ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Class of 2023 will have the spotlight shone upon them on Saturday as the Navy women's basketball program will celebrate the careers and contributions of
Imani Edmonds,
Lindsay Llewellyn, team captain
Mimi Schrader and head team manager Ollie Shapiro with a pregame Senior Day ceremony. Scheduled to begin at 12:05 p.m., the ceremony will lead into the Navy-Holy Cross game that will tip-off at 12:30 p.m. at Alumni Hall. Saturday's meeting will be a rematch from a Jan. 2 matchup that went the way of the Crusaders (16-5, 8-2 PL) by a score of 53-40 over the Mids (1-20, 1-9 PL) in Worcester. Senior Day is presented by First Command.
The Navy-Holy Cross game will have live stats provided online, as well as be broadcast on the ESPN+ platform.
ESPN+ is a subscription-based streaming service that requires patrons to sign-up for monthly or yearly plans prior to tuning into the contest.
Navy versus Holy Cross
The Mids and Crusaders have met 71 times in a series that began on January 18, 1992 … All-time, Holy Cross leads Navy, 48-23 with a 21-13 advantage in games played in Annapolis … The two teams had never met prior to the Mids joining the Patriot League in 1991-92 … The series has had multiple lengthy streaks in its history with Holy Cross winning the first eight games, followed by streaks of seven, 10 and 11 consecutive wins by the Crusaders; overall they won 36 of the first 40 games in the series (1992-2008); beginning with the 2009-10 season, Navy swung momentum in its direction with sweeps of the 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2107 and 2018 season series … Over the last 10 contests, the series edge goes slightly to Holy Cross, 6-4 with three of the last four meetings being decided by 10 or less points
Last 5 Games:
Jan. 2, 2023 (A): Holy Cross 53 - Navy 40
March 7, 2022 (A): Navy 50 – Holy Cross 49 *Patriot League Quarterfinals
Feb. 19, 2022 (A): Holy Cross 60 – Navy 55
Dec. 29, 2021 (H): Holy Cross 63 – Navy 53
Jan. 29, 2020 (A): Holy Cross 57 – Navy 43
Most Recent Navy-Holy Cross Matchup: January 2, 2023 in Worcester
For the second game in a row, the Navy women's basketball team challenged one of the Patriot League's best squads and was within one possession late into the third quarter before Holy Cross took advantage of the Mids' foul trouble and pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 53-40 decision on Monday afternoon. The contest at Holy Cross' Hart Center saw the Crusaders hold a 32-29 lead over the Mids until the hosts rattled off a 13-3 run from the end of the third into the fourth quarter to break open the game.
Kate Samson led Navy's offense with 11 points on an efficient five-of-seven shooting effort on Monday. Off the bench, Sam Schofield was the Mids' second-leading scorer with a pair of three-pointers.
Samson sparked Navy early as she took the team's first four shots and converted three field goals to give the Mids a 6-2 lead by the 8:29 mark of the first quarter. Holy Cross was unfazed by this early run and immediately responded with 10 unanswered points over the next five-plus minutes. Mimi Schrader got Navy back in the scoring column as she pulled up for a three-pointer from the top of the arc at 3:22. The three-point shot paid dividends again for the Mids as Morgan Demos quickly passed out of the post to a wide open Schofield in the corner. Schofield's trey tightened the game to one, 14-13 in favor of Holy Cross. A late Crusader field goal made it 16-13 through one quarter.
Once again a quick start by the Mids to begin the quarter saw the visitors score the first five points. Gia Pissott scored the opening basket as Schrader drove towards the lane and kicked out to Pissott on the wing for a three-pointer on Navy's initial possession. Morganne Andrews put the Mids up 18-16 at 8:15 with a fadeaway hook shot. A near four-minute dry spell by Navy allowed Holy Cross to push ahead slowly, 20-18. The three-pointer once again bolstered the Mids' attack as Schofield sank her second trey of the game at 4:21 to make it a 21-20 score. A 6-2 run to close the half gave the Crusaders a slight 26-23 lead going into the intermission. Navy was held back significantly in the first half by 16 turnovers.
Similar to the first quarter, Samson was the catalyst for the Mids' early success as she netted the first four points over the opening 2:12. The 27-26 score stayed static until the 5:17 mark when Holy Cross received a three-pointer from Bronagh Power-Cassidy. A trading of baskets made it 32-29 with 3:41 left to go. Defense won out for the next two minutes until the Crusaders scored four points over the final 90 seconds to go up 36-29 through 30 minutes of action.
Each team recorded three points during the first 2:07 of the fourth quarter and the margin stayed at seven, 39-32. An extended 12-2 run by Holy Cross over the next 5:34 broke the game open for the hosts. With the score 51-34, Navy closed the game with six of the final eight points to complete the contest at 53-40.
For the game, Navy outshot Holy Cross from the field, 33.3 percent (16-48) to 32.7 (18-55) and from three-point range, 35.7 percent (5-14) to 21.1 (4-19). The Crusaders made the most of their 16 free throw attempts and shot 81.3 percent (13-16). The Mids were just three-of-five from the charity stripe.
Ball-handling was an issue for the Mids as they were charged with 23 turnovers. Defensively, they forced the Crusaders into 12 miscues.
