WASHINGTON (Interstat) — The Lehigh Mountain Hawks used a dominant first half and a sharp-shooting performance from Whitney Lind to cruise past the American Eagles 79-51 in a Patriot League women’s basketball game Wednesday night at Bender Arena.

Lehigh improved to 13-10 overall and secured its third consecutive victory. American dropped to 6-18, losing for the fifth time in its last six outings.

The most important part of the game was the opening quarter, where Lehigh established an insurmountable lead and set the tone for the evening. The Mountain Hawks raced out to a 24-12 advantage after the first 10 minutes, fueled by aggressive defense and efficient offense. They forced six American turnovers in the period, converting them into early scoring opportunities. A key sequence saw Lehigh score seven unanswered points, capped by a Belle Bramer 3-pointer assisted by Alana Reddy, to stretch an early lead to 13-4. American struggled to find any offensive rhythm against Lehigh’s pressure, managing just two field goals in the quarter’s first seven minutes.

Lind, a standout guard from Florence, Kentucky, led all scorers with 23 points, continuing a run of strong performances. She shot 5 of 9 from 3-point range and added two assists and three steals in 28 minutes. Her back-to-back 3-pointers in the first quarter helped ignite the initial surge, and she consistently provided scoring punch whenever American showed signs of life.

The Mountain Hawks never relented, extending their lead to 44-24 by halftime and 66-40 after three quarters. They shot 49% from the field for the game and an impressive 44% from beyond the arc, making 14 3-pointers. American, by contrast, shot 40% overall and was just 3 of 11 from long distance.

Lehigh’s offensive balance was on full display. Lily Fandre of Eagan, Minnesota, scored 15 points and blocked a shot. Belle Bramer of Los Gatos, California, added 14 points, and Alana Reddy of Sydney, Australia, chipped in 13 points and a game-high six assists. The Mountain Hawks also capitalized on American’s mistakes, scoring 27 points off 20 Eagles turnovers.

American was led by Madisyn Moore-Nicholson of Odenton, Maryland, who scored 15 points. Molly Driscoll of Allentown, Pennsylvania, added 13 points. The Eagles were hampered by poor ball movement, finishing with only eight assists, and could not match Lehigh’s shooting efficiency or defensive intensity.

Statistically, Lehigh’s offensive rating of 111.8 points per 100 possessions dwarfed American’s mark of 78.9, underscoring the chasm in efficiency between the two teams on this night. The Mountain Hawks also won the battle in the paint, 24-22, and from the free-throw line, making 11 of 14 attempts compared to American’s 10 of 14.

The game drew an announced attendance of 260.

Lehigh will look to extend its winning streak when it travels to face rival Lafayette on Saturday. American will hit the road to take on Army the same day. The two teams are scheduled to meet again in the regular-season finale on March 4 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.