WORCESTER, Mass. – Senior
Avery LaBarbera had plenty of big games during the season and kept performing at an elite level. She powered the Holy Cross women's basketball team to a 59-48 win against Patriot League opponent Boston University Wednesday evening in a rowdy and electric Hart Center Arena.
LaBarbera scored a game-best 24 points and snared 11 rebounds in her 17th double-double effort of the season as the Crusaders (20-9, 14-4 PL) won the regular-season championship for the first time since 2004-05. Holy Cross achieved its first 20-win campaign since 2013-14 and set the program record with 14 Patriot League wins. The victory was the Crusaders' fourth in a row for preseason ranked fifth-place program.
The Crusaders will take on the winner of the No. 9 seed Colgate and No. 8 seed Navy game on Monday, March 7 at 7:00 p.m. during the 2022 PenFed Credit Union Patriot League Women's Basketball Championship in Worcester. Sophomore
Bronagh Power-Cassidy battled foul trouble but still managed to score 13 points in 21 minutes, hitting three threes on a 5-of-6 (83.3%) shooting performance.
For BU (16-13, 12-6 PL), Alex Giannaros scored a team-high 15 points but turned the rock over five times. No. 3 BU will host no. 6 Army West Point in the quarterfinal round on March 7 at 6:00 p.m.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- BU began the game with a 5-0 lead when Giannaros drained a right-wing three. Senior Oluchi Ezemma powered home a pick and roll layup for the teams' first point making it 5-2. Ezemma's layup was the start of a 15-3 quarter closing run for the Crusaders as junior Addisyn Cross drove the lane for two to lead 15-8 after one.
- Power-Cassidy knocked down two threes in the second quarter expanding the Crusaders' margin to 23-15 at the 6:40 mark. A Caitlin Weimar second-chance layup pulled the Terriers within four, 25-21. Holy Cross took its first double-digit lead, 35-25, off a McCormack long-range connection. LaBarbera converted a floater as the horn sounded at the intermission to make it 37-28.
- LaBarbera kept the hot hand going in the third with a deep three on the wing for the 12-point margin. BU chipped away with a Maren Durant layup in the post, putting her team down 45-41, which was part of a 7-0 run.
- Holy Cross answered the seven consecutive points via a 12-2 push that stretched into the fourth quarter, capped off by a Power-Cassidy three and two-point bucket, giving the hosts their biggest lead at 57-43 with 4:02 to go.
OUTSIDE THE BOX:
- The Crusaders shot a season-high 58.3 percent (7-for-12) from three.
- BU recorded its lowest point total in Patriot League games this year.
- LaBarbera's double-double was the 20th in her career which ranks seventh all-time in program annals.
- This marks the 22nd time in program history the Crusaders have won 20 or more games.
- The senior duo of Ezemma and Kelly Petro were a combined +32 in the game.
COACH'S CORNER:
