• Score: Holy Cross 59, American 54
• Records: HC (8-11, 5-3); AU (4-15, 2-6)
• Location: Worcester, Mass.
• Arena: Hart Center (889)
• The Lead: Holy Cross sophomore guard Infiniti Thomas-Waheed (Newton, Mass.) tied a career high with 21 points (3-6 3FG) to go along with five rebounds and a trio of steals to help lead the Crusaders to a 59-54 victory over American in Patriot League women's basketball action on Tuesday evening at the Hart Center.

TURNING POINT:

• With American holding a 52-51 lead at the 2:04-mark of the fourth quarter, Holy Cross sophomore guard Katie Doherty (Holbrook, N.Y.) drilled a clutch three-pointer off a pass by senior guard Lisa Mifsud (Erie, Pa.) to give the Crusaders a 54-52 edge (1:39).
• The Crusaders connected on 5-of-6 from the charity stripe and held American without a field goal over the final 1:39 to ice the game and earn the victory. Holy Cross also forced a pair of Eagle turnovers during the closing minutes of the contest.

HOLY CROSS HIGHLIGHTS:

• In addition to Thomas-Waheed for Holy Cross, senior center Molly Hourigan (Memphis, N.Y.) recorded her team-leading fourth double-double of the season with 11 points and a team-high 10 rebounds. Hourigan also tallied three assists, three steals and a trio of blocked shots.
• Mifsud posted eight points and a team-high four assists, while Doherty also scored eight points and hauled in three caroms.
• Sophomore guard Tricia Byrne (Dunmore, Pa.) totaled four points, three rebounds and a career- and game-high five steals.  

FIRST HALF:

• American grabbed an early 7-4 lead at the 6:36-mark of the first quarter on a three-pointer by Jordan Light. Holy Cross scored four quick points to gain an 8-7 lead (5:52), but a 6-2 spurt by the Eagles over the next 3:02 put them ahead by three (13-10). American kept the three-point lead (17-14) after one quarter of play.
• The Eagles worked their lead to six points (24-18) at the 7:32-mark of the second quarter, but a 12-6 run by Holy Cross over the next 5:52 tied the game at 30-30 (1:40). Thomas-Waheed led the Crusaders during the run with three straight three-pointers.
• American's Ari Booth drilled a trey with 1:06 left in the half to give the visitors a 33-30 lead, but an old-fashioned three-pointer by Thomas-Waheed with 19 seconds on the clock tied the game at 33-33 at intermission.

SECOND HALF:

• In the third quarter, the teams traded buckets as neither squad held more than a three-point lead. There were three tied scores and three lead changes, but the Crusaders would gain a 45-42 lead after three quarters. Senior guard Kate Gillespie (Washington, D.C.) hit a three-pointer with 55 ticks on the clock in the third to give the Crusaders the advantage.
• In the fourth quarter, American whittled the deficit to one point (47-46) with 6:22 on the clock before it gained a 49-47 lead on a three-pointer by Maria Liddane. Holy Cross gained the lead back on the next possession, however, as Hourigan converted an old-fashioned three-point play to give the hosts a 50-49 edge (5:03).
• The Eagles went back ahead by one point (52-51) three minutes later, but a key three-pointer by Doherty at the 1:39-mark of the fourth quarter put the Crusaders on top, 54-52.
• The Crusaders connected on 5-of-6 from the charity stripe and held American without a field goal over the final 1:39 to ice the game and earn the victory.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Holy Cross shot 38.5 percent from the field (20-52) and drained 7-of-16 from behind the arc (43.8%), while American hit on 20-of-51 from the floor (39.2%) and canned 35.7 percent from downtown (5-14).
• The Crusaders shot 70.6 percent from the charity stripe (12-17), while the Eagles hit 9-of-13 from the free-throw line (69.2%).
• Holy Cross held the statistical edge in total rebounds (34-32), steals (14-7), points off turnovers (14-9) and points in the paint (20-16).
• American had a trio of players in double digits in Michael Harris (12), Booth (11) and Lauren Crisler (10).

NEWS & NOTES:

• Hourigan and Thomas-Waheed each crossed point milestones in the contest. Hourigan scored her 600th point and now has 607 as a Crusader, while Thomas-Waheed tallied her 400th point and has recorded 416 points in her career.
• The win improves Holy Cross' record in Patriot League action to 5-3 – its best start to a conference season through eight games since 2008-2009.
• The Crusaders have won two straight against American and are now 19-15 all-time against the Eagles.
• Holy Cross improves its home record to 6-3 on the season and 3-1 in Patriot League home tilts.
• The 14 steals recorded by Holy Cross were a season-high.
• The double-double for Hourigan was her fourth of the season and the fifth of her career.

UP NEXT:

• Holy Cross returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 30, when it travels to Navy for a 4:00 p.m. contest.

BE PART OF THE ACTION:

• To purchase single-game tickets for the 2015-2016 Holy Cross women's basketball season, visit GoHolyCross.com/Tickets or call the ticket office at 1-844-GOCROSS.

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