WASHINGTON – It was a fight to the final whistle in Bender on Saturday afternoon when the American University women's basketball team (3-14, 2-4 PL) took on Lehigh (8-9, 4-2 PL) in a back and forth battle before ultimately falling in the dwindling moments to the Mountain Hawks, 77-79. Emily Johns led in scoring for the Eagles with 20 points on the afternoon. The Eagles move to 2-4 in conference play.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Johns went 6-7 in the first, and 8-11 in the game to finish the afternoon with 20 points. She also grabbed two rebounds and added three assists.
• In the first, Lauren Stack went 5-5 from the field, and overall was 7-9 with 17 points. She also grabbed seven boards.
• Ivy Bales dominated the glass for the Eagles, pulling down 12 rebounds. She also contributed six assists and three steals.
• The Mountain Hawks were led in the game by Frannie Hottinger and Mackenzie Kramer who had 26 and 15 points respectively. Hottinger also led Lehigh with 10 boards.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Eagles got out to a hot start against the Mountain Hawks, scoring two field goals before the visitors got on a board. At 7:20 in the first quarter, the Eagles led by a score of 10-4. Johns and Henning each had four and Stack claimed the other two.
• By the end of the period, American was up three, 25-22. They were led in the period by Johns with ten, and on the boards by Bales with six rebounds.
• In the first, the Eagles were shooting 71% from the field and holding the Mountain Hawks to 39%.
• The second saw much of the same style of play as the first. The game was fast-paced and back-and-forth, AU up 33-30 at the halfway point of the frame, Stack with six of her points in those five minutes.
• At the half, the Eagles were still holding the lead, up 44-39 over the Mountain Hawks. Overall, American was shooting 74% and keeping Lehigh to just 38%, taking the 18-14 edge in rebounds into the break as well.
• The intensity continued into the second half, where the Eagles took an eight-point lead midway through, but the Mountain Hawks fought back, outscoring their hosts 18-17 to trail by four, 61-57. It was a two-basket game heading into the final frame.
• Lehigh took the lead in the first minute and a half of the fourth period, leading for the first time in the game, up 62-61, and outscoring American 5-0 in that time frame.
• The final five minutes of the fourth were nail-biting back-and-forth with ties and two-point leads on both sides. Three Eagles, Stack, Bales and Anna Rescifina, who collected eight points of her own, each earned their fourth foul.
• With 10.7 seconds left in the game the visitors led by a score of 78-77 with possession, Stack fouled-out of the game. The Mountain Hawks scored a free -throw to lead 79-77 but the Eagles got possession after Lehigh missed the second.
• American gave a final push, but ultimately fell 79-77 to Lehigh in Bender.

UP NEXT
The Eagles are hitting the road to take on Lafayette on Wednesday, Jan. 18 at 11 a.m. before coming back to Bender Arena on Saturday, Jan. 21 at 2 p.m. for Phil Bender District Day.

Tickets are on sale now at AUEagles.com/Tickets!
 
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