WORCESTER, Mass. – Freshman guard
Drew Lowder totaled 16 points and six assists, but the Holy Cross men's basketball team was defeated by Fairfield 68-63 in overtime at the Hart Center at the Luth Athletic Complex. The Crusaders fall to 0-3 on the year with the loss, while the Stags improve to 1-2.
Holy Cross made just 37.7 percent of its field goal attempts and 35.7 percent of its three-pointers on the night, while committing 15 turnovers. Fairfield shot 46.3 percent from the floor and 29.4 percent from beyond the arc, and gave the ball away 12 times.
The Crusaders started the game hot, jumping out to an early 21-13 lead with 10:25 left in the first half. The Stags responded with an 11-1 run to pull in front, and eventually took a 34-31 advantage into the locker room at halftime.Â
Fairfield extended its lead to five (45-40) midway through the second half, before Holy Cross scored eight straight points to regain the lead. The Stags later led 56-53 with less than three minutes to play, when Lowder drained a three-pointer to tie the score. After Fairfield went up 58-56 on a put-back by Wassef Methnani, Lowder drove to the basket for a layup to tie the game at 58-58 and force overtime.
After neither team scored for the first minute and a half of overtime, Jesus Cruz scored on consecutive possessions for the Stags to make the score 62-58. Junior forward
Connor Niego hit a layup to trim the margin to two (62-60), before Fairfield's Taj Benning made a short jumper with 37.2 seconds left just before the shot clock expired to put the Stags up four (64-60). Fairfield then hit all four of its free throws in the final 20 seconds to hold on for the win.
Niego finished the game with 14 points, four rebounds and three blocked shots, while junior guard
Austin Butler added 12 points, six rebounds and three assists. Cruz led the Stags with 23 points.
Holy Cross returns to action on Tuesday, Nov. 19, when it plays host to Northeastern at 7:00 p.m.Â
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:
• Niego's three blocked shots tied his career high.
• Sophomore forward
Blake Verbeek pulled down a career-best and team-high eight rebounds.Â
• Over the last three seasons, the Crusaders have now lost six of their last seven overtime games.
