WORCESTER, Mass. - No. 1 Holy Cross claimed its second-straight League title in a 61-55 win over No. 3 Boston University in the 2024 PenFed Credit Union Patriot League Women’s Basketball Championship Game on Sunday at Hart Center.
Crusaders’ head coach Maureen Magarity captured her second Patriot League crown in her fourth season at the helm of the program. The win marks Holy Cross’s League-leading 13th women’s basketball title. The Crusaders are the first back-to-back League champion since Navy (2011-13).
Senior guard Bronagh Power-Cassidy scored a team-high 21 points, including 17 in the first half, to earn PenFed Credit Union Patriot League Women’s Basketball Championship MVP and a spot on the six-member All-Tournament Team. Power-Cassidy shot 8-15 from the field and 4-of-6 from the perimeter to go with eight rebounds and three steals.
Holy Cross senior guard Cara McCormack finished with 15 points, and senior forward Janelle Allen added six points and three boards to join Power-Cassidy on the All-Tournament Team.
Boston University junior guard Alex Giannaros led the Terriers with 21 points, and senior forward Caitlin Weimar added seven points and a game-high 14 boards to represent the runner-up Terriers on the All-Tournament Team. Loyola Maryland junior forward Lex Therien also earned All-Tournament honors for her performances in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds.
The Crusaders will learn their NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament fate on Sunday, during the NCAA Tournament Selection Show at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.
2023-24 PenFed Credit Union Patriot League Women’s Basketball Championship MVP
Bronagh Power-Cassidy, Holy Cross, Sr., G
2023-24 PenFed Credit Union Patriot League Women’s Basketball All-Tournament Team
Janelle Allen, Holy Cross, Sr., F
Cara McCormack, Holy Cross, Sr., G
Bronagh Power-Cassidy, Holy Cross, Sr., G
Alex Giannaros, Boston University, Jr., G
Caitlin Weimar, Boston University, Sr., F
Lex Therien, Loyola Maryland, Jr., F
at No. 1 Holy Cross Crusaders (20-12, 11-7 PL) 61, No. 3 Boston University Terriers (20-12, 10-8 PL) 55
Box Score
WORCESTER, Mass. - Senior guard Bronagh Power-Cassidy led No. 1 Holy Cross with 21 points as the Crusaders defeated No. 3 Boston University, 61-55, to claim their second straight League title.
*Power-Cassidy earned PenFed Credit Union Patriot League Women’s Basketball Championship MVP honors after shooting 8-for-15 from the floor and 4-for-6 from long range while adding eight rebounds, three steals and two assists. She connected on 7-of-10 from the floor, and a perfect 3-of-3 from the perimeter to score 17 first-half points to help the Crusaders take a 34-23 advantage into halftime.
* Senior guard Cara McCormack scored 15 points, including 13 in the second half, with three three-pointers.
* Sophomore guard Simone Foreman led Holy Cross with nine rebounds to go with seven points.
* BU junior guard Alex Giannaros led the Terriers with 21 points on 8-of-16 shooting from the floor.
* Freshman guard Aoibhe Gormley scored 17 points off the bench on 7-for-13 shooting from the field
* Senior guard Caitlin Weimar finished with a game-high 14 rebounds. The Patriot League Player and Defensive Player of the Year added seven points, five assists, two steals and two blocks.
* The Crusaders hold a 24-15 edge in the matchup.
* Holy Cross is now 3-0 against Boston University in the Patriot League Championship.
HOW IT HAPPENED
*Power-Cassidy connected on 4-of-6 from the floor, including her only 3-point attempt, for nine points to help the Crusaders take a 15-10 lead after the first quarter. She also recorded three steals in the first frame.
*The Terriers closed to within one point, at 22-21, with 4:05 remaining in the half, but the Crusaders used a 7-0 run in the final two minutes, including five from Power-Cassidy, to take a 34-23 lead into the break.
*BU freshman guard Aoibhe Gormley came off the bench to lead the Terriers with nine first-half points on 4-of-6 shooting from the field.
* The Terriers shot 5-of-9 from the field, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range to outscore the Crusaders 13-12 in the third quarter, while BU’s defense limited Holy Cross to 4-of-16 shooting.
* Giannaros scored the first four points of the fourth quarter to cut the Crusaders’ lead to six points at 46-40, but McCormack went on a personal 5-0 run to push Holy Cross’s lead back to double digits by the 6:18 mark.
* BU answered with two quick three-pointers from Giannaros and Gormley to cut the Crusaders’ lead to 53-46 with two minutes left.
* Holy Cross scored its last eight points all on free throws, with three from sophomore guard Kaitlin Flanagan.
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League's athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes who are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.