It was already a 23-point game at the time, midway through the second half, but after Tim Kempton grabbed an offensive rebound and went back up for the and-one, Lehigh men’s basketball’s double-double machine turned around and let out a scream, followed by a fierce stare-down.
The senior forward/center’s focus seemed directed toward something in the crowd at Lafayette’s Kirby Sports Center, and as the Mountain Hawks’ lead grew to 58-32 in the 227th playing of the Rivalry, the message had been delievered.
“That’s what happens when you come into a hostile environment like Lafayette,” Kempton said. “It’s nothing new to me, personally. It seems like I’m targeted just about every game, whether it’s fans or other people. But I let them know that the game was leaning towards our end of the bargain. That’s what happens when you lose yourself in the game.”
Lehigh played with that type of energy all afternoon Sunday en route to sweeping the season series with an 81-55 win, spoiling the Leopards’ senior day.
The Mountain Hawks (16-11, 10-6 Patriot League) were dialed in from the get-go on both ends as they begin to ramp up for the postseason with wins in four of their last five games.
“I think we were just out there having fun,” sophomore guard Kyle Leufroy said. “I think that’s a big part of it, being really passionate and having the emotions.”
Kempton led the way with 22 points and 10 rebounds while Leufroy added 11 points, seven rebounds and four steals. Senior guard Austin Price also had 12 points while junior guard Kahron Ross chipped in 10 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals.
Senior guard Nick Lindner paced Lafayette (8-19, 2-12) with 15 points in his final game at Kirby Sports Center while sophomore forward Paulius Zalys had 11.
Lehigh had 11 steals in total as part of the Leopards’ 18 turnovers on the day — one shy of their total field goal count — which led to 29 points for the Mountain Hawks.
“You don’t want to pick on any of the young guys, but I think the moment was — (Lehigh) put a lot of pressure on them,” Lafayette coach Fran O’Hanlon said. “Hopefully we learn from some of the things we didn’t do correctly. I think they had 12 or 14 points in the first eight minutes off our turnovers, getting layups. It’s hard to come back from that.”
Lehigh led by as many as 32 points, backing up a strong first half with a just as forceful final 20 minutes.
It was the third time in the last five games that the Mountain Hawks have held their opponent to 55 points or less, a byproduct of their defense beginning to click.
“Shoot, we’ve finally bought in to our defensive system,” Kempton said. “That’s pretty evident in the way we’ve been holding teams down (of late). … It’s a perfect time.”
While Lehigh entered Sunday averaging 74.9 points per game, it had allowed 70.3 points per game, a big reason why it was only in fourth place in the league.
“I think offensively we’re one of the top 20 or 25 teams in terms of percentages in the country, and we keep losing games,” Leufroy said. “That’s only because of defense. We know we can be a lot better and a big part of that is buying in on the defensive end.”
Mountain Hawks coach Brett Reed has noticed the uptick in defensive energy and discipline over the last two games, which has translated to back-to-back double-digit wins.
“When you have a true commitment to winning, you have an appreciation for defense,” Reed said.
One reason for the increased urgency for a complete effort comes in knowing the games left are limited for Kempton, Price and fellow senior Devon Carter.
Two regular-season contests remain before the league tournament tips off, as Lehigh hopes to make a run at the crown.
“As a senior, I’m playing with a sense of urgency knowing that every day is getting closer to my last,” Kempton said. “I think the guys are starting to feel that too, whether they’re playing for us or me, AP (Price) and Devon or they’re just playing for themselves, because this goes by quick.”
For Lindner, that door is soon closing as well. He and fellow senior Monty Boykins were honored pregame in a bittersweet ceremony. Boykins was injured in the first game of the year and hasn’t played since while Lindner has been the captain through a trying season.
“(Lindner) has done a great job for the circumstances,” O’Hanlon said. “He really stays positive, he’s constantly telling me it’s OK. Coming into the season, when you lose Monty Boykins in the first game and we’re depending on a lot of young guys … I don’t think Nick thought it was going to end up at eight wins, but at the same time, I think it’s a real credit to him that we have eight wins right now.
“… He’s been one of the best leaders that we’ve had as far as just showing people the right way to do things, not just on the court. Off the court, his work ethic, his commitment to the program and to being the best he can be. He’s been a joy to coach. I wish he could have went out at home a little better today, but he’s been just phenomenal.”
Greg Joyce may be reached at gjoyce@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @GJoyce9.
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