Janelle Allen (20 points, 10 rebounds) lifts Holy Cross women's basketball past UMass-Lowell
WORCESTER — Janelle Allen scored 20 points and collected 10 rebounds Monday night, leading the Holy Cross women's basketball team to a 51-41 victory over UMass-Lowell at the Hart Center.
Allen equaled her career high in scoring while turning in her third career double-double. She grabbed four clutch rebounds over the final 5:54.
Bronagh Power-Cassidy, who averaged 18 points over the first two games, was held to two points on 1-of-9 shooting, but she had 10 rebounds, 5 assists and a steal in 36 minutes. Cara McCormack netted 13 points with four assists for the Crusaders (2-1), who led by as many as 17 points in the second quarter.
But the River Hawks (0-3) made a game of it in the latter stages, netting the first five points of the fourth quarter to close within 40-33, capping an eight-point run. Allen hit a free throw, then converted a layup off a Power-Cassidy feed to restore HC's lead to double digits.
Yet coming out of a timeout, the River Hawks' Mili Carrera (team-high 14 points) hit a 3-pointer and a layup in a 30-second span to trim the Crusaders' lead to 43-38 with 4:07 on the clock.
The teams traded baskets, then turnovers over the next two minutes. Allen committed her second foul with 1:52 left, and Gabby Ross hit 1 of 2 free throws to make it 45-41. With 1:09 left, Allen came up with a huge rebound off a Carrera missed layup.
With 59 seconds to play, Ross missed the front end of a one-and-one, Allen collected her ninth rebound, and Kaitlyn Flanagan hit two free throws, her first points of the night, for a 47-41 lead with 40 seconds left after being fouled by Carrera.
Allen was fouled with 30 seconds left after rebounding Sydney Hawkins' missed layup and hit the free throws, securing her double-double and victory for Holy Cross. Flanagan iced two more from the line with 25 seconds left for the 51-41 final.
The Crusaders set the tone early, hitting on 8 of 13 (61.5%) from the field in the first quarter while limiting the River Hawks to 4 of 17 (23.5%). Allen netted eight points and McCormack four as HC led, 18-10, after one quarter.
Holy Cross didn't hit a 3-pointer in six attempts in the first half yet extended its lead over the next 10 minutes. The Crusaders held UML to seven points in period 2 and led, 31-17, at intermission. Allen had 13 points in 13 minutes and McCormack 10, including two on a nifty baseline drive to end the half.
Power-Cassidy has just one basket but five rebounds and four assists in the first half. As a team, the Crusaders only hit one 3-pointer on 11 tries, by Simone Foreman, who finished with six points and nine boards.
Holy Cross has two road games before Thanksgiving, the first not until Sunday at Stony Brook. The Crusaders visit Villanova two nights later.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Janelle Allen's double-double helps HC women's basketball hold off UMass-Lowell
