Whenever Holy Cross and Notre Dame meet, you’re guaranteed to see a low scoring, physical battle.
The last 20 times they’ve met, the winning team has scored more than 60 just once, more than 50 four times while the other 15 games has seen the winner score 49 or below.
Wednesday was no different as neither got to 40, Holy Cross coming out on top in Park Hills, 39-30.
“My joke was actually first to 20 wins,” Indians coach Ted Arlinghaus said. “We both play defense so good and it’s so hard to get a clean look. The closest thing to a clean look tonight is somebody draped all over you or somebody flying right at you with a hand up where you’re not seeing the basket. I don’t know how many times people actually took a shot tonight that they could say they really got a clean look, saw the basket, stepped into it and in rhythm.”
The two teams combined to shoot 19-for-79 from the field and committed 32 turnovers. It was the Indians making the difference there, forcing the Pandas into 20 turnovers while collecting 15 steals.
Holy Cross’ halfcourt trap at times makes it look like eight players are in the Indians black and red on the court at the same time, relentlessly double teaming the opponent, getting deflections and grabbing a steal while off to the races on the other end.
“That’s what makes it so hard. You can’t mimic in practice the type of pressure that we’re going to put on you,” Arlinghaus said.
Notre Dame did a good job of limiting those transition opportunities when it happened, but the theme of the night was scoring droughts and Notre Dame had just too many of them.
Julia Hunt erased five shots to go with her nine points and 10 rebounds. It was a rare night for Hunt, facing an opponent that had someone taller than her in the Pandas Sophia Gibson.
“You have to be way more focused, way more tuned in,” Hunt said. “It kind of helped my game all the way around. You really have to tune in and it really helps my all around game.”
Hunt knew she’d have to adjust some things in the contest and even stretched the floor by hitting a 3-pointer in the first half.
“If it’s there I’ll take it,” Hunt said of the 3-pointer. “Percentage this year isn’t very good, but it’s whatever, my main job is to post so not really worried about the 3-point shot.”
Hunt’s triple got the Indians off to a solid 8-3 start, but Notre Dame bounced back with a 6-0 run over the final three minutes of the quarter to cut the deficit to one at 10-9.
Emma Holtzapfel’s triple knotted things at 12 in the early stages of the second, but the Indians responded with a 10-2 run over the final six minutes of the half to take a 22-14 lead into the break. Aaliyah Hayes ignited the run with back-to-back triples.
Gibson got things going for the Pandas in the third, her 3-point play followed by two Holtzapfel free throws to get Notre Dame within three at 28-25. However, a 3:39 scoring drought found them down six to start the fourth, Hayes’ 3-point play with 1:15 left in the frame the only other points the rest of the quarter.
Notre Dame could get no closer than four in the fourth, Addie Lawrie and Maya Lawrie getting them there with layups, but the Indians despite scoring just two points the first 6:38 of the quarter sealed the deal from there by going 6-of-8 from the free throw line in the game’s final 82 seconds.
“A lot of times tonight we turned it over, didn’t finish with the rebound, didn’t finish with a made basket, and the opportunities were there, so it’s back to work,” Pandas assistant coach Marty Rankin said.
Hunt and Hayes led the way with nine points each, Aumani Nelson and Miyah Wimzie with eight points apiece for the Indians, who have won six of seven with two more games remaining before they head down to Corbin for the All “A” state tournament to defend their title.
“It’s great to keep this momentum going,” Arlinghaus said. “It feels very similar to how we went last year. We made a really good run through the ninth region All “A”. We then went through our district battles with Beechwood, Holmes, and Notre Dame and it’s the same way again this year. You win those games and it gives you the momentum going forward so that way when you go down to state we’re going in on a high note.”
They’ll face a quick turnaround with Campbell County on the road Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
Gibson led Notre Dame with 12 points and 12 rebounds as she hit 4-of-7 from the field. The rest of the team hit just 5-of-30 shots however. Holtzapfel followed with eight points, Maya Lawrie with five points and four rebounds.
Notre Dame never led in the contest. They get Henry Clay on Friday at home at 7:30 p.m.
“What we try to focus on them is that we’re a work in progress,” Rankin said. “Doing the things that we do and they were taught to do and connecting the dots and all be connected on the floor.”
INDIANS 39, PANDAS 30
HOLY CROSS — 10-12-9-8 — 39
NOTRE DAME — 9-5-11-5 — 30
Scoring
Holy Cross (39) — Hunt 9, Hayes 9, Nelson 8, Wimzie 8, Arlinghaus 3, Carter 2
Notre Dame (30) — Gibson 12, Holtzapfel 8, M. Lawrie 5, Resing 3, A. Lawrie 2
Game Stats
Field Goals: Holy Cross 10/42, Notre Dame 9/37
3-Pointers: Holy Cross 5/16, Notre Dame 3/13
Free Throws: Holy Cross 14/18, Notre Dame 9/13
Rebounds: Holy Cross 28, Notre Dame 36
Assists: Holy Cross 6, Notre Dame 8
Turnovers: Holy Cross 12, Notre Dame 20
Steals: Holy Cross 15, Notre Dame 8
Blocks: Holy Cross 5, Notre Dame 4
Fouls: Holy Cross 10, Notre Dame 16
Records: Holy Cross 13-5, Notre Dame 14-4
