The Brown & White

After a hard-fought 40 minutes of play on the national stage in Oklahoma City, the men's basketball team fell to the No. 1 seeded University of Kansas Jayhawks 74-90 on Thursday in the Midwest opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

Despite the loss, the team cherished the opportunity to take part in March Madness at the Ford Center.

"It means everything to me and it is very special for the program and the Lehigh community," senior guard Marquis Hall said. "To be able to cap off the season as the Patriot League champs and make it to the NCAA tournament is something that we will never forget."

The Mountain Hawks displayed their talent early on after freshman forward Gabe Knutson scored the opening two-point jumper and later opened the lead 12-4 with about 14 minutes left of play in the first half.

According to sophomore center forward Justin Maneri, the team planned to try to outwork the Jayhawks and start the game off with intensity.

"We intended to come into this game with more energy and enthusiasm than Kansas," Maneri said.

Senior guard Dave Buchberger said the biggest challenge was limiting the Jayhawks' explosive offensive capabilities.

Maneri agreed, and said Kansas boasts a high level of talent and overall depth.

"They are a big team and one of the most physical and technically sound in the country," Maneri said.

However, freshman guard CJ McCollum matched Kansas sophomore guard Marcus Morris for the leading points scored, netting a total of 26 points.

McCollum also led the team defensively with seven rebounds and three steals.

Senior forward Zahir Carrington dominated the hardwood with three blocks and 17 points, while Hall posted five assists and two turnovers.

The game marked Lehigh's fourth NCAA appearance and Head Coach Brett Reed's first.

Kansas, who advanced to the Sweet 16 last season, made its 39th NCAA appearance Thursday with a season record of 32-2.

After defeating the Lafayette College Leopards to win the Patriot League Championships last week, the Hawks used the momentum gained with the victory and held their own against the nation's highest ranked team.

"Winning the championship is a great feeling and the team was on an emotional high," Buchberger said. "We used that confidence that came from being champions to help energize us."

Soon after the game, the team shifted its attention on the Jayhawks.

"It was big so it gave us a little bit of momentum, but we knew that that game was over now," Hall said. "We had to let it go and focus on our next opponent."

With the league championship trophy securely in their grasp and a Lehigh record-breaking 22-10 season behind them, the Hawks quickly turned their focus toward the Jayhawks, taking advantage of every moment to prepare.

"Since the Patriot League championship, we watched film of Kansas and continued to practice the things we do," Hall said. "We set this as our goal at the beginning of the year so we were preparing ourselves for the chance to play in the NCAA tournament for a while."

With the buzzer marking halftime, the Hawks trailed by only six points with the score standing at 35-29.

The Hawks kept the score close until Kansas began to pull away midway through the second half.

Despite hopes to make college basketball history, the team fulfilled its aspirations to compete well against the top teams in the country.

"It's been our dream ever since we started playing basketball to get to play in this tournament," Maneri said. "It took the collective effort of our team to get here, and we intend to stay together as a family to the end."

Buchberger said he has always aspired toward a chance to take part in March Madness.

"Playing in the NCAA tournament has been a life-long dream and I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to do so," Buchberger said. "It was great for our program to be able to showcase ourselves on a national stage."