WORCESTER, Mass. – Junior
Cara McCormack produced a career-high 20 points as the Holy Cross women's basketball team won their eighth straight game defeating Patriot League foe Bucknell 69-50 Saturday afternoon in the Hart Center Arena.
McCormack bested her previous personal-best point total of 18 points (vs. Boston University – 1/5/21) shooting an unconscious 5-of-8 (62.5%) from beyond the arc for the Crusaders (16-3, 8-0 PL). The five three-point conversions were also a career-high for the sharpshooter. Since returning from injury, the Crusaders are 11-1 with McCormack on the court and 8-0 when she starts.
Sophomore
Lindsay Berger double-doubled for the second consecutive game scoring 11 points while recording contest-bests in rebounds (10) and blocked shots (3). Junior
Bronagh Power-Cassidy notched 12 points on a perfect 6-of-6 (100%) efficiency from the charity stripe while senior
Addisyn Cross had nine points, four rebounds and a game-high three steals.
Bucknell (6-13, 2-6 PL) suffered their third straight loss and was led by Tai Johnson's 14 points and five rebounds. Isabella King joined her teammate in double-digits with 12 points. Emma Shaffer only played 17 minutes due to foul trouble.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Bucknell took a 7-4 lead as Emma Theodorsson drilled a triple for the lead with 6:37 left in the first. Cross took a charge at the 5:50 mark which put Shaffer on the bench with two fouls in the early going. An 11-2 Crusader run which saw Berger connect with freshman Simone Foreman underneath for the hoop and harm pushed the Crusaders ahead 19-11. Bucknell notched the final four markers to drop the lead to 19-15 through the first.
- The Bison scoring stretch reached eight consecutive points as they tied the score 19-19. McCormack stopped the Bucknell burst canning a triple from the top of the point for the 22-19 advantage. Freshman Meg Cahalan dumped in a post score for the 26-22 lead. A corner three-ball from King leveled the margin at 31-31. Berger made a free throw as Holy Cross led 32-31 at the break.
- Holy Cross tallied four thefts over the opening 3:06 of the third coupled with a Berger mid-range jumper upped the Crusader lead to 36-33. McCormack went on a massive scoring stretch for the Crusaders accounting for nine consecutive markers as the hosts led 47-37 after three.
- The Crusaders kept attacking as sophomore Grace Munt clinched the 19 point win with a mid-range jumper at the 59 second mark.
OUTSIDE THE BOX:
- Bucknell shot 50% from the floor (13-of-26) in the first half with Shaffer playing only five minutes. Shaffer played 12 minutes in the second half and Bucknell only hit 34.8% (8-of-23) of their shot attempts.
- Addisyn Cross was a game-best +18 when she was on the court.
- Holy Cross turned the ball over six times which is the lowest total in a game under head coach Maureen Magarity.
- Over the last three games, Holy Cross has shot 50.3% (75-of-149) from the field and 40.6% (13-of-32) from three-point land.
- The last time the Crusaders swept the regular season series against Bucknell was the 2014-15 season.
- Holy Cross has won eight straight games for the 17th time in program history.
POSTGAME THOUGHTS:
UP NEXT:
- Holy Cross hits the road on Wednesday, Jan. 25 to battle Patriot League opponent Lehigh.
- Tip-off is scheduled for 6 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
Be sure to follow the Holy Cross women's basketball team — and all things Crusader Athletics — on social media!
Twitter - @HCrossWBB | @goholycross
Instagram - @hcrosswbb | @goholycross
Facebook - Holy Cross Women's Basketball | Holy Cross Athletics
YouTube - GoHolyCross
