Women may be sole tourney entrant from MA
A Patriot League program from Massachusetts was assured an invitation to the Big Dance headed into Sunday’s title game at Boston University’s Case Gym.
No. 2 seed Holy Cross survived a withering fourth quarter surge by No. 1 Boston University and claimed the crown with a 66-61 victory before a capacity crowd at The Roof. The teams split in the regular season.
Holy Cross (24-8, 14-5) captured its 12th Patriot League title and first since 2007. The Crusaders advanced to the NCAA tournament for the 13th time.
“Just to experience this and experience a selection show and hopefully it is not a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said third-year Holy Cross coach Maureen
Magarity. “To just celebrate it and live in the moment and to be so proud for them and what they have accomplished up to this point.”
BU wrapped up the campaign at 24-8 and 17-2, one victory shy of the single-season record. Forward Caitlin Weimer and guard Sydney Johnson were named All-Patriot League first-team all-stars while Melissa Graves was named Coach of the Year. BU will get a WNIT bid and Graves expects the Terriers to regroup and go on a tear.
“This doesn’t negate what we have done all year, which was to break a lot of records and set a tremendous legacy here,” said Graves. “It is disappointing, but we have basketball to play in the NIT. It is a really good tournament and I think we can make a run there.”
Holy Cross shot 52.3% from the floor and 16-of16 from the free throw line with 35 rebounds and 12 assists. Tourney MVP Bronagh Power-Cassidy, a 5-10 guard from Dublin, Ireland, led the way with 21 points, five boards and five assists. Power forward Janelle Allen netted 16 while Lindsey Berger and Cara McCormack scored 11 apiece. Sydney Johnson led BU with 19 points.
“A season is a journey and we’ve played a lot of games and we’ve experienced the others side of things with free throws,” said Magarity. “You learn from experience and since then we’ve shot well from the line.”
The Terriers jumped to a 10-6 lead at the midpoint of the first quarter by pounding the ball inside to their bigs while the Crusaders were reliant on perimeter shooting from the guards.
Holy Cross took a 1310 lead on a 3-ball and two from the line by McCormack with 2:30 on the clock. Power-Cassidy made the Crusaders fourth trifecta of the first quarter to go up 18-15 after one.
Allen made her presence felt on the block with three straight power moves to give the Crusaders a 2823 lead with 6:22 to play in the second. Power-Cassidy hit a sweet fade in the paint and converted a three-point play to put the Crusaders up 37-29 with 1:55 to play. Holy Cross led 39-30 at the half.
Holy Cross sophomore forward Lindsay Berger opened the third quarter with two corner jumpers and a 3-point play to extend the lead to 46-30 with 7:59 to play in the third.
“I was kind of waiting for here to feel it a little bit and those we tough shots she made,” said Magarity.
Lauren Davenport prevented the Terriers from falling off a cliff with a 3-ball and a baseline drive, but the Crusaders were relentless on both ends. Callie Wright made a layup that put HC up 54-35 with 4:45 to play. Holy Cross enjoyed a 28-10 advantage on the boards and led 58-44 after three.
BU’s late run in the third rolled on unabated in the fourth when Johnson opened the quarter with a trey and a pull up jumper to make it 58-49 with 8:56 remaining. Terriers guard Maggie Pina drained a three to extend the run to 14-0.
Johnson hit a 3-point shot to cut the lead to 6261 and extended the run to 25-4 with 2:28 to play. Cassidy-Power made a jumper at 2:01 and two free throws to ice the game.