LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Holy Cross women's basketball team bounced back from a 30-point loss last time out to earn a wire-to-wire 62-45 victory over Bucknell in the Patriot League opener Friday afternoon at Sojka Pavilion.
Junior
Bronagh Power-Cassidy responded from a zero point effort versus Vermont and scored a team-high 15 points converting 4-of-6 (66.7%) from deep for the Crusaders (9-3, 1-0 PL). Sophomore
Lindsay Berger came off the bench and manufactured 10 markers with a team-high seven boards in 24 minutes. Freshman
Kaitlyn Flanagan handed out five assists and was a contest-best +17 when she was on the court while classmate
Simone Foreman produced nine points on a 4-of-6 (66.7%) shooting performance.
For Bucknell (4-8, 0-1 PL), Cecelia Collins dumped in a game-high 16 points on 50% shooting, she was the only Bison to reach double-figures as the hosts suffered their third straight defeat.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The Crusaders scored the opening seven markers of the game with Power-Cassidy banging home a three and junior Cara McCormack slicing left through the lane. Bucknell scored the next five points to pull within two, 7-5. Holy Cross out produced their opponents 11-5 over the final minutes getting a Flanagan trifecta to lead 18-10 through one.
- In the second, the Crusaders regained a double digit lead. Foreman picked off a pass and went to the rack for an easy deuce and split one of two at the stripe for the 28-16 HC edge. The Holy Cross lead built to a first half high of 15, 35-20 when Flanagan drained both attempts at the line.
- McCormack started the third curling off a screen and connecting on a mid-range jumper for the 17 point, 37-20 lead. On the last possession of the third quarter, Flanagan dished off the rock to Power-Cassidy at the top of the point for the wide open triple that tickled the twine as the buzzer sounded. The Crusaders led 46-32 through three.
- Holy Cross kept countering Bucknell baskets and led by 20 when senior Addisyn Cross sinked a freebie.
OUTSIDE THE BOX:
- Holy Cross started 1-0 in Patriot League play for the second straight year and for the fourth time over the last six seasons.
- The Crusaders are 33-4 (.892) when holding opponents under 60 points in a game under head coach Maureen Magarity. When leading at halftime, Magarity's teams are 29-3 (.906).
- Flanagan has recorded four or more assists seven times this season.
- The loss for Bucknell was just their 17th in Patriot League play since 2015-16. (100-17, .855).
- The 45 point showing for Bucknell was the fourth time this season that they scored under 50 points.
- The 11 turnovers for Holy Cross was their second lowest total of the season.
- The Crusader reserves outscored the Bison bench 23-to-6.
POSTGAME THOUGHTS:
UP NEXT:
- Holy Cross returns home to the friendly confines of the Hart Center arena on Monday, Jan. 2 to take on conference foe Navy.
- Tip-off is scheduled for 12:30 p.m.
- Season tickets and single-game tickets for the 2022-23 campaign are now on sale through the Holy Cross Ticket Office.
FOLLOW THE CRUSADERS
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Twitter - @HCrossWBB | @goholycross
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