Cadets Grab League Win Over Holy Cross

Wednesday, February 14

Worcester, MA

7 PM

Army West Point

13-12, 6-8

Holy Cross

10-15, 5-9

Army West Point

Holy Cross

Cadets Grab League Win Over Holy Cross

February 14, 2018 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

WORCESTER, Mass. – The Army West Point women's basketball team had three Cadets score in double-figures to help avenge an early-season overtime loss and defeat Holy Cross, 66-57, in a Patriot League road contest on Wednesday night at the Hart Center.

Janae McNeal and Madison Hovren both finished with double-doubles and pushed their double-digit scoring streaks to six games after putting in 25 and 16, respectively. Hovren went 6-for-12 from the field and corralled 12 rebounds to pair with her scoring total.

McNeal recorded a season-best 12 rebounds for Army (13-12, 6-8 Patriot League) and had an overall complete game on the floor, shooting 10-for-17, while also picking up a season-best five steals. Daizjah Morris was key defensive presence for the Black Knights, but got it done on the offensive end as well, capping her night with 12 points against the Crusaders (10-15, 5-9 Patriot League).

ARMY HIGHLIGHTS AND GAME NOTES

Army picked up its sixth-straight win in Worcester, Mass.
Hovren extended her double-double streak to five games, tying the second longest streak of such in her career.
She passed Jennifer Fleming '90 for 14th in all-time scoring with 1,032 points.
McNeal's double-double was her first since Feb. 8, 2017 against Colgate and the third of her career.
It was the second time this season that she made 10 or more shots in a game.
Two Cadets had double-doubles in the same game for the first time since Jan. 11 at Lafayette.
Army's 19 first-quarter points were the most in the opening frame in a game this season since scoring 21 against Boston U. on Dec. 29.
Ten of those first 19 points came off of Holy Cross turnovers.
Out of Army's first 21 points, 20 came from inside the paint.
The Black Knights finished with 34 points from down low.
Army is now 11-2 this season when shooting over 40 percent from the field as a team.
The Cadets won the rebounding margin, 47-26, including a 19-10 disparity on the offensive glass.
When three or more Cadets reach double-digit scoring, Army is 7-1.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Army dictated the game right from the tip and got out to a 9-0 run with Hovren responsible for seven of those points. The Black Knights kept the Crusader offense in check by using three-quarter court pressure to not let them get into a rhythm. Army's defense turned Holy Cross over six times with Morris and McNeal recording two steals apiece.
After six unanswered Crusader points, Army countered with six straight of its own to push the lead back to nine, 15-6. Holy Cross outscored the Cadets 7-4 the rest of the way and it was a six-point game at the end of the quarter.
It was a rocky start to the second quarter from both sides as the two teams combined to make just five shots over a six-minute span. With 3:24 left to play in the half, Army's led was trimmed to three, 24-21, after an Infiniti Thomas-Waheed jumper. It got as close as two, but Army took a four-point edge into the half.
Two minutes into the new half, Army went on a 10-5 run that spanned over six minutes of action to grab a 43-35 lead. In the final 1:10, Holy Cross went to the line eight times and put up six points. McNeal came through for Army though and scored four points, including a layup at the buzzer to push the lead to six, 47-41.
The fourth quarter was plagued by fouling as Army and Holy Cross combined to go to the line 30 times. After a 3-pointer by Destinee Morris to begin the quarter, the Crusaders experienced some shooting woes and were unable to get any closer than seven. Army took advantage and iced the game at the charity stripe en route to the league win.

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