Crusaders catch Tigers, win in triple overtime

Holy Cross's first victory of the season was worth the wait.

Briana McFadden's layup with eight seconds remaining in the third overtime enabled the Crusaders to edge Missouri, 94-93, at the Mildred & Roger L. White Invitational in Evanston, Ill., and snap their season-opening four-game losing streak

McFadden scored a career-high 31 points and added 3 assists, 3 steals, and 2 rebounds.

Fellow junior Tayana Carper, a former Shrewsbury High star, scored a career-high 24 points for Holy Cross.

Carper scored 6 points during an 8-0 run that put the Crusaders ahead, 21-13. But the Tigers (1-4) rebounded and took a 40-35 lead into halftime.

The Tigers seemed to have the game safely in hand late in the second half, but Holy Cross used a 9-1 run to force overtime, junior Bethany O'Dell tying the game at 75 with 13 seconds left.

McFadden scored the Crusaders' 9 points in the third overtime.

Holy Cross plays Western Illinois today in Evanston.

Minnesota 86, UMass 67 - Emily Fox scored 24 points for the aggressive Gophers, who pulled down 16 offensive rebounds and rallied from an 8-point halftime deficit to rout the Minutewomen in the championship game of the Coors Classic in Boulder, Colo.

Fox was a catalyst at the start of the second half, sparking a 10-0 run by hitting a 3-pointer after the Gophers (6-1) extended their possession with two offensive rebounds. UMass (3-3), which had just two offensive rebounds, was led by former Needham High star Cerie Mosgrove, who scored 17 points.

Central Conn. 74, URI 58 - Tournament most outstanding player Shontice Simmons, who poured in 23 points in a win over Cornell Friday, scored 15 points, pulled down 6 rebounds, had 5 steals, and added 4 assists as the Blue Devils (3-3) beat the Rams (3-3) in Kingston, R.I., in the final of the Rhody Classic.

Sophomore Leanne Crockett set career highs with 20 points and 13 rebounds for the Blue Devils.

Cornell 66, Bryant 55 - Lauren Benson equaled a career high with 19 points and contributed 6 rebounds and 4 assists as the Big Red (3-3) won the Rhody Classic consolation game.

Kelsey O'Keefe and Cara Johnson each scored 11 points for Bryant (2-4).

West Virginia 66, Brown 49 - Liz Repella scored 15 points and pulled down seven rebounds for the Mountaineers (5-1), who used an 8-0 run at the start of the second half to pull away from the Bears in the championship game of the Dead River Company Classic in Orono, Maine.

Hannah Passafuime kept Brown (1-5) within shouting distance, scoring 15 or her 16 points in the second half.

NJIT 68, Maine 60 - Jessica Gerald scored 14 of her 26 points from the free throw line, but her decisive shot was a 3-pointer with less than three minutes remaining in the Highlanders' victory over the Black Bears in the consolation game of the Dead River Company Classic.

Brittany Boser led the Black Bears (1-4) with 16 points. NJIT improved to 1-4.