The Holy Cross women's basketball team will welcome students from Worcester Public Schools when it hosts the University of Vermont on Tuesday, Dec. 16 for the Crusaders' annual Field Trip Game presented by Polar Beverages. Tipoff is slated for 10:30 a.m. at the Hart Center Arena and the game will be televised on NESN and ESPN+.

Family-owned and operated in New England since 1882 and based in Worcester, Massachusetts, Polar Beverages has remained a beloved hometown favorite while growing into a national cult favorite. Since 1882, Polar Seltzer has been crafted with just three ingredients–water, bubbles and great taste.

THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT HOLY CROSS (4-5, 0-0 PATRIOT LEAGUE):

• Last time out, the Crusaders rallied for a 53-41 victory at Bryant on Dec. 7 as senior point guard Kaitlyn Flanagan scored 19 points in the fourth quarter.
• Holy Cross trailed 22-14 with 8:08 to play in the third period before outscoring the Bulldogs by a 39-19 margin the rest of the way. Flanagan converted a three-point play with 3:29 remaining that gave the Crusaders the lead for good at 41-39.
• The Plymouth Meeting, Pa., native scored 13 consecutive points for the Crusaders in the fourth quarter and matched her career-high with 21 points in the victory.
• Fellow senior Mary-Elizabeth Donnelly added seven points and six rebounds, while classmate Meg Cahalan tallied six points and a career-best 15 boards.
• Cahalan's 15 boards surpassed her previous career-high of seven that had been done on five occasions and were the most by a Crusader since Donnelly corralled 17 in a victory over Northeastern on Dec. 21, 2024.
• Holy Cross held a commanding 49-35 edge in the rebounding battle and converted 19-of-21 (90.5%) from the charity stripe to help secure the victory.
• Bryant's 41 points were also a season-low allowed by the Crusaders and the fewest they have allowed since a 53-27 win against Loyola (Md.) on Jan. 25, 2025.
• The Crusaders are 2-0 against America East foes this season after defeating Bryant and UNH (64-45, Nov. 30).

CATCHING THE CATAMOUNTS (9-3, 0-0 AMERICA EAST):

• Vermont has won three straight entering Tuesday's contest following a 63-46 victory over Sacred Heart last time out. The Catamounts held the Pioneers to 34.8% shooting and forced 17 turnovers.
• Nikola Priede led Vermont with a career-best 25 points to go along with 10 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season, while Keira Hanson scored 17.
• On the season, the Catamounts rank second in America East in both scoring offense (71.6 ppg) and defense (53.7 ppg) and have held each of their last five opponents under 60 points.
• Priede leads the team and ranks in the top five of the conference in both scoring (15.7 ppg) and rebounding (8.0 rpg), while Hanson (14.5 ppg) and Jayden Weltz (11.7 ppg) also average double figures.
• Vermont has defeated fellow Patriot League teams Lehigh (59-49, Nov. 15) and Bucknell (64-48, Dec. 5) thus far in 2025-26.

LAST TIME THEY MET:

• The Catamounts posted a 67-50 victory over Holy Cross on Nov. 16, 2024 in Burlington behind 19 points from Anna Olson and 17 from Hanson.
• In the all-time series, Vermont has won three straight meetings and holds a 12-9 advantage.

 
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