BETHLEHEM, Pa. – No. 15 Holy Cross (23-10, 14-4 PL) fell to No. 2 Michigan (26-6, 15-3 Big Ten), 83-48, on Friday during the NCAA DI Women’s Basketball Championship First Round at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Senior guard Kaitlyn Flanagan led the Crusaders with 11 points, while senior forward Mary-Elizabeth Donnelly grabbed a team-high five rebounds.
The Holy Cross senior class of Flanagan, Donnelly, senior forward Meg Cahalan and senior forward Simone Foreman closed its careers with three Patriot League titles in four years, an NCAA Tournament victory in 2024 and 87 wins as Crusaders.
NCAA DI WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FIRST ROUND
AT NO. 2 MICHIGAN (26-6, 15-3 BIG TEN) 83, NO. 15 HOLY CROSS (23-9, 14-4 PL) 48
Crisler Center/Ann Arbor, Mich. 5:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
BOX SCORE
Ann Arbor, Mich. - No. 2 Michigan used a balanced scoring attack and pulled away early to defeat No. 15 Holy Cross in NCAA Tournament first-round action.
*Michigan opened the game on a 10-0 run before Holy Cross senior guard Kaitlyn Flanagan opened the scoring for the Crusaders. The Wolverines finished the first quarter on a 15-2 run to lead 27-6.
*The Crusaders battled back in the second quarter, winning the frame 16-14, led by four points each from junior forward Janie Bachman and freshman guard Asia Wilson, to trail 43-22 at halftime.
*In a defensive third quarter for both teams, Michigan extended its lead to 57-32 before senior forward Meg Cahalan scored on the Crusaders’ final possession to trail 57-34 heading into the fourth quarter.
*Michigan continued to control the game in the fourth quarter, outscoring Holy Cross 26-14 to seal the victory.
*Flanagan led the Crusaders with 11 points, while senior forward Mary-Elizabeth Donnelly grabbed a team-high five rebounds and Cahalan dished out a team-high four assists.
*The Wolverines had five scorers in double figures, led by sophomore guard Mila Holloway, who connected on 5-of-9 from beyond the arc.
POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE EXCERPTS
OPENING STATEMENT
CANDICE GREEN: Really impressed with our team and how we competed today. Obviously, Michigan is a fantastic team, a well-deserved 2 seed. They play with a lot of pace, super aggressive, but I thought our senior leadership once we settled into things was really, really good. I'm happy our seniors go out here with a bang.
Q. Kaitlyn and Meg, what does it mean for you to have this number of people in the room here for you? I see two of your teammates, I see the president of the school, I see the athletic director. Can you talk a bit about the support you guys have had this week?
KAITLYN FLANAGAN: Yeah, Mary Donnelly, Simone Foreman sitting over there. Obviously love having our teammates to support. But having people travel this far to have our team's back, it means so much. Across from our bench, all of our family, our friends sitting there, it really does help you in a situation like this. You're in a huge arena, a lot of fans, obviously, for the home team, which much deserved, but having that little sea of purple across from that bench and being able to look up and see them and hear them during the game they made themselves heard, it means a lot to us for sure.
MEG CAHALAN: Yeah, I would also shout out the band and the cheer team. They flew all this way. They missed three days of school. Obviously at our school that's hard to do. I just want to shout them out as well. They gave great energy throughout the three days
For more from Coach Green, Flanagan and Cahalan, click below.
POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT | PRESS CONFERENCE VIDEO
HOLY CROSS RELEASE
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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.