BOSTON, Mass. – Senior guard Austin Butler scored a career-high 30 points to lead the Holy Cross men's basketball team to an 86-75 victory over Boston University at Case Gymnasium. Butler made 11 of 14 field goal attempts on the night, including three of five shots from three-point range. The Crusaders improve to 5-11 overall and 5-11 in the Patriot League with the win, while the Terriers fall to 5-9 on the season and 5-9 in the conference. 

Holy Cross hit a season-high 59.3 percent of its shots from the floor in the game, including 50.0 percent of its attempts from long distance. The Crusaders also tied their season low with six turnovers, while forcing Boston University to give the ball away 13 times.

The Terriers opened the game with an early 8-4 before, before Holy Cross scored 13 straight points to pull in front. Freshman forward Judson Martindale scored five points during that spurt. Boston University was able to close the margin down to six points (31-25) with 5:39 left before the break, but the Crusaders closed out the half with a 14-8 run to take a 12-point advantage (45-33) into the locker room.

The Terriers trimmed the margin to nine points (48-39) early in the second half, before an 8-2 spurt put Holy Cross back in front by 15 (56-41). The Crusaders would go on to lead by as many as 18 points, as they eventually cruised to an 11-point victory.

Martindale finished the game with a career-high 21 points and six rebounds. Senior forward Matt Faw scored 16 points, while freshman guard R.J. Johnson added 14 points. Boston University was led by Javante McCoy with 22 points and seven rebounds.

Holy Cross will return to action next week, when it opens up play in the Patriot League Tournament.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:
• Butler and Martindale gave the Crusaders two 20-point scorers in a game for just the second time this season.
• Butler, Faw, Johnson and Martindale combined to score 81 of Holy Cross' 86 points on the night.