WORCESTER, Mass. – The Holy Cross women's basketball team welcomes Patriot League opponent Bucknell to the Hart Center Arena Saturday afternoon for a noon tip-off. The contest will stream on ESPN+.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT HOLY CROSS (16-7, 10-2 PL): 

• Holy Cross, the top team in the Patriot League has won three straight including a 58-49 decision to Loyola (Md.) on Wednesday. Sophomore guard Cara McCormack came off the bench and dropped 14 points in 28 minutes with three triples to lead Holy Cross. Sophomore Bronagh Power-Cassidy and senior Avery LaBarbera scored 10 points apiece in the victory.
• On Monday, senior Avery LaBarbera was named the Player of the Week for the third time this season. LaBarbera carried the Crusaders to a 2-0 mark last week averaging a double-double, 22.5 points, and 10.0 rebounds to go with 5.5 assists and 1.0 steals per game. LaBarbera shot 43.6% from the floor across 38.1 minutes per game.
• This season, LaBarbera leads Holy Cross in scoring (15.6), rebounding (9.7), assists (4.0), and steals (1.5) per game. Her defensive rebounds per game mark (8.4) is fifth in the NCAA while her 14 total double-doubles rank tied for 11th. In Patriot League contests, LaBarbera is the top rebounder (11.8) and free throw shooter (85.1%) in the league, while ranking third in assists per game (4.3) and third in scoring (17.1) across 12 conference contests.

SCOUTING THE BISON (16-7, 7-5 PL): 

• Bucknell has lost two of their last three games including a 56-48 setback to American on Wednesday in D.C. Taylor O'Brien had a near double-double with 10 points and eight rebounds while Marly Walls dropped 10 points to go with five assists, three rebounds, and a steal.
• Like the Crusaders, Bucknell has a suffocating defensive unit pacing the conference in scoring defense (53.9), ranking second in opponent field goal percentage (36.8%), third in steals per game (6.9), and fourth in blocks per game (3.6).

LAST TIME THEY MET: 

• Holy Cross holds a 47-25 advantage in the series between the two programs which began back in 1991.
• In their first meeting this year on January 22, the Crusaders won 63-62 in overtime with Avery LaBarbera scoring a game-best 30 points to go with 11 rebounds and five three-pointers. Cara McCormack produced 13 points as a starter.