot clock turned off, BU ran Papale off a series of screens to free up the junior guard. Two years ago, Papale, the brother of Quinnipiac Director of Basketball Operations, hit the same shot to force overtime when the Bobcats were in town. This time, the three proved to be the difference after Quinnipiac turned over its final possession. The Bobcats were led offensively by Zaid Hearst who was just above his season average. Hearst netted 19 points going 7-for-16 from the field with four assists and three rebounds. Hearst led all scorers at the break with 12. Ousmane Drame and Evan Conti were also in double figures for the Bobcats. Drame notched his 30th career double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Conti finished with 13 points going 3-for-6 from behind the arc.
SCOUTING THE MOUNTAIN HAWKS
Lehigh comes into Thursday night's clash with a 4-4 record, currently riding a four-game winning streak. Their winning ways began on Nov. 26 when they defeated DePaul in Chicago, 86-74. Lehigh followed that with back-to-back home wins against Penn State Mont Alto and Saint Francis University, and a road win against LIU Brooklyn in their most recent game. In the win against the Blackbirds, five Mountain Hawks reached double-figure points, led by freshman Kahron Ross who scored a career-high 19 points, including 13 in the second half and four free throws in the final 11 seconds to ice the victory. Junior Justin Goldsborough added 13 points and 10 rebounds for his first-career double-double and sophomore Miles Simelton also scored a career-high 10 points, eight coming in the first half. Tim Kempton, the team's leading scorer, was held to just six points – about seven below his season average. Lehigh averages 37.1 rebounds per game, serving as one of the better rebounding teams Quinnipiac will face all season. Defensively, the Mountain Hawks have been very good as well, holding teams to around 40 percent shooting for the season.
REBOUNDING DOMINANCE
Quinnipiac ranks second in the nation in total rebounding (45.5), fourth in rebounding margin (13.9), and fifth in offensive rebounding (16.8). Last year, the Bobcats led the nation in rebounding margin (11.8), offensive rebounds per game (16.7), and rebounds per game (45.4). Quinnipiac is the only team in the nation to finish first in all three categories in one season (2013-14) since QU joined the Division I ranks (1998-99).
REBOUNDING MARGIN
With Tom Moore at the helm, Quinnipiac has out-rebounded its opponent in 198 of his 229 games (.863) – including 70 of its last 72 games without losing the battle on the glass. In 84 of the 229 games, QU has posted a plus-10 or better rebounding margin, including 26 with plus-20 or better and a rebounding-margin high of 31 against Maine on Nov. 25, 2013. The Bobcats hold a remarkable 70-14 (.833) mark when holding a plus-10 edge and a 20-6 (.769) record with plus-20.
ANOTHER REBOUNDING STAT…
Quinnipiac posted 50-plus rebounds against Fairfield (12/7), marking the 27th time during the Division I era. In nine years prior to Tom Moore's arrival, QU had just five 50-rebound games, with only two coming against teams classified at Division I at the time of competition. The Bobcats have eclipsed 60 rebounds twice.
CALM, COOL AND COLLECTED
Quinnipiac leads the MAAC and ranks seventh in the nation in free-throw shooting percentage (.771). The Bobcats sank 28-of-32 (.875) against Vermont (11/30), the most since making 31 against Canisius (2/20/14) last season. Quinnipiac is 17-0 in the last three seasons when making 25 or more free-throws.
FREE-THROWS MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Quinnipiac went 19-for-21 (90.5 %) from the free-throw line against Albany (11/22), the best team percentage since making 92.5 percent (25-27) at Vermont (12/15/13) last year. Over the last six seasons, Quinnipiac is 61-15 (.803) when making more free-throws than its opponent, which included an 18-4 mark last year.
TOUGH TO LOSE IF YOU DON'T MISS
Quinnipiac made a season-high 54.9 percent of its field goal attempts against Vermont (11/30). The Bobcats have made at least 50 percent of their shots in 33 games over the last six seasons, posting a 28-5 (.849) mark when accomplishing that feat. Quinnipiac was 10-0 last year when making 45.0 percent of its field goal attempts.
STACKING UP IN NEW ENGLAND
Head Coach Tom Moore's .572 overall winning percentage ranks fifth-best among active Division I Coaches in New England, only trailing UConn's Kevin Ollie (.727), Harvard's Tommy Amaker (.670), Vermont's John Becker (.649), and Providence's Ed Cooley (.580). (Winning percentage among coaches with at least one season at respective institution)
HOME SUCCESS FOR MOORE
Since head coach Tom Moore took over in 2007, the Bobcats are 68-37 (.648) overall and 47-19 (.712) in conference games in Hamden. Quinnipiac is 20-6 in its last 26 home games at the TD Bank Sports Center. In the last six seasons, Quinnipiac is 55-22 (.714) overall and 36-11 (.766) against conference opponents at the Bank - which serve as the second best winning percentages among MAAC teams during that stretch. Furthermore, Quinnipiac has won 15 of its last 18 games at home against conference opposition (dating back to 2012-13).
