STORRS, Conn. – The Holy Cross women's basketball team came up short 88-52 against No. 2 nationally-ranked Connecticut on a snowy Tuesday evening in a sold-out Gampel Pavilion.
The Crusaders (4-4) held an early four point lead and trailed by one point, 11-10 after 10 minutes of action. At the intermission, the guests were down by two-possessions 33-27, however, the host Huskies pulled away in the second half using a 20-0 run late and a total of 55 second-half points.
Senior forward
Lindsay Berger carried the scoring load for the Crusaders with a team-high 12 points shooting 85.7% (6-of-7) from the hardwood. Junior
Kaitlyn Flanagan joined Berger in double-figures with 10 markers to go with three assists.
For UConn (7-0), Sarah Strong posted a personal-high 22 points on 75% (9-of-12) shooting with four three-pointers. Paige Bueckers, the projected No. 1 pick in the upcoming WNBA draft was held to a season-low 11 points by Crusader junior
Simone Foreman and company.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Foreman got her team going canning a pair of three-point jumpers for the early 8-5 Crusader lead. Two sophomore Kendall Eddy free throws upped the Holy Cross edge to four, 10-6.
- Leading by one heading into the second period, UConn built a 12-point margin following a Crusader miscue. Seven straight Holy Cross markers capped off by a Foreman driving layup dropped the deficit to five, 29-24. Flanagan split free throws keeping the squad down two possessions at the break.
- A Flanagan three-ball at the 9:11 mark of the third brought Holy Cross within four, 36-32. From there the Huskies embarked on a 19-3 run to establish a 20-point 55-35 advantage following a Strong triple.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
- The 52 points the Crusaders scored against the Huskies were the most in the series since they scored 64 points in Worcester on Dec. 4, 2006.
- Holy Cross' 27 first half points were the most UConn has allowed during the opening 20 minutes this season.
- The Crusaders held the Huskies to 33 first half points, their lowest first half total this year.
- Freshman Stella Gougoufkas notched her first collegiate bucket in the fourth quarter.
- UConn scored 29 points off 21 Crusader turnovers while Holy Cross could only muster three points off six Husky mistakes.
- Holy Cross shot 70% (7-of-10) from the field in the second quarter.
- Strong scored 10 of her 22 points in a perfect third quarter (4-for-4 FG, 2-for-2 3PT) for the Huskies.
UP NEXT:
- Holy Cross will return back to the Hart Center Arena on Sunday, Dec. 8 as they host Stony Brook
- Tip-off is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. and tickets are 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
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