NEW YORK (Interstat) — In a game defined by its final, frantic seconds, Gabe Warren’s career-high 25 points propelled Holy Cross to a stunning 70-69 upset victory over Fordham on Saturday afternoon at Rose Hill Gym. The Crusaders, who entered as heavy underdogs, snapped a two-game skid and handed the Rams a costly home defeat in non-conference play.

The contest was a tale of two halves, with Fordham controlling the early action. The Rams used an efficient first period, shooting 48 percent from the field, to build a 37-28 halftime advantage. Christian Henry led the charge for Fordham with 13 of his 18 points before the break, while Rikus Schulte provided a consistent interior presence.

Holy Cross emerged from the locker room with renewed purpose, chipping away at the deficit with a combination of defensive pressure and timely three-point shooting. The Crusaders opened the second half on a 14-4 run, fueled by Warren and a spark from reserve guard John St. Germain, who scored all 10 of his points after halftime. The game then settled into a tense, back-and-forth affair featuring 11 lead changes and six ties in the final 20 minutes.

The most critical sequence unfolded in the final 18 seconds with Holy Cross clinging to a 68-67 lead. Fordham’s DeJour Reaves missed a jumper, but Schulte secured the offensive rebound and was fouled with 14 seconds remaining. Schulte, who finished with 16 points and 9 rebounds, calmly sank both free throws to put Fordham back ahead, 69-68.

Holy Cross called timeout and advanced the ball to the frontcourt. The ensuing play broke down, but Joe Nugent of Holy Cross chased down a missed three-pointer by Warren to secure an offensive rebound with 6 seconds left. Nugent was fouled on the putback attempt by Fordham’s Marcus Greene. With the game in the balance, Nugent, a 6-foot-6 forward from Berkley, Massachusetts, stepped to the line and made the first free throw to tie the game. After a Fordham timeout intended to ice him, he swished the second to give Holy Cross a 70-69 lead.

Fordham had one final chance. Reaves, who had 12 points and 5 assists, took the inbound pass and raced upcourt, but his contested three-point attempt from the top of the key as time expired missed off the rim, sealing the Crusaders’ victory.

Warren, a 6-foot-6 junior from Plano, Texas, was the offensive catalyst for Holy Cross, hitting five three-pointers and adding two assists in 38 minutes. His backcourt mate, Tyler Boston, added 10 points and a game-high six assists. DeAndre Williams provided 11 points off the bench for the Crusaders.

For Fordham, Henry’s 18 points and four assists paced the Rams, while Reaves and Schulte combined for 28 points. The Rams shot a slightly better percentage from the field (48%) than Holy Cross (42%), but were ultimately undone by Holy Cross’s 11 made three-pointers and crucial free throw shooting down the stretch. Holy Cross went 17 for 24 from the line, while Fordham was 13 for 19.

The loss dropped Fordham to 6-4 on the season, while Holy Cross improved to 4-6. According to Interstat’s ELO system, Fordham had an 86.5% probability to win and was a 9.5-point pregame favorite. The total points scored, 139, went under the betting over/under line of 138.5.

A crowd of 1,262 at the historic Rose Hill Gym witnessed the comeback. Holy Cross looks to build momentum when it hosts Regis on Tuesday. Fordham will aim to rebound at home against Fairleigh Dickinson on Wednesday.