WORCESTER, Mass. – Visiting Holy Cross for the first Turnpike Trophy matchup of the year on the hardwood Saturday afternoon at the Hart Center, the Boston University women's basketball team erased a 15-point deficit in the second half, but Holy Cross pulled away down the stretch the hand the Terriers a 75-69 defeat.
 
Katie Nelson led the Terriers with 18 points, 11 of which came in the second half, and added in five assists. Nia Irving tallied her second straight double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

How It Happened

• Holy Cross opened the game with an 8-0 run before BU got going as Lauren Spearman knocked down a mid-range jumper and Nia Irving delivered an and-1 reverse layup to put the game within one possession.
• Swinging the momentum back in its favor, the Crusaders spurted out 9-2 run to make it a 10-point game at 17-7.
• Spearman swished a triple to get the offensive back on track, though the scoreboard held in favor of the home team, 24-10, at the end of the first.
• BU continued to use the 3-ball as Spearman and Nelson kicked off the second quarter with back-to-back makes to cut the deficit to 27-20.
• The Terriers hit on 4-of-7 from beyond-the-arc in the frame, as Payton Hauck got in on the flurry, though the Crusaders matched that mark to clutch a 46-34 advantage at the break.
• Nelson caught fire to open the third, pouring in seven straight points to put the Terriers within one possession again, 46-43.
• Holy Cross responded with a 9-4 run until Spearman knocked down her fourth triple in the waning seconds of the third to cut the gap to 60-54.
• Nelson stayed hot, driving through the paint for two straight layups, tying the score twice at 60- and 62-all midway through the fourth.
• In a game of runs, the Crusaders answered once again with a 6-0 streak before BU used five straight free throws to make it a one-possession game again, 70-67, with 50.8 to play.
• However, that would be the closest the Terriers would get down the stretch, as Holy Cross closed the game from the free throw line.

Game Notes

• BU's 69 points were the most it has scored at the Hart Center since putting up 81 on Dec. 2, 1977.
• Saturday marked the first time the Terriers have lost in Worcester since 2016.
• Spearman and Hauck also reached double figures with 14 and 13 points, respectively.
• Riley Childs posted another solid line coming off the bench with seven rebounds, six points and two blocks.

Up Next

• The Terriers are scheduled to host American on Wednesday, Jan. 23.