CRASHING THE BOARDS
Quinnipiac has three of the league's top 10 rebounders in Ousmane Drame (10.8), Justin Harris (7.3) and Zaid Hearst (6.1). Drame leads the MAAC in total rebounding and defensive rebounding (7.8) and is tied for second with Harris in offensive rebounding (3.0). Drame ranks eighth in the nation in rebounds and defensive rebounds per game.
BLOCK PARTY
Quinnipiac had 11 blocks against Yale (11/14), marking the most in a single game since joining Division I. The Bobcats blocked 10 shots twice last year and once in 2012-13. Quinnipiac leads the MAAC and ranks 22nd nationally in blocks per game (5.9).
LENDING A HELPING HAND
Quinnipiac is averaging 12.4 assists per game which ranks fourth among teams in the MAAC. Individually, Kasim Chandler (4.3) ranks third in the MAAC in assists per game with Evan Conti (3.1) ranking eighth in the category.
THAT'S 1,000 FOR DRAME
Ousmane Drame scored his 1,000th career point against Vermont (11/30) to become Quinnipiac's 38th player to reach the milestone. He was also just the 11th player to do it since Quinnipiac joined the Division I ranks. He has 1,033 career points and 859 career rebounds, which is on pace for 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. Drame would be the third Bobcat to record 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in the last five years.
ALL-TIME BLOCKS LEADER
With his three blocks against Vermont (11/30), Ousmane Drame (154) surpassed Glenn Phillip '92 (146) for the most blocks in program history. Earlier this year, he matched his QU Division I program record of seven blocks against Yale (11/14), which he had also done twice before. He leads the MAAC and ranks eighth in the nation in blocked shots per game (3.1).
DRAME GOES FOR 30
Ousmane Drame posted a career-high 33 points to go along with 13 rebounds and three blocked shots against Vermont (11/30). Drame ranks eighth in the MAAC in scoring (14.8) and has double-digits in seven of the eight games this year. Drame has seven career 20 point games and one career 30 point game.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE MACHINE
Ousmane Drame collected his 30th career double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds at Boston U (12/14). He is chasing Ike Azotam's '14 record of 44 career double-doubles. Drame is averaging 14.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per game – the only MAAC player averaging a double-double. He leads the league and is tied for fourth in the nation in double-doubles (6).
CLIMBING THE LADDER
Zaid Hearst (1,212) climbed higher among Quinnipiac's scoring leaders, surpassing Jim Freund '81 and Rashaun Banjo '04 for 21st place on the all-time list. In the Division I era, Hearst ranks eighth, staring down James Feldeine '10 (1,320) for the seventh position. He trails Troy Adams '89 (1,214) for 20th place on the all-time list.
30 POINT PERFORMANCE
Zaid Hearst scored 30 points for the second time in his career against Yale (11/14). This time, he had a career-high 34 points going 12-for-20 from the field and 4-for-9 from long range. It was the most points scored by a Quinnipiac player since Hearst scored 33 against Canisius (1/30) last season. Hearst has two career 30-point games and 14-career 20 points games.
SCORING THE BASKETBALL
Zaid Hearst is averaging 18.9 points per game and shooting at a 44.9 percent clip. He ranks second in the MAAC and 38th nationally in scoring. Hearst has reached double figures in 61 of his 103 games at Quinnipiac.
BEAST MODE
Zaid Hearst is averaging 39.0 minutes per game which leads the nation for the category. Hearst also played his 103rd career game at Quinnipiac, and could challenge the most games ever played within the program (James Johnson, 127).
HOT HAND FOR CONTI
Evan Conti totaled a career-high 22 points to go along with seven rebounds and four assists against Vermont (11/30). In 37 career starts, he is averaging 10.0 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.
CAREER HIGHS FOR JUSTIN
Justin Harris netted a career-high 12 points against Yale (11/14) and then snagged a career best 12 rebounds against La Salle (11/18). He is averaging 7.8 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game, ranking among the league leaders in rebounding and blocked shots.
CHIGHA CHIPS IN
Alain Chigha finished with a career-high seven points to go along with three rebounds and one steal against Vermont (11/30). Chigha is averaging 2.0 points and 2.3 rebounds in 11.8 minutes per game this year.
HUTTON FROM THE CORNER
Freshman Ayron Hutton netted his first career points at Quinnipiac against Boston University (12/14). Hutton swished a three-pointer from the corner in the first half of the game.
LESS FOULS, MORE WINS
The Bobcats are 14-6 (.700) over the last three seasons when their opponent makes fewer than 12 free-throws in a game. On the contrary, when the opposition has recorded 25 or more free throws made over the last three seasons, Quinnipiac is 0-7.
DEFENSE WINS
Head coach Tom Moore has repeatedly stressed the importance of keeping opposition to below 40 percent from the floor, and with good reason. Over the past six years, Quinnipiac is 59-19 (.756) when keeping its opponent to 40 percent or below from the field. Quinnipiac has held five of its seven opponents to 40 percent or below this season.
ON DECK
Quinnipiac returns to the court on Sunday, Dec. 21 when they host Oregon State University. It'll be the first time in program history hosting a Pac-12 opponent in Hamden. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. at the TD Bank Sports Center.
