Feb. 16, 2008

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LEWISBURG, Pa. - In a one-point game with three minutes to play, Holy Cross broke things open at the free throw line and held off Bucknell 63-53 Saturday night before an ESPN2 audience at sold-out Sojka Pavilion. Justin Castleberry scored 13 points to lead the Bison, while Tim Clifford had a game-high 18 for the Crusaders, who snapped a five-game losing skid at Sojka Pavilion.

The loss was Bucknell's fifth in its last six games and dropped its record to 10-15 overall, 5-6 in the Patriot League. Holy Cross is also 5-6 in league play, 14-10 overall.

Stephen Tyree added 11 points and six assists for the Bison, who made 18 field goals to Holy Cross' 15, but were outscored 27-11 at the free throw line.

There were 10 lead changes and six ties, the last coming at 48-all after Darryl Shazier hit two free throws with 4:49 to play. Alex Vander Baan, who went 10-for-12 from the line and scored 14 points off the bench, put Holy Cross back in front for good with a short hook shot in the lane with 4:19 to play.

Rob Thomas cut a four-point deficit to one with a right-corner 3-pointer with 3:23 to play, but Colin Cunningham hit the biggest shot of the night for the Crusaders with 2:16 to play and the visitors clinging to a 54-52 lead. With bodies on the floor in the lane, Cunningham found himself open at the top of the key and his 3-pointer danced on the rim three times before falling in, making it a five-point game.

Tyree drew Clifford's fifth foul at the other end but could only make 1 of 2 free throws with 1:58 left, and the Bison would never score again. Mastropaolo had a hook shot rim out, Jason Vegotsky missed a 3-pointer while trying to draw contact at the top of the key, and Mastropaolo was whistled for an unusual intentional foul with the Bison in possession of the ball, negating a John Griffin 3-pointer from the left corner.

Holy Cross answered each lost possession with free throws to make it a 10-point final. The Crusaders were 27-for-33 from the line, as they attempted almost as many free throws as field goals (36).

Kyle Cruze scored a career-high 16 points for Holy Cross, including back-to-back 3-pointers to open the game. The Crusaders led by as many as six in the first half, but the Bison tallied the final five of the half to pull within 27-26 at the break.

Griffin opened the second half with a 3-pointer, his first bucket of the night after an 0-for-5 first half, and the Bison led 29-27. Castleberry twice put Bucknell ahead with 3-pointers later in the half, the second on a 24-footer from the left side that made it 45-43 with 6:57 left.

Cruze hit his third trey of the night to put the Crusaders on top 48-46, before Shazier stole a pass at midcourt and drew contact driving to the basket. Shazier's free throws tied it, but Holy Cross went ahead for good on Vander Baan's shot 30 seconds later.

Bucknell shot 41.9 percent from the floor and endured a tough night from outside, making 6 of 21 (.286) from 3-point range against the Holy Cross 2-3 zone. Griffin, Bucknell's leading scorer at 13.8 points per game coming in, had made 13 of 19 from the arc in his two previous games, but he finished 1-for-8 from 3-point distance and was held to six points. The 3-pointer was the 207th of his career, moving him into sole possession of second place on Bucknell's career list.

Castleberry went 5-for-7 from the field and 3-for-4 from 3-point range, giving him his fifth straight double-digit effort against Holy Cross.

The Crusaders shot 41.7 percent from the floor and made 6 of 13 treys in salvaging a split of the season series. Holy Cross' last victory at Sojka Pavilion came in 2003, which was the first year of play in the facility.

Holy Cross outrebounded the Bison 29-21. Bucknell committed only 10 turnovers compared to 13 for Holy Cross.

The Bison will be back in action on Wednesday night, hosting Lafayette at 7 p.m. in the final regular-season home game of 2007-08. Seniors Griffin, Thomas and Darren Mastropaolo will be honored during Senior Night festivities prior to the contest.