Brendan Grudberg ’28
Staff Writer
It was an eventful weekend here on the hill, as Holy Cross’ 10th annual “Power of Purple” Giving Day spread school spirit and various events all over campus. At the apex of this action was a doubleheader up at the Hart Center, as both the Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams faced off against Boston University with hundreds of students, athletic alumni, and even President Rougeau in attendance. Holy Cross set the stage with purple T-shirts on every seat, matching the Crusaders who wore their purple uniforms typically reserved for road games, and even gave out multiple 55” TVs for students in attendance.
Kicking things off was the men’s team for a matinee tipping off at noon. The Crusaders came into this matchup desperate for a win, having lost 7 of their last 8 as they navigate the Patriot League schedule amidst injuries and growing pains. Especially amplifying their motivation for a W in this one was a game from two weeks prior, in which Holy Cross fell to BU 69-59. Amidst all this pressure, the Crusaders didn’t just get the win, they did so in convincing fashion. The men’s team came away with the win by a score of 72-52, their largest win against a Division 1 team this season. The Crusaders set the tone with stilting defense, holding their opponent to a poor 35% field goal percentage and letting up the fewest points over their D1 opponents this season. Holy Cross led nearly wire-to-wire in this one, with their only time trailing being a two-minute stretch early on. Max Green continued his stellar season, contributing a team-high 18 points including a nasty crossover into a dunk that sent the Hart Center in a frenzy. The freshman phenom certainly met the moment, while sophomore Deandre Williams and senior Caleb Kenney added 16 and 12, respectively. The win brings a spark of hope to the Crusaders’ locker room at a time they need it most, as the regular season winds down and the Patriot League tournament approaches. Although the men’s team has struggled in the standings, something important to note is that 7 of their 8 conference losses have come within 10 points. The fact that BU was 6-5 in the conference coming into Saturday, combined with the fact that they beat Holy Cross earlier this season, means the Crusaders should feel good about themselves moving forward. Impressive about this victory is not only their scoring margin, but how they got there. The Crusaders’ identity all season long has been winning shootouts, leading the league in three-point percentage but trading that off for some defensive woes. Instead, they had their best defensive performance all year, and won comfortably despite a run-of-the-mill shooting night. They’ve got a ways to go, but the men’s team should be happy about their progress this season.
Following the men’s electric win, the women looked to take down a BU team who they also lost to earlier on, 52-49. Interim coach Candice Green’s squad came in riding a two-game skid, motivated to claw their way back to the top of the Patriot League while getting some revenge in the process. Like their counterparts, the women’s team is also dealing with injuries, with leading scorer Simone Foreman sidelined for the last month. The Crusaders ultimately got it done 60-47, with another comfortable win to cap off the doubleheader. Holy Cross once again led nearly start to finish in this one, disregarding a four-minute stretch in the second quarter. Meg Cahalan stepped up big time for the Crusaders, netting a career-high 25 points including 5 three-pointers, while also adding 5 rebounds. Her frontcourt partner, senior Lindsay Berger, anchored the paint on both ends scoring 12 points and adding season-high 4 blocks. It was a balanced effort for the Crusaders, as they controlled the game offensively while also making big-time plays defensively, including 15 forced turnovers and 6 blocks. The Crusaders simply played to their strengths in this one, a testament to the consistency Candice Green has instilled in her unit this season. Despite the two hiccups prior to Saturday’s matchup, Holy Cross sits at 8-3 in the Patriot League, good for second place behind only Lehigh. Candice Green looks more and more like a candidate to take over the permanent head coaching job for the Crusaders, performing well above expectations despite injuries to key players and a depleted roster following two straight March Madness berths.
Two timely victories for the Crusaders’ basketball teams not only sparked some school spirit amidst the cold winter months, they also showed immense promise for the two teams’ respective postseason chances. The women are in a far better position than the men right now standing-wise, but the men look to be making big strides and may finally get over the hump and start racking up wins. Regardless, it was a great event for fans at the Hart Center and for the Holy Cross community in general, and two Crusader wins only improved those positive spirits.
Featured image courtesy of Holy Cross Athletics
Copy Edited by Charlotte Collins ’26
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