WORCESTER, Mass. – Senior guard
Austin Butler totaled 23 points, 12 rebounds and a career-high six steals, to lead the Holy Cross men's basketball team to a 67-51 victory over Army West Point on Senior Day at the Hart Center at the Luth Athletic Complex. The Crusaders improve to 4-11 overall and 4-11 in the Patriot League with the win, while the Black Knights fall to 10-7 on the season and 6-6 in the conference.
Holy Cross held Army to 38.0 percent shooting from the floor and 15.8 percent shooting from three-point range, while totaling 17 steals and forcing 23 turnovers. The Crusaders also connected on 46.7 percent of their shots from the field and 33.3 percent of their three-pointers.
Holy Cross held a narrow 7-6 lead early on, before going on an 11-2 run to extend the margin to double digits (18-8). The Crusaders would lead by as many as 12 points (24-12) with five minutes left before the break, before eventually taking a 30-21 advantage into the locker room at halftime.
The Black Knights scored the first five points of the second half to close the margin to four (30-26), and were still down by just seven (37-30) with 15:55 left to play in regulation. Holy Cross then used a 12-2 spurt to take control of the game, including five points each from freshman guard DaJion Humphrey and freshman guard
Bo Montgomery. The Crusaders would go on to lead by as many as 22 points, before eventually posting a 16-point victory.
Senior forward
Matt Faw finished the game with 14 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals. Lonnie Grayson led Army with 14 points and seven rebounds.
Holy Cross returns to action on Wednesday, Feb. 24, when it travels to Boston University for a 7:00 p.m. game.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:
• Butler's double-double was the 13th of his Holy Cross career, his seventh of the season and his fourth in the last five games.
• The Crusaders' 17 steals were their most in a single game since Jan. 18, 2005, when they totaled 18 steals against Iona.
• Prior to tip-off, three senior members of the Holy Cross basketball program who will be concluding their collegiate careers at the end of the 2020-21 season were honored in a pregame ceremony.
• Butler and Faw were recognized, along with team manager Patrick O'Keefe.
