Whitlock’s half-court buzzer-beater sends Lehigh to Patriot League semifinals

March Madness was in full effect at Stabler Arena on Thursday night as (11) Holy Cross(11-22, 5-13) battled (2) Lehigh(16-16, 11-7) in the quarterfinals of the Patriot League tournament.

With 2.1 seconds left and the game tied at 66, Lehigh’s Nasir Whitlock, who had a game-high 29 points, would hit a half-court shot at the buzzer to give the Mountain Hawks a 69-66 victory over the Crusaders.

Lehigh will now host (3)Colgate in the semifinals on Sunday.

With 2:43 left in the contest, Lehigh trailed 64-58. However, Whitlock would score nine of Lehigh’s final 11 points, including the game-tying layup with 11 seconds. 

In addition, Whitlock scored 22 of the team’s 38 second-half points.

The Mountain Hawks don’t win this game without the play of Whitlock and his ability to make shots down the stretch.

After the victory, Whitlock discussed his half-court buzzer beater.

“Man, ​we ​got ​the ​stop, ​which ​was ​the ​biggest ​play ​of ​the ​game,” Whitlock said. “​That ​stop ​with ​two ​seconds ​left, and ​we ​called ​the ​play. ​I ​just ​looked ​at ​Josh(Ingram), ​one ​of ​my ​best ​friends. ​I ​said, ​’Give ​it ​to ​me,’ and ​he ​looked. ​He ​ran ​the ​play, ​so ​I ​just ​caught ​it. ​I ​think ​one ​or ​two ​dribbles, ​just ​let ​it ​go. ​I ​thought ​it ​was ​coming ​off ​to ​the ​right, ​kind ​of ​hit ​my ​follow-through. ​But ​the ​split ​second ​before ​it ​went ​in, ​I ​was ​like, ​oh, ​that ​might ​be ​going ​in. ​It ​was ​online, ​then ​it ​went ​in. ​So ​I ​gotta ​thank ​God ​for ​that. ​Can’t ​tell ​me ​God ​ain’t ​real.”

The junior guard did not think Lehigh played its best game against Holy Cross, and he knows they have to be better if they want to beat Colgate. Lehigh defeated Colgate twice this season by a combined two points.

“We ​gotta ​play ​better,” Whitlock said. “​We ​didn’t ​play ​well ​tonight, ​so ​we ​gotta ​play ​better ​if ​we ​want ​to ​beat ​Colgate. ​But, ​you ​know, ​they’re ​looking ​to ​be ​a ​great ​team, ​a ​great ​program ​coming ​in, ​so ​we ​gotta ​be ​ready.”

Notes:

Tyler Boston led Holy Cross with 24 points. Gabe Warren added 12.

For Lehigh, Hank Alvey had 14 points, and Ingram chipped in with 12.

Lehigh’s starters would score 67 of the team’s 69 points.