Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
10-17,6-10Patriot
Holy Cross
18-9,12-4Patriot
Bison Women Fall 63-41 to Holy Cross on the Road
2/21/2026 3:48:00 PM | Women's Basketball
WORCESTER, Mass. — Holy Cross (18-9, 12-4 PL) held momentum for most of the game as it defeated Bucknell (10-17, 6-10) 63-41 in Hart Center Arena on Saturday afternoon. The Crusaders came out to a seven-point first half lead and used a 12-0 scoring run in the third quarter to solidify the home win.
The first quarter opened in Bucknell's favor with a 4-0 lead midway through, but Holy Cross sported a 7-0 run to end the first quarter up by seven. The second quarter went back and forth with each team notching 14 points. Bucknell struggled with picking up fouls which led to 11 of Holy Cross's 14 coming off of free-throw opportunities. The third quarter went all Holy Cross as the Crusaders out-scored the Bison 21-6 to extend their lead to 22. The fourth quarter went even 13-13 in scoring, which wouldn't be enough for the Bison to comeback.
In the loss, the Bison sported all-around scoring with eight of its ten players that got on the court, notching points. Reese Zemitis led the team in scoring with nine and Mariah Hardy and Kaila Richards followed closely behind with seven each. Isabella Casey finished five, Coskun and Ashton each notched four, Anna Kunzwiler had three and Ella Kreuzer rounded out the group with two.
Holy Cross out-shot Bucknell in the field as the Crusaders shot 43.1 percent to the Bison's 37.8 percent. Holy Cross had a solid free-throw day as it went 12-of-13 overall. Bucknell saw less free-throw opportunities and success as it went 3-of-7 in the category. The Crusaders out-shot the Bison from three as well as they went 7-of-18 from three compared to Bucknell's 4-of-17.
While both teams struggled with turnovers throughout the game, the Bison recorded 16 to the Crusaders 12 and Holy Cross recorded 10 steals to Bucknell's 7. While both teams had several turnovers, the Crusaders capitalized on them more as they found 19 points off turnovers compared to the Bison's 10. Holy Cross out-rebounded Bucknell 35-25.
It was a chippy contest with 28 total fouls, Bucknell being responsible for 16 in the game with a majority of those coming in the second quarter.
Bucknell opened the game with a 4-0 run in the first three minutes as the defensive efforts from both teams kept the scoring low. After Zemitis and Ashton banked in shots, Holy Cross found their first points with 5:45 remaining. Ashton then made a tough step-back jumper to put Bucknell up 6-2, but Holy Cross went on a 4-0 run to tie it at the media timeout. Out of the break, both teams saw missed shots until Holy Cross broke the streak and took the lead 8-6. Coskun answered with a driving layup of her own, but the Crusaders then went on a 7-0 run to take a 15-8 lead at the end of the first as the Bison saw multiple turnovers. Both teams struggled with turnovers as a whole in the first quarter, notching four each.
The second quarter opened with Cahalan going 2-for-2 from the free-throw line. Zemitis was then fouled and went 1-for-2. Holy Cross then went on a 4-0 run to take a 21-9 lead, but the Bison answered with a 5-0 run of their own to close the gap back to seven. Foreman was then fouled and went 2-for-2 from the line for the Crusaders, but Casey immediately answered with a layup. The Crusaders then entered the bonus and Cahalan made both free-throws after being fouled. Hardy then drained a three to cut the deficit to six, but the Crusaders got sent back to the line and made both once again. Casey answered with a nice three to make it a five point game with under two minutes remaining in the half, but Holy Cross got sent to the line for the fifth time in the quarter, got sent to the line and took a 29-22 lead into the half.
Holy Cross opened the third quarter on a 5-0run before Kunzwiler stepped back for a three pointer. The Crusaders then found another quick bucket before Zemitis hit a step-back jumper. Cahalan answered the jumper with one of her own and after a Crusaders stop she banked in a three, leading to a Bucknell timeout with 6:11 remaining in the third quarter as Holy Cross went up 41-27. Out of the break, a minute and a half went by scoreless before the media timeout. Out of the second break of the quarter, the Crusaders extended its scoring run to 12-0 as Bucknell struggled with consecutive turnovers. Hardy broke up the Holy Cross scoring with a 1-for-2 performance at the free-throw line, but the Crusaders would take a 50-28 lead into the final ten minutes.
The fourth quarter opened with a minute of scoreless play before the Bison went on a 5-0 run with a three from Kaila Richards and a jumper from Zemitis. Holy Cross answered with a three of their own, but Bucknell then got back-to-back buckets from Hardy and Kreuzer. The Crusaders then swished back-to-back threes to make it 59-37 at the media timeout with 4:33 remaining in regulation. Out of the break, Richards found back-to-back layups before Holy Cross ended on a 4-0 run to win 63-41 on its senior day.
Bucknell returns to Sojka Pavilion for its next game as it plays host to Lehigh on Saturday, Feb. 28 at 2 p.m.
