The Holy Cross women's basketball team will play host to reigning Patriot League tournament champion American on Monday, Mar. 6 at 7 p.m. for a 2023 PenFed Credit Union Patriot League Women's Basketball Championship quarterfinal round matchup in the Hart Center Arena. The contest will stream live through ESPN+.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT #2 HOLY CROSS (21-8, 13-5 PL): 

• The Crusaders have won three straight games including handing regular-season champion Boston University their first league loss 57-53 on Wednesday in the Hart Center Arena. Sophomore Lindsay Berger had a career performance scoring a personal and game-high 22 points on 62.5% (10-of-16) shooting in the upset.
• Holy Cross has seven comeback victories of seven or more points this season including three separate 10 point or more come from behind wins. The Crusaders trailed by 12 in the second quarter against BU to snap the Terriers 17 game winning streak which previously was the fifth longest in NCAA Division I.
• On Friday, the Patriot League 2022-23 Postseason Awards were announced. Junior Bronagh Power-Cassidy highlighted the Crusader selections with an All-League second team bid. Classmate Janelle Allen was chosen to the All-Patriot League third team while freshman Kaitlyn Flanagan was named to the All-Rookie Team. Senior Addisyn Cross became the first player in program history to be named to the All-Defensive team twice (2021-22, 2022-23). 
• This season, Power-Cassidy has had great success against American as she is averaging 19.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists on 48.0% (12-of-25) shooting and 47.1% (8-of-17) three-point efficiency.
• Allen has also balled out against the Eagles by averaging 15.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game while converting field goals at a 46.2% (12-of-26) clip.

HOLY CROSS IN THE PATRIOT LEAGUE TOURNAMENT:

• The Crusaders have won a conference-best 11 Patriot League championships since the league's inception back in 1990-91. The last time the Crusaders won the conference title was during the 2006-07 campaign earning a 56-48 win at home against American.
• Overall, Holy Cross is 47-20 (.701) in the Patriot League Championship tournament. They hold a 17-8 (.680) record during the quarterfinal round. The Crusaders are 25-6 (.806) when playing at home in the conference dance.
• In the history of the Patriot League tournament, the no. 2 seed has a 26-4 (.867) record against the no. 7 seed. The last time a no. 7 seed beat a no. 2 seed was March 7, 2009 when Lafayette beat American 58-56.
• Holy Cross is 3-1 (.750) against American overall in the conference dance including an unblemished 2-0 record at home. The Crusaders won the last meeting, 67-52 back on March 5, 2012 in Washington, D.C.

SCOUTING THE #7 EAGLES (9-21, 7-11 PL): 

• No. 7 American is coming off a 78-71 first round victory over no. 10 Navy on Saturday evening. Four players reached double figures for American including Lauren Stack's 17 point and eight rebound effort in 40 minutes of action.
• The Eagles had two student-athletes earn All-League accolades. Emily Johns was named to the Patriot League second team while Ivy Bales was an All-Defensive Team selection.
• Johns is the leading scorer on the team averaging 13.0 points per game, 10th best in the league. Bales paces the squad in rebounds per game (6.1), assists per game (3.4) and steals per game (1.6). Bales is second in the conference in assists per game and tied for fourth in steals per game.
• As a team, American ranks second to last in the Patriot League in scoring defense (66.9). They are also second to last in three-pointers (116), rebound margin (-5.5), and blocks per game (1.7). They are tops in the conference in steals (236) and steals per game (7.9). 

AMERICAN IN THE PATRIOT LEAGUE TOURNAMENT:

• American has won three conference championships with their last coming during the 2021-22 season, a 65-54 victory over Bucknell. American has won two of the last four conference titles.
• Overall, the Eagles are 28-18 (.609) in the league championship tournament. American is 14-7 (.667) in the quarterfinal round and have a 2-10 (.167) mark on the road in the PLT.

LAST TIME THEY MET: 

• Holy Cross is 25-22 (.532) in the series history against American dating back to 2000.
• American earned a 67-65 overtime win the last time out on Feb. 11. Lauren Stack scored a game-high 17 points in the victory.
• The Crusaders are 14-9 (.609) in the Hart Center Arena against the Eagles.

UP NEXT: 

• The winner of this game will take on the winner of the no. 6 Bucknell/no. 3 Lehigh game in the semifinal round on Thursday, March 9 hosted by the highest remaining seed.

 
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