Box Score

HAMILTON, N.Y. (2/25/12) – Junior Mitch Rolls scored a game-high 14 points but it wasn't enough as the Colgate men's basketball team fell to Holy Cross 65-58 on Senior Day at Cotterell Court. All four seniors honored before the game started for the Raiders and combined for 20 points.

Rolls finished the game 5-of-9 from the field, including 3-of-6 from downtown, to lead the Raiders, while sophomore Pat Moore pitched in 11 points. Senior Mike Venezia and junior John Brandenburg scored eight points apiece, while freshman Luke Roh pitched in five points and a team-high five rebounds. Seniors Yaw Gyawu and Sterling Melville also scored five points apiece in their final game at Cotterell Court. Rolls also led the team with three assists and now has 275 in his career, which ranks fifth all-time at Colgate.

Both teams exchanged baskets through the first five minutes of action as three-pointer from Venezia tied the score 5-5 during the first media timeout. The Crusaders then made the first run of the game as they scored nine-straight points to take a 14-5 lead with 13:08 left in the half. The Raiders answered back with a 15-8 run over the next five minutes to trim the lead to 22-20, but that was as close as the score would get as Holy Cross closed the half with a 16-4 run to take a 38-24 lead into the locker room.

After senior Nick Pascale scored the first basket of the second half, the Crusaders answered back with a three-pointer form Justin Burrell to build their largest lead of the game 41-26 with 19:14 left. Holy Cross would keep its lead in double-figures for the 15 minutes, before Rolls connected from downtown and then found an open Brandenburg for an easy layup to make the score 57-51 with 1:24 remaining. Rolls then hit another three with 13 seconds remaining to make the score 62-58, but the Crusaders made three of their next four free-throw attempts to finish the game.

R.J. Evans finished tied with Rolls with a game-high 14 points, while Burrell pitched in 10 along with five assists to lead Holy Cross.

Holy Cross (15-13, 9-5) shot 48 percent (24-50) from the floor, while holding Colgate to 37 percent (20-54) overall and 33 percent (7-21) from deep. Colgate did win the battle on the boards 35-32 and only committed seven turnovers in the loss. 

Colgate (8-21, 2-12) will begin the Patriot League Tournament as the No. 7 seed when it visits No. 2 Lehigh on Wednesday, Feb. 29. The game is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. at Stabler Arena and will be streamed live on Patriot League All-Access.