This was the team’s 11th straight win overall as well.
“We’ve had great leadership since day one, with everyone working hard and doing everything they’ve been asked to do,” said head coach Mike Brennan in regards to the success of the team.
The first half was a tight defensive affair as neither team could pull away from the other. AU took the early lead but with 11:01 to go in the first half, Holy Cross’ Taylor Abt scored to give the Crusaders a 15-13 lead.
The lead would be short-lived as AU went on an 11-1 run right highlighted by senior center Tony Wroblicky’s dunk to gain a 24-16 lead, their largest of the game. Holy Cross would respond by going on a 9-3 run to reduce their deficit to two going into the second half. At the end of the first half, AU led 27-25.
The second half started with Holy Cross going on a 6-2 run to take a 32-29 lead, their largest of the game.
AU did not trail long as junior guard Darius Gardner scored with 15:26 left in the half to give AU a 35-33 lead that they would maintain throughout the rest of the game. Holy Cross was left playing catch-up the rest of the half as they kept the game within reach, reducing the the AU lead down to two points, on multiple occasions but they were unable to break through.
Free throw shooting along with Holy Cross foul trouble made the ultimate difference as AU made 12-13 of their free throws in the second half. In the last few minutes, AU would convert a series of free throws to seal the win, ending the game with the final score of 63-57.
In a balanced team effort, all five starters scored in double figures. Wroblicky was the standout player for AU, scoring 18 points along with six rebounds and three assists while also providing a strong inside presence on both ends of the floor.
Sophomore guard Jesse Reed had 13 points while Gardner finished with 12. Juniors John Schoof and Kyle Kager each had 10 points to round out the scoring.
“I think it’s just us continuing to work on our offense and our defense, just coming to practice with the mindset of getting better every day,” Wroblicky said. “We struggled a bit in the beginning of the year, new coach new offense, but now we’re figuring out how to play and how to win,”
The next game for AU will be Feb. 5 when they travel to Baltimore to face Loyola University for the second time this season.
