HAMILTON –
Alexa Brodie netted a season-high 22 points in 86-79 win over first-place Holy Cross on Wednesday night at Cotterell Court.
After a Holy Cross bucket by Kaitlyn Flanagan cut the Colgate lead to five points with just over a minute remaining, Brodie drove into the paint and hit a turn-around fadeaway to put the Raiders back up seven points. Brodie iced the game with a free throw on the next possession to set her new season-high 22 points.
Sophia Diehl finished one rebound shy of a double-double, netting 14 points, grabbing nine boards, and adding five assists.
COACH ADEDUNTAN'S COMMENTS
"Would've loved to get more stops than we did, but the toughness, the fight was there, and we are moving the ball really well. We are playing really unselfish basketball right now and I think the difference is the toughness. Holy Cross is an excellent team, you see what Bronagh [Power-Cassidy] did, she was unable to be stopped until she fouled out.
"Really, really proud of my team. They came to play for four quarters despite some adversity with first half fouls. True testament to these kids showing up and playing the game, playing tough, and making plays. Coaches just put them the best we can in the right positions, but I had players that made plays today.
"We want to move the ball around, we want to try to take open shots, we want to try to create for each other, and you can be the recipient of it. So when you are playing unselfish basketball everyone is on the same page, locked in and connected, it's going to be your turn in different moments."
HOW IT HAPPENED
With the game knotted at 63-63 with 6:30 left, Diehl drained a jumper which sparked an 11-2 Raiders run. After a stop, Taylor Golembiewski hit both her free throws giving Colgate a 67-63 advantage. Simone Foreman hit a jumper for Holy Cross, cutting the lead back to one possession when Madison Schiller drilled her second triple of the quarter putting the Raiders up 70-65. After another stop, Diehl hit both from the charity stripe and Brodie netted another jumper giving the Raiders a 74-65 lead with 3:10 to play.
The high-paced affair began from the tip as the two teams traded blows with Golembiewski and Schiller both hitting threes within the first five minutes as the game was tied 9-9 at the first timeout. Colgate led by as many as four throughout the first frame thanks to an Ella Meabon jumper and a tough layup by Christina Midgette. After one quarter Colgate led 21-17.
Tiasia McMillan scored eight straight Raider points to begin the second frame extending the Colgate lead to 29-24. Amarah Streiff and Meabon hit a pair of triples and Chidinma Okafor drilled both her free throws, but the game remained tight with the Raiders taking a 39-38 lead into halftime.
Brodie took over the third quarter scoring eight of her 22 points and helped Colgate keep pace with the Holy Cross offense. Both teams continued to battle but the Raiders still held a 55-54 advantage heading into the final frame.
Colgate shot 49 percent from the floor (25-for-51) and 53.8 percent from behind-the-arc (7-for-13).
QUICK FACTS
- This is the second five-game win streak for the Raiders this season.
- With the win, Colgate sits in a four-way tie for second place in the Patriot League standings with two games remaining
- The last time the Raiders completed the series sweep over Holy Cross was the 2019-2020 season.
- This is the first time the Raiders have scored 80+ points against a Division I opponent since Jan. 2, 2020.
- Colgate has had 10 different scorers in two of the last three games (Lafayette and Holy Cross).
UP NEXT
The Raiders take their last regular season road trip as they travel to Bethlehem, Pa., to take on Lehigh on Saturday. Tip is set for 4:30 p.m.
