WORCESTER, Mass -  Junior Bronagh Power-Cassidy scored a career-high 27 points while freshman Simone Foreman chipped in 15 points in 18 minutes off the bench as the no. 2 Holy Cross women's basketball team defeated no. 3 Lehigh 71-54 in the semifinals of the 2023 PenFed Credit Union Patriot League Women's Basketball Championship Thursday evening in the Hart Center Arena.

The win sends the Crusaders (23-8) to their 19th Patriot League championship game and first since the 2013-14 season. They will take on no. 1 Boston University at noon on Sunday, March 12. Fans can purchase tickets to attend or watch the live broadcast on CBS Sports Network.

Power-Cassidy was a force in the contest going 10-of-16 (62.5%) from the floor and 5-of-10 (50%) from deep matching a career-high with five three-pointers and four blocks. Foreman played key minutes off the bench most notably in the third quarter spearheading a game shaping run. 13 of her 15 points came in the third stanza.

Junior Cara McCormack added 10 points off the bench with three boards. Classmate Janelle Allen had seven points, 10 rebounds – six offensive and four dimes while sophomore Lindsay Berger tied a career-best with five assists.

For Lehigh (17-14), Patriot League Player of the Year and scoring leader Frannie Hottinger was held in check notching only 12 points with seven boards on 5-of-16 (31.3%) shooing. All-League first team honoree Mackenzie Kramer scored only three points on a 1-of-12 (8.3%) shooting performance. All-Rookie selection Lily Fandre carried the load on offense scoring a team-high 16 points for the Mountain Hawks.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Two Power-Cassidy threes in the early going coupled with a drive to the rack moved the Crusaders ahead 10-3 early in the first. An Allen post score upped the margin to 12-3. McCormack blew by her defender to increase the Holy Cross lead to 14-6 near the media stoppage. Freshman Kaitlyn Flanagan continued the sizzling start for the Crusaders driving baseline for two to make it 16-6. Lehigh got a triple from Fandre with a hoop and harm minus the freebie and a Hottinger mid-range jumper to cut the margin to one possession, 16-13. McCormack stopped the Lehigh burst banking a trey to make it 19-13 through one.
• Lehigh began the second on an 8-2 spurt to level the game 21-21 at the 5:22 mark. Back-to-back Power-Cassidy long range connections regained the multiple possession edge at 28-21. Lehigh went on an 8-2 run to close the quarter to trail 30-29 at the break.
• An Allen post score increased the lead to 36-33. Anna Harvey canned a triple at the end of the shot clock and Fandre made an and1 for the Mountain Hawk 39-36 lead. Foreman then made a massive impact on the game going to work scoring 13 markers over the final 4:54 of the quarter part of a 19-5 Crusader run to lead 55-47 through three.
• Another Fandre three ball brought the guest deficit down to eight, 58-50 with 7:46 left. Power-Cassidy's 27th point and a McCormack three-ball reestablished the double-digit lead. McCormack pushed the edge to 17 with 1:13 to play, the largest of the game.  

OUTSIDE THE BOX:

• The victory was the 50th for head coach Maureen Magarity at Holy Cross.
• Holy Cross has six 23 win campaigns in program history. The last time the Crusaders won 23 games was the 2001-02 season.
• Holy Cross scored 70 or more points in back-to-back games for the first time this season.
• Senior guard Addisyn Cross, a Patriot League All-Defensive Team selection has held American's Kayla Henning and Lehigh's Mackenzie Kramer to 4.0 points per game on 2-of-16 (12.5%) shooting in both Crusader victories. 

 
POSTGAME THOUGHTS:

Postgame with @CoachMagarityHC #GoCrossGo pic.twitter.com/XnvYpCFmhZ

— Holy Cross Women's Basketball (@HCrossWBB) March 10, 2023

Hear from @bronaghpc13 and @24simonee after the Crusaders advanced to the conference title game!#GoCrossGo pic.twitter.com/g9MjjmrEaE

— Holy Cross Women's Basketball (@HCrossWBB) March 10, 2023

UP NEXT:

• The Crusaders ship off to Boston for the 2023 PenFed Credit Union Patriot League Women's Basketball Championship Game on Sunday, March 12.
• Tip-off is scheduled for 12 p.m.
• Tickets are now on sale through the Boston University Ticket Office.

 
FOLLOW THE CRUSADERS 
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