WASHINGTON - Despite a career-high 26 points for freshman
Madden Collins and an enthusiastic crowd of 2,146, American University men's basketball lost at home for just the second time this season in an 84-73 decision against visiting Holy Cross. An off night from long range and a turnover-prone second half for the Eagles allowed the Crusaders to pull away and hold off a late charge by AU.
Notable
- Collins went 10-for-17 from the field and 5-of-6 at the line on his way to a career-high 26, and also tied for game-high honors with eight rebounds.
- Junior Greg Jones scored 15 points while grabbing six boards.
- Sophomore Julen Iturbe and junior Matt Mayock added 10 points each.
- The Eagles went 23-for-26 at the line, but just 2-for-24 from three-point range.
- Holy Cross out-shot American 55 percent to 41.4 percent, getting 19 points from Tyler Boston and 17 from Gabe Warren.
First Half
- An early 5-1 run capped by a fastbreak layup for Collins put AU up 15-10 at the 14-minute mark.
- American went on to lead by as many as seven in the first half, 23-16 on a Wyatt Nausadis bucket at 8:34.
- Holy Cross cut the deficit to a point at 5:52, and later took a one-point lead that the Crusaders matched two more times.
- The teams traded buckets in the final minutes of the half, but it was Holy Cross with a 38-37 lead at the break.
- Collins led all players with 14 points at halftime on 6-of-8 shooting, and also led the Eagles with four rebounds.
- AU struggled from long range, hitting just 1-for-11 in the opening period as freshman Kade Sebastian went 1-for-1.
Second Half
- After a back and forth couple of minutes to start the half, Holy Cross took a seven-point lead at the 16-minute mark after an 8-0 run.
- Collins ended the drought with a driving layup at 15:50, also hitting a triple after Holy Cross answered and making it a four-point game.
- After committing just two turnovers in the first half, the Eagles had eight in the second and Holy Cross took advantage.
- The Crusaders broke away with another 8-0 run for a 12-point lead, and went on to lead by as many as 16 at 8:53.
- Mayock capped a 12-4 run for the Eagles to make it a six-point game just past the three-minute mark, giving AU life down the final stretch.
- Two free throws for Iturbe had American within five at the one-minute mark, but the Eagles could come no closer.
Next Up
- The Eagles have a quick turnaround before hosting Navy at 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 12, in a nationally televised game on CBS Sports Network.
Keep Up With Us
