Feb. 14, 2004
Box Score?|? Photo Gallery
EASTON, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - Rob Dill scored 12 of his 14 points in the first half and Justin DeBerry collected 12 of his game-high 16 in the second as Lafayette (18-5 overall, 9-1 Patriot League) completed the regular season-sweep of Holy Cross, 78-72, on Saturday in Kirby Sports Center.
Lafayette, which remains alone atop the Patriot League standings with the win, is 11-0 at home this season.
DeBerry, coming off a season-low nine points at Army, scored eight straight in a pivotal 12-2 run in the second half and also handed out six assists. Dill grabbed nine rebounds and swatted six shots to go along with his 14 points.
In a physical contest where nearly every shot was contested, Lafayette held Holy Cross to just 41 percent shooting from the field, while the Leopards shot 46 percent for the game. Lafayette held a decisive 26-8 edge at the foul line.
With the Leopards trailing 22-15 late in the first half, DeBerry scored four points in a 9-2 spurt that evened the score at 24. The teams traded baskets over the final 3:30 of the half, with a Kevin Hamilton three-pointer being the difference as Holy Cross (10-13, 4-6) took a 35-32 lead into the locker room.
Holy Cross opened a nine-point lead, its largest of the day, on a three-pointer by Greg Kinsey at the 14:21 mark of the second half. Following a timeout, Lafayette put together a 12-2 run, punctuated by a jumper and back-to-back three's by DeBerry, to take a 51-49 lead and force Holy Cross to use a timeout with 10:48 remaining.
With the score again even at 52, Jamaal Douglas hit a pair of free throws and Pat Betley was left alone under the basket on an inbounds play as the Leopards went back in front by four.
Jave Meade split a pair of foul shots to tie the score at 60 with 5:31 left, but Sean Knitter answered immediately with a triple from the top of the key. Knitter ripped down rebounds on the next three Holy Cross possessions, and Marcus Harley canned a jumper to stretch the lead to 65-60 at the 4:15 mark.
Winston Davis converted a three-point play to put the Leopards in front by six, 68-62, and Mike Farrell answered a Crusader basket with a running hook shot to keep the margin at six with 2:02 remaining.
Holy Cross again cut it to four, but Harley broke the Crusaders' full-court pressure, drove into the lane and found Knitter underneath for a lay-in to bump the lead back to six with 32 seconds left. Knitter then sank a pair of foul shots with eight seconds left to provide the final margin.
Knitter joined DeBerry and Dill in double digits, collecting 14 points and six rebounds. Farrell and Davis added nine points apiece.
John Hurley led four Crusaders in double figures with 13 points, while Hamilton, Meade and Keith Simmons all tallied 11 points.
Lafayette returns to action on Friday, visiting Bucknell at 7:45 p.m.
