The Eagles got a huge lift from an unexpected source Sunday when junior Brian Gilmore came off the bench to score a career-high 26 points to lead the Eagles to an 82-74 win over Lehigh at Bender Arena.
The Eagles fell behind early and quickly found themselves in an 11-4 hole as the Mountain Hawks converted on seemingly every possession in the first five minutes of the game.
However, the incredible shooting of junior Guard Garrison Carr kept the Eagles in the game. Carr scored 13 of the Eagles' first 15 points, making his first seven shots to lead a crucial 22-5 run that put the Eagles in firm control while ESPNU taped the game.
"Garrison Carr really carried the team," said head coach Jeff Jones. "He was our offense in the first-half."
Meanwhile, Gilmore came off the bench and made an immediate impact, scoring 14 points in the first-half, punctuated by a three-pointer on the fast break and the more conventional three-point "and-one" play off a dunk that electrified the crowd.
"Brian came out, played the way everyone knew he was capable of playing," Carr said.
Jones added: "Brian's a guy that plays with a lot of energy and gives us a spark off the bench."
The hot shooting was contagious for the Eagles once again, as they made 68 percent of their shots in the first half en route to a 42-31 lead.
The second-half proved only more of the same strong play. The Eagles stretched the lead to as much as 19 points, as Carr and Gilmore continued to excel. The defense stayed strong and weathered a late rally by Lehigh. In addition to leading the team in scoring, Carr and Gilmore led AU in rebounding as well, with the pair grabbing eight and six respectively
Junior center Cornelio Guibunda also had a strong game despite foul trouble, making all five of his shots and scoring 11 points. Junior Point Guard Derrick Mercer continued to play well, leading the team with seven assists.
With the win, the Eagles improved to 6-3 in the conference and 14-10 overall. AU also claimed sole possession of first place in the Patriot League for the first time since the 2003-2004 season.
For the first time, the Eagles won three games in a row this year and will try to extend the streak Wednesday at home versus Bucknell.
