WORCESTER, Mass - Led by junior
Janelle Allen, the Holy Cross women's basketball team dominated reigning Patriot League Tournament Champion, no. 7 seed American 73-44 Monday evening in a rowdy Hart Center Arena.
The victory advances the no. 2 seed Crusaders (22-8) to the semifinal round as they will host no. 3 Lehigh on Thursday, Mar. 9 at 7 p.m. Tickets are on sale through the
Holy Cross Ticket Office. The Eagles (9-22) season ends with the setback.
Fresh off an All-League third team honor, Allen was a force on the block and was one point shy of tying a career-high. She finished the game with a contest-best 19 points with seven rebounds and a game-high three assists. Junior
Bronagh Power-Cassidy added in 12 points with a team-best two steals.
In 26 minutes off the bench, junior
Cara McCormack was a sparkplug recording a four point play and 12 points. Eight of her 12 markers came in the third quarter. Freshman
Simone Foreman played a key reserve roll going 4-for-4 from the field for eight points and five rebounds.
For American, All-League second team forward Emily Johns finished the game with two points on 1-of-7 (14.3%) shooting with six turnovers. Johns fouled out with 2:30 left in the third quarter. Lauren Stack picked up the slack with a 16 point and 11 rebound double-double showing.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- American took a 4-0 lead early when Stack canned a mid-range jumper. A sophomore Lindsay Berger post move tied the game 4-4. With 2:39 left in the quarter, Ivy Bales hit a pair of free throws to reestablish a four point lead. Allen scored the final four points of the period to tie the contest 10-10 through one.
- With 8:36 left in the second half, Allen drew an offensive foul which ended up being Johns third of the half. Holy Cross took their first lead thanks to a McCormack triple and a Power-Cassidy shot at the left elbow to make it 15-13. The Crusader scoring stretch reached 9-0 when Kayla Henning lost the ball, Foreman picked it up, led the break and dished off to Berger for a deuce and the 19-13 margin. American countered with an 11-4 outburst to regain the lead 24-23 following a Sadie Stetson hoop and harm. Holy Cross produced the final eight points of the period and held a 31-24 advantage at the intermission.
- In the third Allen made a second chance bucket to open up a seven point lead, 35-28. Out of the media timeout, the Crusaders notched eight straight with McCormack producing six, four of them on a three-pointer while being fouled to push the margin to 45-30 with 3:13 left in the quarter. McCormack kept the Crusaders ahead by 15 through three 47-32.
- Holy Cross outscored American 26-12 in the fourth quarter for the 29 point win.
OUTSIDE THE BOX:
- The last time the Crusaders recorded 22 or more wins in a season was 2002-03 (24-8).
- The 29 point margin of victory was the program's largest in a Patriot League Tournament game, it was also the largest of the season for Holy Cross.
- The Crusaders shot a season-high 60.9% from the field.
- Holy Cross outscored American 36-to-12 in the post while the Crusader reserves out produced the Eagles' 31-to-9.
POSTGAME THOUGHTS:
UP NEXT:
- The Crusaders will play host to no. 3 seed Lehigh in the 2023 PenFed Credit Union Patriot League Women's Basketball Semifinals on Thursday, Mar. 9.
- Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
- Tickets are now on sale through the Holy Cross Ticket Office.
FOLLOW THE CRUSADERS
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Twitter - @HCrossWBB | @goholycross
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