Princeton University Athletics
Tigers Lose 11-Point Lead and Drop Season Opener
November 19, 1999 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 19, 1999
PRINCETON, N.J. - Despite shooting 50 percent from the floor for the game and 14 points by sophomore Shani Moore (F, Pasadena, Md.), the Princeton women's basketball team dropped the season opener to Lehigh 76-67 in front of 235 at Jadwin Gym. Princeton was out-rebounded 49-21 and had 24 turnovers, resulting in the nine-point loss.
Princeton controlled much of the first half, taking an 8-0 lead before the Mountain Hawks first field goal at the 17:13 mark. The Tigers held their biggest lead at 28-17 midway through the first half and were on top 38-28 with under four minutes remaining in the opening stanza. Lehigh went on a 9-2 run to close out the first half to get within three at 40-37 at intermission.
Moore came off the bench to score 11 points on 5 of 6 shooting in the first half, and senior Maggie Langlas (Missoula, Mont.) added 12, including 3 for 6 from behind the arc.
After two lead changes in the first two minutes of the second half, Princeton went on a 9-0 run on three three-pointers to take a 49-41 lead with 15:17 remaining. The Mountain Hawks chipped away at the Tigers' lead and drew even at 56 on a lay-up by Anne Tierney at the 7:19 mark. The game saw ties at 58-58, 60-60 and 62-62 before two free throws by Lehigh's high scorer Gina Zang began a 16-5 Mountain Hawk run to end the game. The Tigers committed four fouls and two turnovers in the final minute of the game, without scoring a single point. "A lot of our fouls were because we were out of position," head coach Liz Feeley said. "The most disappointing thing is that they [Lehigh] came up with every loose ball."
Lehigh held a 49-21 advantage on the boards, including 23 offensive rebounds to Princeton's five. The Mountain Hawks scored 27 points on second chance opportunities compared to only five by the Tigers. Foul trouble hampered the Orange and Black, who committed 30 fouls for the game. Langlas, who tallied two blocks on the night, fouled out with 6:10 to play.
"We just didn't want it bad enough," senior Kate Thirolf (Rockville, Md.) said. "We were not hustling for loose balls, and it is those little things that make the difference. They took the game because they wanted it more than we did."
Moore led the Tigers with a career-high 14 points, while Thirolf added 13 points, five rebounds and a team-high six assists.
Not only did Lehigh notched the first win of the season tonight, but senior co-captain Danielle Baldwin scored her 1,000th career point in the first half. She finished the game with seven points. Zang led the Mountain Hawks with 22 points and 12 rebounds.
The Tigers will be in action on Sunday, November 21, as they travel to Annapolis for a game at the U.S. Naval Academy. Game time is set for 1 p.m.