BETHLEHEM, Pa. – A short turnaround for the Lehigh men’s basketball team following selection Sunday but that’s okay – they’re in the big dance. The Patriot League champs have taken flight for Dayton for a First Four showdown with Prairie View A&M on Wednesday evening.
The winner moves on to take on South Region No. 1 seed Florida on Friday at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Fla.
The Mountain Hawks making their sixth overall appearance in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament and third under head coach Brett Reed.
In an ever-changing era of college sports, the Mountain Hawks got here without a single transfer from a Division I school. They are the only team in the tournament that can say that.
“At Lehigh University, we really value development,” Reed said. “Our kids grow within our program. Year after year, they grow in their responsibilities and leadership. Because we’ve been able to have that kind of retention, it is anchored around one of the top academic schools in the country. It’s allowed us to have continuity. Continuity builds success and familiarity and chemistry. Those are the things we’ll be looking for in this postseason play.”
Tipoff from UD Arena is scheduled for 6:40 p.m.