WORCESTER, Mass. - Trailing by 13 points in the third quarter, the Holy Cross women's basketball team dropped the deficit to a point with 21 seconds left, however, Patriot League opponent Colgate countered on the next possession and escaped the Hart Center Arena with a 60-56 victory Saturday afternoon on Senior Day.
The setback was the third straight for the Crusaders (18-8, 10-5 PL) and the fifth over the last seven games. The Raiders (13-13, 7-8 PL) dominated the offensive boards outrebounding the Crusaders 15-to-3 which resulted in 17 second chance points for the guests.
Juniors
Bronagh Power-Cassidy and
Janelle Allen did the heavy lifting for Holy Cross. Power-Cassidy tallied a game-high 20 points on 7-of-14 (50%) shooting with a game-best two blocks. Allen added 17 points and five caroms going 8-of-13 (61.5%) from the hardwood.
For Colgate, Tiasia McMillan scored a team-best 15 points with four boards and two assists. McMillan earned Winter Homecoming Game MVP honors and she was awarded with the Rev. George L. O'Brien Trophy by the Holy Cross Club of Greater Worcester.
In a pregame ceremony, the Crusaders honored their lone senior,
Addisyn Cross for her contributions to the program and campus community.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Colgate took a two-possession lead in the first quarter at 15-9 when McMahon converted a layup following a Crusader turnover. The margin increased to eight in the second quarter, 19-11 when Schiller picked off the pass and went the other way for two.
- Eight straight points by Power-Cassidy in the second quarter pulled Holy Cross within four, 23-19. Allen tied the game at 29-29 off a feed by freshman Kaitlyn Flanagan until McMahon regained the halftime edge at 31-29.
- In the third Holy Cross could only muster two points over the opening 8:26 as Colgate built the margin to 13, 44-31 thanks to a 13-2 run. Two Cara McCormack free throws dropped the deficit to eight, 46-38 at the intermission.
- Holy Cross used a 10-5 burst including an Allen and one to come within three, 51-48. Back-to-back Colgate buckets improved the score to 55-48. Six straight by the Crusaders made it a 55-54 game.
OUTSIDE THE BOX:
- Flanagan established a new career-high with nine assists. The last Crusader to record 10 or more assists in a single game was Alex Smith (12) at Bucknell on March 6, 2014.
- Power-Cassidy knocked down her 100th career three-pointer to open the scoring. She has 101 career triples and needs 41 more to move into 10th place on the program's all-time list.
- The Crusaders have lost three straight home games for the first time since the 2017-18 season.
POSTGAME THOUGHTS:
UP NEXT:
- The Crusaders remain at home for a conference contest on Wednesday, Feb. 22 versus Loyola (Md.).
- Tip-off is scheduled for 7 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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