WORCESTER, Mass. – Trailing by 24 points with 4:37 to go in the third quarter, the Holy Cross women's basketball team completed a roaring comeback, earning a 65-62 victory over Lehigh on Wednesday, Feb. 12 at the Hart Center.

Sophomore Avery LaBarbera keyed a third-quarter surge for the Crusaders (14-9, 7-5 Patriot League), finishing with a game-high 19 points and five assists. Senior Lauren Manis tallied a double-double of 18 points and 13 rebounds, along with five assists, two steals and two blocks. Sophomore Oluchi Ezemma neared a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds, while senior Madalyn Smith finished with seven points, including a pair of clutch 3-pointers.

A pair of players from Lehigh (15-8, 7-5 Patriot League) finished with double-doubles: Cameryn Benz had 16 points and 11 boards, while Camryn Buhr had 13 points and 10 rebounds. Mary Clougherty added in 10 points.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Holy Cross held an initial edge, leading 12-8 after the first quarter; but Lehigh outscored the Crusaders 28-10 in the frame to hold a 36-22 edge entering halftime.
• Out of the gates in the third, Lehigh kept pressuring, extending its lead to 42-22 before LaBarbera had a three to stop the bleeding. Buhr hit a 3 on the other end, though, and Benz and Clougherty had a pair of baskets to give Lehigh a 49-25 lead with 4:37 to go in the third.
• Holy Cross had a quick 10-2 run, featuring a pair of threes from LaBarbera that cut the deficit to 15. LaBarbera later had a layup to make it a 13-point game, 52-39, with 1:01 to go in the third.
• After a free throw put Lehigh back up by 14, LaBarbera had a layup and Smith hit a 3-pointer to help Holy Cross cut within single digits heading into the fourth quarter, 53-44.
• Lehigh pushed its lead back to 11 points with 8:24 to go after a three from Clougherty. Senior Megan Swords hit a jump shot on the other end, and Ezemma had back-to-back layups to cut the lead to five with 6:40 to go.
• Benz hit a three to put Lehigh back up by eight with 5:37 to go. Holy Cross answered with a 7-0 run, capped by a three from Smith that put Holy Cross within 61-60 with 1:43 to go.  
• Buhr had a free throw to give Lehigh a two-point edge, but Manis hit the game-tying shot with 1:03 left before hitting a free throw to put Holy Cross up by one with 34 seconds left.
• Lehigh drew a foul with 27 seconds left, but missed both free throws.
• The Mountain Hawks missed another go-ahead shot attempt with 19 seconds to go. Ezemma made a free throw to push the lead to two, and after Buhr missed a pair of layup attempts, junior Jenay Faulkner sunk a free throw to extend the lead to three, and Clougherty's 3-point attempt at the buzzer fell short.

 
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:

• The comeback is tied for the fifth-largest in NCAA Division I history, according to NCAA record books, and is the largest in program and Patriot League history.
• LaBarbera has hit double-figure points in eight straight games; she is averaging 14.8 points per game in that stretch.
• Manis' double-double was her 15th of the year.
• Ezemma has recorded double-figure rebounds four times this season.
• Sophomore Kelly Petro played a season-high four minutes in the third quarter, finishing with a plus-11 rating.
• Previously, Holy Cross' largest comeback in a win this season was seven points.

UP NEXT:

• Holy Cross heads to Lafayette on Saturday, Feb. 15.
• Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. in Easton, Pa.