By Connor Wilson (@Conman_815)
HAMDEN, Conn. — On a night where nothing would fall from three-point range, Quinnipiac lost its first home game of the season to Holy Cross, 70-69, snapping the Bobcats’ two-game winning streak.
“If we grow from this loss, then something good comes out of it,” head coach Tom Pecora said.
The Bobcats went just 4-for-21 from three compared to the Crusaders’ 14-for-29. Usually reliable shooters such as Ryan Mabrey and Khaden Bennett went a combined 1-for-10 and missed some pretty good looks, a common trend all night.
“We guarded them, got up into them, but they just kept on moving back and making them,” Pecora said. “You’re not going to give up 14 threes and beat a team at home, away, neutral site, it doesn’t matter.”
Inside the arc, it was a much different story. Paul Otieno and Savion Lewis were able to get whatever they wanted in the paint—Otieno using his signature lefty hook and Lewis opting for some floaters and layups. They each scored 13 points to lead the team and were two of five Bobcats in double figures.
One positive to take away for Quinnipiac was the continued growth of its young guards, Jaden Zimmerman and Bennett. They finished with 12 and 10 points, respectively, and have grown up really quickly amid all the injuries the Bobcats had early in the season.
“I thought he would be a guy that would come off the bench and play 15-20 minutes per game,” Pecora said of Bennett. “He’s done a great job playing with the ball in his hands with Savion out and off the ball tonight.”
Quinnipiac led by seven in the second half before collapsing on both ends of the ball. Whether it be a turnover or missed three, it always seemed like the Crusaders capitalized on the other end right after. A 20-6 Holy Cross run over a near eight-minute stretch in the second half flipped the game, and it was uphill for the Bobcats after that.
“We get up seven, but we’re not able to get that stop,” Pecora said. “We shouldn’t have been surprised by their ability to shoot the ball from three.”
The final two minutes was filled with great shot making, as Lewis and Amarri Monroe connected on back-to-back buckets to tie the game at 64. Bennett followed up a few possessions later with one of his many contested layups to put the Bobcats in front by two, but right away, Kahlil Singleton hit a three for Holy Cross for a 67-66 lead with 50 seconds left. Lewis hit a baseline floater to take the lead back at the 40-second mark, but after drawing up a play, Holy Cross found the hot hand of Singleton once again, and he hit a go-ahead three once again to make it 70-68. Singleton finished with a game-high 20 points and six threes.
The Bobcats had a chance to tie or take the lead, and opted for Monroe to drive to the hoop and look for contact. The star forward drew a foul and headed to the free throw line with seven seconds left down by two, but he split the free throws.
“I was just trying to extend the game in that regard,” Pecora said on his decision to go for a two-pointer. “Hell, if he puts that bucket in and goes and makes one free throw, you steal a game.”
After fouling Holy Cross’ Max Green, the Bobcats had one last chance as he missed the front end of a one-and-one, but Bennett’s half-court heave was off the mark and the Crusaders escaped with the win.
The Bobcats will have a chance to wash this one away on Saturday, when they make the short trip to New Britain to take on Central Connecticut.
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