Crusaders Keep Winning; Eagles Can’t Quite Get There
WORCESTER, Mass. – Two teams that appear to be heading down opposite paths played for the second time in 11 days on Wednesday night. On one bench, there was Holy Cross, undefeated in Patriot League play with just two seniors. On the other say American, a team many thought would be a sleeper contender with six seniors and everyone back from last season’s team that had some growing pains.
For a time in the first half, it looked like the sleeper might start to emerge after a tough 3-4 start in Patriot League play. Holy Cross was careless on offense, turning the ball over 11 times, and that led to 17 Eagle points. The Eagles also did a good job on Keith Simmons, as he didn’t score with just three field goal attempts. But there was still the second half.
Not only did Holy Cross work their way back, but Simmons gave them the lead for good with his first five points of the game breaking a 29-29 tie to start a 10-1 run. They would later break the game open and lead by as many as 13 points, getting good help from Greg McCarthy off the bench when Tim Clifford picked up his fourth foul. From there, defense finished the game off in a 58-47 victory.
The Crusaders won despite having more turnovers than assists and shooting below 35 percent from the floor. That’s one thing that concerns head coach Ralph Willard going forward.
“We didn’t move the ball very well offensively,” said Willard. “We really don’t have any patience on offense. We’re trying to force too many things, not getting any ball movement. We’ve got to work on that to get better with it. If you play good defense, you’re going to have an opportunity to win. We had an opportunity tonight and we seized it.”
Defense has been a real key the entire way, and the Crusaders have been especially adept at shutting down the league’s top players. Army’s Jarell Brown, the second-leading scorer in the league, had just 10 points. Bucknell center Chris McNaughton had four points with just four field goal attempts. Navy’s Greg Sprink had eight points on as many field goal attempts in all 40 minutes. Last Friday, Lehigh’s Marquis Hall and Jose Olivero combined for 29 points, but were 9-28 from the field. On Wednesday, Andre Ingram was held in check for a second time, going 4-15 for 11 points and shooting a combined 9-31 in the two meetings.
“The scouting reports are always key to the best players, giving us their strengths and weaknesses,” said senior Torey Thomas, who led the Crusaders with 16 points. “We try to take away their strengths and make them play to their weaknesses.”
The Crusaders are now 8-0 in Patriot League play, and that’s created a buzz around campus. Students are paying more attention and not just on game night, as players note they are talking about it all around campus each day. The team and its coaches aren’t basking in the glow of being undefeated, as they know many of the games could have gone the other way, but they also appreciate where they are.
On the opposite bench, American’s staff is concerned about this team. The veteran Eagles are now 11-11 and 3-5 in Patriot League play, but more concerning is how they are losing. You get the sense in talking to the staff that this isn’t a senior-laden team, but it is.
“Holy Cross is just very, very sound. They take advantage of their opportunities,” said American head coach Jeff Jones. “Until we can learn that kind of discipline and that kind of consistency, whether things are going good or going bad, we can play people close, but we’re not going to get over the hump. We’ve got to learn those lessons. That’s something that has plagued us since last year.”
The Eagles are 5-5 in games decided by 10 points or less this season, but just 1-4 in Patriot League games that fit that description. Although they have six seniors, none appear to have what the Crusaders’ seniors, Thomas and Simmons, have as team leaders. Thomas and Simmons have carried Holy Cross to victories in some games.
“We’ve got experience, we’ve got a bunch of seniors. We’re not there. It’s clear that that’s the case,” said Jones.
Wednesday’s game marked the beginning of a tough stretch for the Eagles, as they host Lehigh and Bucknell for their next two games. The games are at home, but they won’t come easily. Still, it’s a chance to right the ship before it’s too late and gather some momentum for the home stretch.
