BOSTON –  Tipping off the season against Holy Cross, the Boston University women's basketball team stifled the Crusaders, 76-54, Monday afternoon at Case Gym.

Leading 35-27 at the half, BU opened up the third quarter with a 13-0 run to stake a commanding 24-point lead. The Crusaders would cut BU's lead to 10 points (55-45) with 9:04 to play in the game but would get no closer as the Terriers coasted to a 22-point victory. 
 
How It Happened

• Riley Childs and Maren Durant worked the block to open, powering to the basket to push out an early 4-0 edge.
• The Crusaders used the 3-point shot to swing the score, connecting on back-to-back makes before BU used a pair of fast break runs to knot it at 8-all.
• Katie Nelson caught the hot hand, pouring in seven straight point for the Terriers to put the scoreboard at 15-13 to start the second quarter.
• Sydney Johnson went coast-to-coast to kickstart a 9-0 Terrier streak, staking a 10-point edge, 28-18, with 3:46 left until the break.
• Emily Esposito capped off the half with a fade-away jumper from the elbow as BU took a 35-27 advantage at the break.
• BU came out on fire to open the second stanza, ripping off a 13-0 run over the first four minutes of the third.
• Holy Cross countered with a 12-0 run in the waning minutes of the frame, though the Terriers held firm, 55-41, heading into the fourth.
• Johnson, who netted a game-high 18 points, continued to attack the rim, using back-to-back solo drives to reverse the momentum back with the Terriers. 
• Annabelle Larnard put the finishes touches on the game with back-to-back jumpers before BU closed out the game from the line to seal its first win in 301 days.

Game Notes

• BU won its third straight game against Holy Cross, setting its longest win streak in the series.
• Nelson picked up where she left off last season, scoring 17 points on 6-9 shooting, and led all players with five assists.
• The Terriers used mismatches and drives through the lane as part of an 46-20 advantage in points in the paint.
• BU shot 50.8 percent from the floor on 31-61 shooting to outpace the Crusaders' 38.0 percent (19-50)

Up Next

• BU will close out its opening series against Holy Cross tomorrow in Worcester at 2 p.m.