PROVIDENCE – The Holy Cross men's basketball duo of junior guard/forward
Joe Nugent and sophomore guard
Tyler Boston led the Crusaders to a 67-61 win Sunday afternoon against nonconference opponent Hampton at the Brown Bears Invitational.
Nugent scored a season and game-high 22 points for the Crusaders (1-3) as he was 6-for-10 (60.0 percent) from the field, 4-of-7 (57.1) from deep and a perfect 6-for-6 (100.0 percent) at the line with four rebounds and a career-high three steals. Boston drilled the eventual game winning jumper with 39 seconds left and finished with 14 points. Freshman forward
Aiden Disu joined his teammates in double-figures with 10 points on 5-of-7 (71.4 percent) shooting.
For Hampton (2-3), Xzavier Long had a 21 point and 13 rebound double-double with four assists, three steals and a 10-for-10 (100.0 percent) performance at the charity stripe.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- A Disu floater in the paint doubled up the margin 8-4 early in the contest for Holy Cross. Hampton used a second chance bucket to take their first lead 9-8 with 14:55 to play. The Pirates run expanded to 10-0 and their lead to 14-8 following a three at the 12:02 mark. A junior forward Declan Ryan hoop and harm combined with a Disu two handed dunk brought Holy Cross within one, 14-13 with exactly 10 minutes left in the stanza.
- Seven straight markers for the Crusaders with Boston draining a wing triple put them ahead 22-18 with 5:05 to play in the half. Boston knocked down a transition three following a turnover for the 29-23 Crusader edge at the 2:04 mark. Holy Cross led 32-29 at the break.
- Junior guard/forward Gabe Warren dished to Nugent on the wing for his second triple of the second half as Holy Cross built a 38-33 lead 1:58 into the new period From that point, Hampton went on a 18-8 run for the 51-46 edge with 10:55 left.
- Boston had a four point possession for Holy Cross draining two free throws at the line and retaining possession following a flagrant one foul on Hampton. Boston then drove through the paint putting his team down one, 51-50 with 9:45 to play. Nugent knocked down another three-pointer which was part of seven straight as the Crusaders regained the edge 57-55, with 5:52 to go. Two Hampton free throws tied the game 61-61 before Boston's heroics.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
- Holy Cross was an unblemished 15-of-15 (100.0 percent) at the line while Hampton was 16-for-17 (94.1 percent).
- The Crusaders shot a season-high 51.1 percent (23-for-45) in the contest.
- Nugent has 152 career three-pointers and needs two more to pass Robert Champion (153, 2013-17) for sixth place on the all-time list. He needs 71 more triples to become the program's all-time leader.
POSTGAME THOUGHTS:
UP NEXT:
- Holy Cross heads back to Providence to end their run at the Brown Bears Invitational taking on host Brown (0-4) on Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m.
- Season and single-game tickets for Holy Cross men's basketball are on sale through the Holy Cross Ticket Office.
FOLLOW THE CRUSADERS:
Be sure to follow the Holy Cross men's basketball team — and all things Crusader Athletics — on social media!
X - @HCrossMBB | @goholycross
Instagram - @hcrossmbb | @goholycross
Facebook - Holy Cross Men's Basketball | Holy Cross Athletics
YouTube - GoHolyCross
