Men?s Basketball Defeats South Carolina State 73-57

THE BASICS:

Score: Holy Cross 73, South Carolina State 57
Records: Holy Cross 2-3; South Carolina State 1-4
Location: Hart Center at the Luth Athletic Complex, Worcester, Mass.
Date: November 25, 2016
The Lead: Senior guard Robert Champion totaled 18 points, three rebounds and three assists, as the Holy Cross men's basketball team defeated South Carolina State 73-57 at the Hart Center at the Luth Athletic Complex.

POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE

MAN OF THE MATCH PRESENTED BY THE UNITED STATES MARINES:

After the game, sophomore forward Karl Charles was selected as the United States Marines Man of the Match.
Charles totaled 14 points, nine assists and five rebounds on the afternoon.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

The Crusaders shot a season-best 56.1 percent from the floor (23 of 41), in addition to making 76.9 percent of their free throws (20 of 26).
Holy Cross also held a 29-19 rebounding advantage on the day.
Senior center Matt Husek finished the game with 12 points and five rebounds, while senior forward Malachi Alexander added 11 points and six boards.
The Bulldogs were led by Tashombe Riley with 18 points, five rebounds, two assists and two blocked shots.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

The game was close early on, with the Crusaders holding a 10-7 lead with 15:51 left in the first half.
Holy Cross then scored eight straight points to start an 18-5 run, taking a 28-12 advantage.
Alexander and Champion both scored five points during that spurt.
South Carolina State responded with an 11-1 run of its own to get back in the game, and was down just 31-25 with 1:30 left before the break.
But the Crusaders closed out the half with a quick 6-0 run to take a 37-25 lead into the locker room.
The Holy Cross lead stayed in double figures early in the second half, and stood at 54-43 with 9:53 left to play.
The Crusaders then used a 10-2 spurt over the next 4:33 to extend the margin to 19 (64-45) and put the game away.
The Bulldogs would get no closer than 13 points the rest of the way, with Holy Cross eventually posting a 16-point victory.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:

Charles set a new career-high with his nine assists.
The game was part of the Brooklyn Hoops Holiday Invitational, with Holy Cross improving to 1-2 in the event.
This was the first-ever meeting between the Crusaders and the Bulldogs.

UP NEXT:

Holy Cross returns to action on Sunday, Nov. 27, when it plays host to Monmouth at 12:05 p.m.

BE PART OF THE ACTION:

Season and single-game tickets to see the Crusaders are on sale now. Make sure you don't miss the opportunity to see the best collegiate basketball in Central Massachusetts! Tickets for Holy Cross basketball can be purchased online at GoHolyCross.com/tickets or over the phone by calling 1-844-GOCROSS.

KEEP CONNECTED:

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BLACK FRIDAY & CYBER MONDAY

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