Holy Cross hopes end to losing streak is the start of something better

WORCESTER, Mass. – Holy Cross needed a win, simply put.  They came into Tuesday night having lost five in a row.  But more than that, they could have used a good, convincing win, especially since they at one point looked like they might have a chance at just that.  They’ll be content with their 66-57 win over Navy, but not content with how they had to hang on at the end.

“You definitely would rather win ugly than lose pretty,” said sophomore guard Justin Burrell.  “We’re definitely not content with the way we played in the second half.  We talked about some of the mistakes that we made.  We’re not satisfied with our play, so we’re going to continue to build off of that with these couple of days that we have in practice, and hopefully we can get better.”

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Holy Cross could use some production on the wing

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – For much of the first half on Saturday, Holy Cross stayed with Boston College and led at times. The Crusaders had something to do with Boston College’s offense not looking good for most of the first ten minutes, although BC also looked like a team that had not played in a week and had a few days off from practice. But in the second half, Boston College was the more aggressive team and also shut down the Crusader offense for a big stretch, and in the 70-60 loss to the Eagles, some of Holy Cross’ offensive issues were there to see along with some hope.

Holy Cross isn’t without room for improvement defensively, and that was where Milan Brown got started after the game. In particular, the Crusader mentor noted that they knew how Boston College plays but didn’t defend quite according to the game plan, which was to make sure that BC would shoot more than drive to the basket and create. The Eagles were able to do that, however, and it was a key component of the win.

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Exhibition loss could be a blessing in disguise for Holy Cross

WORCESTER, Mass. – Sunday’s 71-63 loss to neighboring Assumption College was certainly not what Milan Brown wanted. But regardless of the result, the Holy Cross mentor, now in his third season at the school, was surely going to come away knowing his team had a good deal of work ahead.

“We knew there were some holes that we needed to fill,” said Brown after Sunday’s game. “I’m hoping that this is a blessing in disguise for us.”

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Quick Hitters – January 21, 2012

Quick hitters as we head into a busy Saturday:

• If there was any doubt as to the value of a point guard, look no further than Boston University and floor leader D.J. Irving. There are a few reasons the Terriers have now won five games in a row and is tied with Stony Brook (who they beat last Saturday) atop the America East Conference, but Irving’s return to health following a concussion last month is chief among them. That was readily apparent to one opposing coach, who thinks he’s the Terriers’ best player.

  “I think they’re at their best when the ball is in his hands and getting guys shots,” said Albany head coach Will Brown.

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Holy Cross may be turning a corner after pulling out a close one

WORCESTER, Mass. – Holy Cross may have conquered a demon in Saturday night’s 62-57 win over New Hampshire. The Crusaders appeared to have the game locked up in the final minute, leading by ten, but they allowed the Wildcats a couple of extra chances that suddenly made it a ballgame. A year ago, they might have ultimately blown this game, but the Crusaders pulled it out by doing just enough late.

The Crusaders led 60-50 with 38 seconds left after two free throws by Justin Burrell. The game was all but in hand at that point, especially since the Crusaders fought back rallies all night long. Then two missed free throws and two missed turnovers, one in their own end, helped New Hampshire suddenly get within 60-57. Burrell then sank two more free throws to finally seal the game and get the Crusaders over the hump.

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Holy Cross Needs to Turn Things Around Again

Early in Patriot League play, it looked like Holy Cross was turning a corner. That was bound to happen considering the talent on the team and the familiarity they have with the league. They started off 2-0, then were 3-1 with the only loss coming at Bucknell, which is not a bad loss by any stretch. But now the Crusaders will go into February with a three-game losing streak after a bad loss to Colgate at home and a tough overtime loss at defending champion Lehigh on Saturday.

Thursday night’s 79-72 loss is a stinger. Colgate had shot better than 45 percent from the field just once all season prior to Thursday night’s game. So a look at the final box score showing that the Red Raiders shot 55.4 percent from the field would be the first sign that this wasn’t a good night. … Continue Reading

It’s All About the Patriot League for Holy Cross

WASHINGTON – Holy Cross is putting all its hopes on the Patriot League. That might not seem surprising even if you knew nothing about their record, considering Patriot League teams rarely have a non-conference resume with the kind of wins that put them in the discussion for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. But that has taken on new meaning as league play approaches.

In the Crusaders’ 58-57 loss at George Washington, they were more short-handed than they have been at other times this season. R.J. Evans missed his fourth straight game with a sports hernia, and may be out a while longer since he can’t do anything physical, including conditioning. Phil Beans has been out for the same amount of time with a foot injury. Now, Andrew Keister has joined the walking wounded with an Achilles injury that they have to be careful with. … Continue Reading

First Win Still Elusive for Holy Cross

WORCESTER, Mass. – There’s no way to put a pretty face on it, no positive way to spin it. Holy Cross is in a bad state at the moment, with their 0-8 mark the worst start in program history. It was one thing to lose the first game or two, and perhaps even another couple of games, but things are at a different point now.

“It is frustrating. You can’t ignore zero wins,” senior point guard Andrew Beinert said. “We want to win, and that’s what our goal is.”

Holy Cross hasn’t been out-classed all season. The Crusaders have been in position to win games, although only a couple of them might qualify as heart-breaking losses. While last season’s team struggled to stop opposing teams, they were able to score. This season’s team has struggled offensively while also struggling on the defensive end often, although if there is a silver lining it appears that they are making strides there of late. Most of all, they have been their own worst enemy. … Continue Reading

Holy Cross Isn’t Getting Anything Easy

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – It hasn’t been the smoothest of starts for Holy Cross, where things were expected to be different this season. It’s still early, and there’s no reason to expect a repeat of last season’s 9-22 showing, but the Crusaders’ 0-4 start – the second season in a row where they have lost their first four (they lost their first six last year) – isn’t exactly what was envisioned, either.

For a little over a half, the Crusaders were right with Boston College. Even when BC went up 55-40 and seemed to be in control, Holy Cross scored seven straight to get within striking distance. But the Eagles followed up with a 14-2 run to put the game away. … Continue Reading

Harvard Unexpectedly Routs Holy Cross

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Sometimes, “dominant” isn’t quite the word to describe how one team played in a game. Wednesday might have been one of those nights with the way Harvard man-handled Holy Cross 72-49 in their home opener in a game that wasn’t even that close.

The Crimson primarily won this game on defense, as Holy Cross’ 49 points might imply. More numbers show it as well, such as the Crusaders shooting below 40 percent from the field and committing 15 turnovers with just eight assists. However, that wasn’t all, and the primary numbers obscure how they did it. First and foremost, the Crimson’s transition defense was excellent all night long, rarely letting Holy Cross get a fast break chance. … Continue Reading