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BETHLEHEM, Pa. — A two-week mini-break is over as the Lehigh women’s basketball team returns to Stabler Arena to host the State of Delaware in the final non-league home game of the regular season at 2 p.m. Saturday afternoon
Lehigh earned his sixth win of the 2021-22 season on December 4, topping Binghamton 79-68 behind four players who went into doubles, two of whom also hit double-doubles. Frannie Hottinger led by 17 points, Megan Walker by 16, Emma Grothaus by 15 and Mackenzie Kramer by 14. Hottinger had 12 rebounds while Grothaus finished with 13.
The Mountain Hawks trailed the Bearcats by as much as 15 points in the closing seconds of the first half before taking the win with a 51-29 score in the final 20 minutes.
Hottinger (16.8 ppg), Kramer (15.2), Grothaus (13.4) and Walker (10.8) average double goal counts in Lehigh’s first nine games of the season, while Grothaus averages 8.6 boards , Hottinger at 7.3 and senior guard Clair Steele still leads the Patriot League in assists per game at 6.0 despite missing the last two games through injury.
Remarkably, Hottinger has scored 10 or more points in nine straight games to open the season, extending to a total streak of 14 straight games dating back to the end of last season.
The Mountain Hawks finish non-league regular-season play Tuesday in George Washington before returning to Stabler Arena for the Patriot League opener against American on December 30 at 2:00 p.m
It’s been eight games to start the year and Delaware State is still looking for its first win of the 2021-22 season, starting the season with an 0-8 overall record.
The Hornets have struggled so far, averaging just 44.9 points per game and 79.4 points per contest on a -34.5 goal lead. They have not scored more than 51 points in a single game this season, resulting in a 120-51 loss to Penn State on Nov. 16.
Last time, Delaware State lost a 74-36 final to Rutgers on Sunday.
First-grader Sianny Sanchez-Oliver led by eight points, while the trio of Alexis Moragne, Correyain Wright and Unique Miller scored six points each.
The tandem of Joy Watkins and Sanchez-Oliver are averaging nearly 10 points per game at a 9.6, while Moragne is averaging an 8.0. Miller is tied in rebounds with Zoe Holmes at 7.8 per game for the team lead.
The Hornets went 3-12 in the shortened 2020-21 season and finished the MEAC game 2-8. In their last full season, 2019-20, they went 12-18 with an 8-8 MEAC record.
Lehigh and Delaware State play their fourth game Saturday afternoon, with the Mountain Hawks leading the all-time series 3-0. Lehigh has won the last three meetings against the Hornets since the series began in the 2015-16 season.
The Mountain Hawks defeated Delaware State 68-38 in the season opener in Dover on November 6, 2019. Saturday will be held in the Stabler Arena for only the second time in the series.
Saturday’s matchup will be streamed live on ESPN+ (subscription required) with Matt Markus on the play-by-play call.
The matchup will also take place on Ugly Sweater Day at Stabler Arena. Viewers wearing an ugly (or not) holiday sweater will receive a $10 discount coupon for the game.
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| Date: | December 18, 2021 |
| Opponent: | State Hornets of Delaware |
| Tip: | 14 o’clock |
| Arena (Capacity): | Staller Arena (5,600) |
| Location: | Bethlehem, Pa. |
| Lehigh’s record: | 6-3, 0-0PL |
| Delaware State Records | 0-8, 0-0 MEAK |
| Series history: | Lehigh leads, 3-0 |
| TV: | ESPN+ with Matt Markus (PxP) |
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