The Boston University women’s basketball team lost to local rivals Holy Cross 60-47, falling to ninth in the Patriot League with a 2-9 conference record.
BU (8-14, 2-9 Patriot League) head coach Melissa Graves noted the intensity of the rivalry with the Crusaders (15-7, 8-3 PL).
“I think they had a really great fanbase today which made it a little bit tougher,” said Graves. “but I thought we had good moments.”
Sophomore guard Inés Monteagudo Pardo’s offensive efforts were consistent throughout the game, coming off the bench and eventually logging the most minutes.
She made an impact immediately upon checking in, getting a steal and assist before nailing her first three-pointer of the game and making three field goals from deep in the first half.
Holy Cross forward Lindsay Berger had three blocks in the first quarter alone, slowing down BU’s efforts.
Freshman forward Allison Schwertner started heating up in the second frame, getting to her spots quickly and cutting the Crusaders’ lead down to one with 8:32 to halftime.
Sophomore guard Audrey Ericksen maintained her consistency from behind the line, nailing both free throw attempts to put her 15-for-16 on the season.
Sophomore guard Bella McLaughlin was efficient in the paint and at the free-throw line, contributing a total of eight points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal.
After the Terriers held the Crusaders to 18 following a layup from McLaughlin and a layup from Inez Gallegos, Crusader interim head coach Candice Green called a timeout.
BU appeared a cohesive unit with four steals through the start of the second quarter, but things became shaky when Berger repeatedly broke through the Terriers’ defenses.
The half ended 32-26 after Berger reclaimed the lead for the Crusaders.
Despite senior guard Alex Giannaros’s offensive struggles, Graves was appreciative of how her players adjusted. She praised Monteagudo and Schwertner for their performances, remarking, “other people stepped up, but just not in the capacity that we needed.”
Junior forward Anete Adler made an impact in the third quarter, making two field goals and a free throw.
Schwertner’s on-ball defense was critical for the Terriers, and she secured the last two rebounds and points of the third quarter for BU before Holy Cross’s Hannah Griffin ended the quarter 41-19 with a layup.
Things fell apart for BU as soon as the fourth quarter began, with Graves calling a timeout with more than eight minutes left.
The Terriers were ice cold from behind the 3-point line, and did not record any points until Schwertner made a layup with 3:47 left in the game.
Berger recorded four blocks and 12 points without any fouls. Her teammate Meg Cahalan also had an electric performance for the Crusaders, recording a career-high 25 points with five 3-pointers.
Adler and Schwertner each made a field goal in the last two minutes, but they ultimately weren’t enough to cut the lead down. The Terriers struggled significantly to capitalize on possessions, ultimately yielding 15 turnovers in the game.
The Crusaders retained the last possession before the buzzer, beating the Terriers 60-47 and bringing their conference record to 8-3.
Graves remained confident in her players, saying “there’s no other option right now but to continue to play hard, keep getting better, try to get some wins and some momentum going into playoffs.”
She insisted throwing in the towel was not an option.
“I still believe in this team,” and they have to “find a way to get some wins,” she said.
BU has seven games left in the regular season, and will face off against Bucknell at home on Wednesday night.
