The Holy Cross men's basketball team starts Patriot League play hosting Bucknell on Wednesday, Dec. 31 at 2 p.m. The contest will stream live on ESPN+ with Kevin Gehl (play-by-play) and Jacob VanRyn (analyst) on the call.

Fans will be able to ring in the New Year on Worcester Rockin' Eve by receiving 2026 purple glasses and other attire while supplies last.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT HOLY CROSS (5-8, 0-0 PL): 

• Holy Cross is coming off an 81-53 loss to Harvard on Saturday, Dec. 20. Junior guard/forward Gabe Warren scored a team-best 16 points with four rebounds and three steals in the defeat.
• Warren is having the best season of his collegiate career setting single-season career-highs in points (134), rebounds (42), assists (21), steals (20), three-pointers (13), blocks (4), field goal percentage (45.5), three-point percentage (37.1) and minutes per game (29.5).
• Sophomore guard Tyler Boston ranks tied for sixth in the Patriot League in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.5), ninth in assists (41), ninth in assists per game (3.2), 10th in scoring (13.2), 10th in free throw percentage (82.8), 11th in steals (16), and 11th in steals per game (1.2).
• The Crusaders ended conference play ranking second in the Patriot League in scoring defense (73.3), fourth in three-point percentage defense (32.6) and fourth in turnover margin (0.00).
• Holy Cross Athletics announced on Monday, Dec. 22nd that the court in the Hart Center Arena will be dedicated and named in honor of Crusader and NBA legend Bob Cousy. A formal dedication of the Bob Cousy '50 Court will take place on Saturday, Feb. 7 prior to the game against Lehigh on Winter Homecoming Weekend.
• Holy Cross is the ninth ranked Patriot League team in the 2026 Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings (328th). They rank 295th (101.7) in offensive rating and 339th (117.1) in defensive rating. They played the third toughest non-conference schedule in the league this season.

SCOUTING THE BISON (3-10, 0-0 PL): 

• Bucknell has lost 10 of their last 11 games including a 94-39 defeat at RV/#25 Iowa on Saturday, Dec. 20. Ruot Bijiek scored a team-high nine points on the loss while five other players scored five or more points.
• Jayden Williams comes in at fourth in the Patriot League in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.0) as well as fifth in assists per game (4.0) and assists (52). Achile Spadone ranks fifth in steals per game (1.7) and steals (22) while Grgur Brcic is one of the top rebounders in the conference ranking seventh in rebounds per game (5.8).
• Through non-conference action, Bucknell ranks last in the Patriot League in scoring offense (64.0), scoring defense (78.2), scoring margin (-14.2), field goal percentage (39.9), opposing field goal percentage (48.6), three-point percentage defense (40.1), turnover margin (-2.31) and assist-to-turnover ratio (0.84).
• Bucknell ranks fifth out of 10 Patriot League teams in the 2026 Pomeroy College Basketball Ratings (305th). They are 329th in offensive rating (99.8) and 252nd (112.1) in defensive rating. They played the second toughest non-conference schedule in the league this season.

LAST TIME THEY MET: 

• Holy Cross is 34-51 (.400) in the series history against Bucknell which began back in 1991. The Crusaders are 18-19 (.486) against the Bison in the Hart Center Arena.
• In their last meeting on Match 1, 2025, the Bison earned an 94-81 win in Worcester. Then-sophomore Joe Nugent scored 22 points with five three-pointers for Holy Cross.

FOLLOW THE CRUSADERS 
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