Feb. 20, 2008

Box Score in PDF Format Final Stats

WORCESTER, Mass. - Kalen Kropa's (Jr., Reidsville, N.C.) three-point attempt at the buzzer hit the rim twice before bouncing out to allow Holy Cross to escape with a 56-53 victory over the Navy women's basketball team, Wednesday night at the Hart Center in Worcester, Mass.

Holy Cross held a 49-45 lead with just under four minutes left to play before Kropa made one of two free throw attempts followed by a three-point field goal, sandwiched around a Holy Cross missed field goal attempt, to tie the game at 49-49 with 2:25 left on the clock.

Kathy Gruzynski then was found alone underneath the basket for a layup to give the Crusaders a two-point advantage with two minutes left to play. Cassie Consedine (Fr., Bartlesville, Okla.) missed a three-point attempt for Navy, but K.C. Gordon (So., Vienna, Va.) was fouled while trying for the offensive rebound and was sent to the free throw line with 1:29 to play. She missed the front end of the bonus and Laura Alosi grabbed the rebound for Holy Cross.

Briana McFadden missed a shot in the lane for Holy Cross and Consedine rebounded to return the ball to Navy with 1:05 left on the clock. Angela Myers (Fr., San Antonio, Texas) would drill a three-pointer on the ensuing Navy possession to give the Mids a 52-51 lead with 48 seconds left.

Bethany O'Dell would miss a jumper for the Crusaders, but Gruzynski grabbed the offensive carom and fed Elizabeth Campbell in the lane for an easy bucket to give Holy Cross a 53-52 lead with 26 seconds remaining in the game.

Navy rushed the ball down the court and called timeout with 26 seconds left on the clock. Myers first had trouble receiving the inbounds pass in front the Navy bench, then overthrew Gordon and sent the ball out of bounds on a turnover with 17 seconds left.

The Mids fouled McFadden right after the ball was inbounded and she made both ensuing free throws to make it a 55-52 game with 14.9 seconds left to play. Kropa drove the lane and her attempt went over the basket, but Gordon was fouled while going for the ball with 8.3 seconds left in the game. She made the first attempt to cut the margin to two points, but missed the second. McFadden gathered in the loose ball and she was fouled with 7.1 seconds left in the game. She would miss the first attempt but nail the second to give the Crusaders a 56-53 lead.

Kropa received the inbounds pass and quickly rushed the ball down the court. She stopped just in front of the three-point line and the top of the key and let fly her game-tying attempt just before the buzzer. The ball hit the front of the rim, softly hit the back of the rim and fell out to end the game.

"This is historically a difficult place to play, and to take the game down to the last few seconds is a great effort on our part," said Navy head coach Tom Marryott. "We gave ourselves a great opportunity to come away with a win.

"While we have a lot to be proud of tonight, this once again shows how important every possession is throughout the 40 minutes of the game."

Navy executed very well on both ends of the floor at the start of the game in building a 16-6 advantage. The Navy lead was still 10 points at 20-10 following a jumper from Gordon with 10:40 left to play in the half. It would be the last field goal made by the Mids until a Whitney Davidson (Jr., New Oxford, Pa.) three-pointer with 2:25 left in the game. The triple by Davidson tied the score at 23-23 and the Mids would eventually go into halftime holding a 26-25 advantage.

Holy Cross would take a lead of as many as six points midway through the second half at 38-32 before Navy rallied to tie the game at 39-39.

Both teams made 19 field goals in the game and the Mids held a 6-2 advantage on three-pointers made, but Holy Cross converted 16-of-20 attempt from the foul line while Navy was 9-of-13 from the charity stripe.

Navy held a slim 34-33 lead in rebounds, but turned the ball over 21 times and forced Holy Cross into only 14 turnovers.

Consedine led all players in the game with 17 points and 11 rebounds to notch her 11th double-double of the season. Davidson added 10 points for Navy, Gordon scored nine points and Myers contributed three points, nine rebounds and six assists.

Campbell led Holy Cross with 13 points.

Navy falls to 6-20 on the year and 2-9 in the Patriot League with the loss, while Holy Cross improves to 15-11 on the season and 8-3 in the league with the victory.

Navy will next play Saturday at Army in the Star Game between the two programs. The game will begin at 11 a.m. and will be carried live on WNAV-AM 1430.