HC is no match for BC
Eagles win this one going away at home
Boston College is not claiming to have surpassed Connecticut, but the Eagles have an early edge on comparative scores after taking a 90-43 victory over Holy Cross in a nonconference game last night.
"We attacked on the offensive end and played all 40 minutes, which is something the coaches have been stressing," BC guard Amber Jacobs said. "We have had games in which we started off well but struggled to maintain the intensity. It's important because you are going to get games against teams like UConn and Notre Dame where you have a tough first half and are down by 3 points. But you have to have the same mental attitude and intensity in the second half. It's almost like training your mind for those situations.
"In my four years here, I don't remember blowing out too many teams. We showed what this team is about and the potential we have. We understand each other and are executing our offense better, getting into our tempo, getting confidence in each other. It's a boost for us because a lot of people were not expecting us to do well because we are so young."
BC (5-0) took a 39-21 halftime lead, then continued to pull away with a group of reserve players in the second half. Holy Cross (3-3) lost to UConn, 76-42, in its last game Sunday. This was the Crusaders' third-greatest margin of defeat, following losses of 92-32 (Dec. 7, 2000) and 107-56 (Nov. 30, 1998) to UConn.
"This is as disappointed as I've been after a loss in 19 years of coaching," Holy Cross coach Bill Gibbons said. "I said we were ready but we didn't look like we were ready. A tough early schedule and [two-day] rest after playing UConn is no excuse. BC is playing even better than last year. We made bad choices but their defense was good and solid.
"One of the keys, the trademarks, of our success has been passing and catching the ball and [last] night we passed and caught the ball like my son's grammar school team. We did not execute well and they shot lights out, but that had to do with our poor defense. As good as BC is, DePaul [which Holy Cross plays Saturday] is a Top 25 team and they are just as good as BC, so my job is to get us ready."
Holy Cross scored the first 5 points, but went on an early 9-minute-3-second drought in which it converted only once from the field. The BC front line and Jacobs set the pace, Jacobs converting a layup off a steal and two 3-pointers in a two-minute span as the Eagles took the lead. A second-chance 15-footer by Maureen Leahy broke a 7-7 tie with 15:36 remaining, and BC continued to add to the lead. Jacobs increased the advantage to 35-14 with 2:55 left in the half.
BC went on a 16-2 run over the first 3:15 of the second half, Jessalyn Deveny stretching the lead to 55-23 with 15:45 remaining. Holy Cross converted only twice from the field in the first 9:47 of the second half.
But BC continued to increase its lead, Emily Vogts converting off a steal for an 86-37 advantage with 2:24 remaining.
Deveny scored 21 points and Jacobs added 20. Sarah Placek converted a 3-pointer 56 seconds into the game, then hit two foul shots 1:19 later, and finished with 14 points for Holy Cross.
"I didn't expect this," BC coach Cathy Inglese said. "We got into a roll, a rhythm, which is nice. We said let's be patient, work for the shots we want. Their physical play, their aggressiveness, took us out of our tempo, but once we got into our tempo and settled down, we were all right. This was one of the few games in which we put together a good first half and built on it in the second half. We continued to play aggressively and hard, kept our focus and intensity. Our chemistry is good and the team effort is good; they are having fun playing together."
