Notre Dame, Ind. — The Holy Cross College men’s basketball team battled Saturday evening inside McKenna Arena but ultimately fell to St. Francis (IL), 79-58.
The Saints briefly grabbed the early momentum, taking a one-point lead just two minutes into the contest. However, the Fighting Saints responded with a strong offensive showing, shooting an impressive 60.4% from the field and 45.8% from beyond the arc to build a 41-25 halftime advantage.
Holy Cross struggled to find a consistent rhythm offensively, finishing the game at 40% shooting while hitting 4 three-pointers.
Despite a more competitive second half, the Saints were unable to overcome the deficit as St. Francis extended its lead to as many as 29 points.
Joey Garwood led Holy Cross with 16 points on an efficient 6-of-10 shooting performance, while Donovan Waleskowski added 15 points. Jayden Sanders chipped in 6 points, and Callaghan Weatherspoon provided a spark off the bench with 7.
Holy Cross drops to 9-13 overall and 4-10 in conference play and will look to bounce back on Wednesday, Feb. 4, when the Saints travel to St. Xavier. Tipoff is set for 8:30 p.m.