Feb 15, 2003
Box Score
WORCESTER, Mass. (AP) - Jave Meade had 18 points and seven assists and Patrick Whearty scored 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as Holy Cross withstood Lafayette's second-half run for a 73-65 win on Saturday.
The Crusaders (19-4, 9-1 Patriot) are now two games ahead of Lehigh and American, both at 7-3, atop the league standings.
Tim Szatko had 15 points and 12 rebounds for Holy Cross while Winston Davis and Justin DeBerry led Lafayette (11-12, 5-5) with 19 points each.
The Crusaders pulled ahead by as many as 14 in the second half, 52-38, before the Leopards went on a 16-6 run to pull within 58-54 with 8:30 to play.
Mike Farrell, who finished with 10 points, scored six consecutive points in the run and Davis hit back-to-back field goals.
But Szatko hit a baseline jumper and Nate Lufkin had a field goal and a free throw as Holy Cross pulled away. The Leopards missed three field goal attempts and committed two turnovers on their next five possessions and Meade hit five free throws as Holy Cross made it 70-59 with less than two minutes to play.
Whearty had eight points and Szatko hit a 3-pointer as Holy Cross opened the game with a 15-7 run. But DeBerry and Davis pulled the Leopards within 17-12.
Holy Cross then steadily pulled away for a 40-27 halftime lead.
Lafayette returns home for a Friday-Sunday weekend with Bucknell visiting Kirby Sports Center on Feb. 21 and arch rival Lehigh making the short trip to Easton on Feb. 23.
