By J.J. Pavlick
WEST POINT, N.Y. — While Verizon Wireless left much of the region in the dark with a massive 9-hour outage, there was no question about who fans could count on at Christl Arena Wednesday night. Army Women’s Basketball, as reliable as sunrise over the Hudson, delivered a commanding 61-46 win over Holy Cross, proving once again why the Black Knights are the gold standard for dependability.
From the opening tip, Army’s relentless defense set the tone. “I thought defensively, we were just relentless. I was so proud of our coverages, being able to switch a lot between their ball screen actions and low handoffs,” said Head Coach Katie Kuester. “Guards did a great job fronting in the post and just really proud of our defensive stance to be honest. To hold a team like that to 46 points—it’s really, really solid.”
Black Rifle Coffee
Fuel your hustle like a Black Knight! Whether you’re up before dawn or grinding late, Black Rifle Coffee keeps you sharp and ready for anything.
BUY NOW and taste the difference real coffee makes!
The Crusaders managed to keep things close early, but Army’s ability to adjust on the fly—especially after a turnover-heavy start—quickly became apparent. “We had five turnovers in that first quarter, and that’s when I was like, ‘alright, we’re getting great stops. Let’s execute in the half-court,’” Kuester noted. “You call our whole play sheet for any of our players, and they would have executed today. I’m really proud of them for taking care of the ball.”
With the offense clicking and the defense suffocating, Army built a lead that ballooned to 22 points in the fourth quarter. The dynamic duo of Kya Smith (18 points, 7 rebounds, 5 steals) and Reese Ericson (13 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists) led the charge, while freshman Reganne Reardon from Chicago, IL, continued her breakout stretch with 13 points and 7 boards. “Kya was amazing. Every time we called her number, she executed,” Kuester said. “Reganne is such a hard guard… She can shoot the three, she’s right on target, and she works on those every single day with Coach Mary. I’m just proud of her to reap the rewards of her hard work.”
Black Knights News:
- Army Bounces Back Against Mercyhurst With a Shutout Victory to Claim Weekend Split
- Army Men’s Basketball: High-Octane Shootout at Boston U. Sets Stage for Crucial Road Test at Holy Cross
- Army Women’s Basketball: Passion, Resilience, Rising Stars, and a Historic Comeback
Army’s stifling defense forced 21 Holy Cross turnovers and racked up 13 steals, turning defense into offense and dominating the paint with a 28-14 advantage. Even when the offense cooled late, the Black Knights’ intensity never wavered—a resilience forged in the fires of close games and comeback wins. “They’re amazing. I love coaching this group. Even down against BU, down by 14 in the third quarter, I never flinched, and they didn’t either,” Kuester reflected. “They want to play really hard for what they represent, but also for each other. And I think you can see that in how we play.”
Holy Cross was led by Meg Cahalan’s 15 points, but the Crusaders never found a rhythm, shooting just 32.7% from the floor and 23.8% from deep. Army, meanwhile, shot 35.7% overall and hit 19 of 22 free throws (86.4%). The Black Knights also matched Holy Cross on the boards (34-38) and out-assisted the Crusaders 12-12, despite early turnover woes.
With the win, Army improves to 27-38 all-time vs. Holy Cross, notching its second consecutive victory in the series and sending a message to the rest of the Patriot League: this team travels with its defense and its heart. “Going on the road, we’ve got to pack our defense and our rebounding, and we will,” Kuester said, already eyeing the next challenge in D.C. against American University.
Final: Army 61, Holy Cross 46.
Largest Lead: 22 points (4th quarter)
Key Performers: Smith 18 pts/7 reb/5 stl, Ericson 13 pts/7 reb, Reardon 13 pts/7 reb
Army Black Knight Notes:
• Army moves to 12-0 this season when holding teams to under 50 percent shooting and 8-0 when it’s under 40 percent.
• Reganne Reardon scored a career-high 13 points for Army, topping her previous best of 12. Reardon also added seven rebounds while playing a career-high 26 minutes.
• Kya Smith led all players with 18 points on 7-12 shooting. She has scored 10-plus points in 13 games this season.
• Camryn Tade tied her career high in rebounds with 10. She also dished out three assists in addition to her six points.
• After turning it over five times in the first quarter, Army finished the night with just 11. The Black Knights forced Holy Cross into 21 turnovers.
• Army outscored Holy Cross 39-22 in the second and third quarters.
• Army’s four-game winning streak ties its season best.
• The Black Knights’ 13 wins are the most in the Patriot League this season.
• Army is 10-0 this season when Kya Smith wins the opening tip.
• The Black Knights improve to 37-44 against Holy Cross and have won the last two meetings.
Postgame at Christl Arena, one thing was clear: when reliability matters, trust the Black Knights.
— Bad Dawg Sports
Stay ahead of the game with exclusive insights and coverage. Subscribe to the Bad Dawg Sports Newsletter for just $24/year!
Discover more from Bad Dawg Sports - Global Sports Coverage & Analysis
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