Comparing the Teams
| (2022-23 Stats) |
Navy |
Holy Cross |
| Record / League-Only |
1-20 / 1-9 PL |
16-5 / 8-2 PL |
| Home /Away Record |
1-9 / 0-11 |
7-2 / 9-3 |
| Points Per Game |
52.4 PPG |
60.6 PPG |
| Points Allowed Per Game |
70.0 PPG |
54.3 PPG |
| Field Goal Percentage |
35.8 % |
41.5 % |
| 3-Point Percentage |
28.8 % |
31.1 % |
| Free Throw Percentage |
60.8 % |
72.1 % |
| Rebounds Per Game |
37.5 RPG |
37.6 RPG |
| Assists/Turnovers Per Game |
10.4 / 18.9 |
13.6 / 20.2 |
Individual Leaders
| (2022-23 Stats) |
Navy |
Holy Cross |
| Points Per Game |
Watts, 13.4 ppg |
B. Power-Cassidy, 12.7 ppg |
| Rebounds Per Game |
Andrews, 5.9 rpg |
L. Berger, 7.2 rpg |
| Assists Per Game |
Schrader, 2.7 apg |
K. Flanagan, 3.0 apg |
| Field Goal Percentage |
Samson, 45.2 % |
L. Berger, 53.7 % |
| 3-Point Percentage |
Schrader, 32.4 % |
B. Power-Cassidy, 38.7 % |
| Free Throw Percentage |
Watts, 77.1 % |
K. Flanagan, 80.9 % |
Last Time Out: Saturday, January 28 at American
For the second straight game, the Navy women's basketball started strong and held a 10-point halftime lead, though a hard-charging American squad came from behind to claim a 62-55 victory on Saturday afternoon. The Mids shot over 45 percent and had just eight turnovers in the first half to jump out to their double-digit advantage before the Eagles' defense buckled down and allowed just nine baskets and forced 14 turnovers over the final 20 minutes to seize the win on their home court at Bender Arena.
Morganne Andrews was everywhere for Navy on Saturday as the junior grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds, while scoring a season-high eight points. Additionally, Andrews was credited with a game-high four steals and a block over 39 minutes of action. Fellow upperclassman Lindsay Llewellyn was the Mids' high scorer against the Eagles as she netted 14 points off the bench. Shooting an efficient 5-of-6, Kate Samson reached double-digits for the first time in six games, as she went for 10 points to go along with five rebounds and a block.
The action on Saturday opened evenly as both teams quickly tallied eight points by the 6:41 mark. Navy's marksmenship was excellent as it hit four of its first five shots, including a pair of field goals by Andrews. From that point, American slowly crept out to a 12-8 lead over the next two minutes. Back-to-back baskets, a Llewellyn jumper and a Sydne Watts three-pointer jolted the Mids back into the lead by a score of 13-12. After two made foul shots by the Eagles, the Mids scored the final nine points of the quarter to take a 22-14 lead into the break. Three-pointers by Llewellyn at 2:42 and Maren Louridas at 1:55 sparked Navy's late run. While the Mids' offense was hot, their defense was equally as proficient as they forced the Eagles into five turnovers and turned that into eight points in the opening frame.
A jumper by Andrews on Navy's first possession of the second quarter gave the visitors a double-digit lead of 10. The Mids held distance of eight-to-12 points between themselves and the Eagles for the entirety of the stanza. Samson scored half of Navy's points in its 12-point effort with a perfect 3-for-3 showing from the field. The Mids defended the Eagles intensely in the second quarter and allowed just three made baskets on 12 attempts to go along with three free throws. An offensive rebound and quick lay off from Andrews to Gia Pissott with 30 seconds remaining closed the half at 34-24 in favor of Navy.
For the first half, Navy shot 45.5 percent (15-33) from the field and had 10 assists on 15 baskets, while only turning the ball over eight times. On the opposite side of the ledger, American shot 32.0 percent (8-25) and had nine turnovers. Additionally, Navy had a 16-4 advantage in points in the paint and an 8-1 edge in second-chance points on the strength of its five offensive rebounds.
Down 10 coming out of the locker room in the third quarter, the host Eagles scored 12 of the first 16 points of the half to draw to within two, 38-36 by the 4:07 mark. A 2-for-2 effort at the foul line by American's Emily Johns two minutes later knotted the game at 38-all. Bending, but not breaking Navy found its shooting touch from long range in the closing 75 seconds of the third quarter with three-point buckets by Louridas and Llewellyn to re-insert the Mids into the driver's seat 44-40 through three quarters of play.
American used the momentum that it built up most of the third quarter and darted out into the lead with seven straight points to start the fourth. Up 47-44, the Eagles never gave back their lead even as the Mids pulled within one point on a jumper by Watts at 5:37 and a Samson layup at 5:03. Navy's final push was a 4-0 run courtesy of back-to-back baskets by Andrews and Louridas to tighten a 53-48 score into a 53-52 contest with 2:43 remaining. Eight consecutive points by American over the next two-plus minutes broke the game open to a nine-point margin before a late three-pointer by Louridas drew Navy back to within six. A single free throw by the Eagles' Laura Nogues closed the scoring at 62-55 in favor of the home squad.
In a flip of the first half stats, American turned 14 Navy turnovers into 14 points, while using five offensive rebounds to garner a 7-5 edge in second-chance points. The Eagles also took advantage of 18 free throw attempts in the second 20 minutes versus just two chances for the Mids.
For the game, Navy outshot American, 38.7 percent (24-62) to 37.7 (20-53) from the field, while the Eagles finished with advantages in three-point shooting, 37.5 percent (6-16) to 28.6 (6-21), and free throw shooting, 66.7 percent (16-24) to 25.0 (1-4).
Parking / Shuttle
Fans are reminded that the general public does not have access to drive their vehicles on to the U.S. Naval Academy. Fans may park at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium for a fee and take a shuttle that will run every 10 minutes starting one hour before the game and will continue running until one hour after the game is completed. Fans 18 and over need a government-issued photo ID. Enter Gate 5 off Taylor Ave. to park at the stadium.
