WORCESTER, Mass. - Junior guard
Kaitlyn Flanagan scored a game-high 19 points and handed out a contest-best six assists as the Holy Cross women's basketball team picked up a 63-37 victory against Patriot League opponent Bucknell Wednesday evening in the Hart Center Arena.
Flanagan shot 66.7 percent (8-of-12) from the field drilling a pair of triples, grabbing three rebounds and coming away with two steals for the Crusaders (11-5, 4-1 PL). It was her second consecutive game with zero turnovers and the 11th time she's not turned the ball over in her collegiate career. The Crusaders are 11-0 (1.000) when Flanagan does commit a turnover.
Senior
Lindsay Berger was the only other player in double-figures dropping 16 points with three rebounds, two assists a block and a steal going 7-of-11 (63.6 percent) from the hardwood.
For Bucknell (8-8, 3-2 PL), reigning Patriot League Player of the Week, Ashhley Sofilkanich was held to eight points by on 33.3 percent (2-of-6) shooting by the Crusader defensive unit. The single-digit point effort snapped a streak of 14 straight games in double figures and the eight markers were her second lowest point total of the season (4, at Penn. St. Nov. 4, 2024).
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Flanagan scored her seventh point of the game in the first quarter with a strong take to the rack to double up the Bison 10-5 at the 6:17 mark. Bucknell canned a corner three to take their first lead 12-10 with 3:51 left in the first. Senior Lauren Huber came away with a steal and junior Mary-Elizabeth Donnelly found her wide open under the rack for two to tie the contest 12-12. Both teams failed to score over the final 2:55 of the period.
- The Crusaders began the second on a 9-4 burst to lead by five, 21-16 following a sophomore Janie Bachmann layup underneath. Bucknell notched the next five points to tie the score 21-21 with 2:15 left in the half. Holy Cross finished the half producing the final seven markers as Berger scored four of them to lead 28-21 at the break.
- The Crusader run expanded to 15-2 in the third quarter as they took their first double-digit lead on a Flanagan drive through the paint for the 34-23 edge. Berger sank a mid-range jumper increasing the lead to 36-23. Flanagan had a hand in the final seven points of the third dishing off to Berger twice and converting a hoop and harm for the 45-29 Holy Cross lead.
- Sophomore Kendall Eddy passed off to Berger to open up a 51-29 lead in the fourth. Huber increased the margin to a high of 26 late in the contest.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
- Holy Cross is 8-2 (.800) over their last 10 games.
- Flanagan has posted four or more assists 42 times in her career. The Crusaders are 32-10 (.762) in those games.
- The 37 points scored by Bucknell were a season-low for the Bison.
- The Crusaders dominated the pain outscoring the Bison 32-to-12 in the post.
- Holy Cross held Bucknell to single-digit point totals in the second, third and fourth quarters.
- Bucknell shot 19.2 percent (6-of-31) from the hardwood in the second half scoring only 16 points, their lowest total in a half this season.
- 14 of the 18 Bucknell turnovers came in the first half.
POSTGAME THOUGHTS:
UP NEXT:
- Holy Cross hits the road to league foe American (0-16, 0-5 PL) on Saturday, Jan. 18.
- Tip-off is set for 2 p.m.
FOLLOW THE CRUSADERS
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