Preview: Colgate at Holy Cross Women’s Basketball

WORCESTER, Mass. (Interstat) — A struggling Colgate team seeks to end a lengthy skid when it visits a surging Holy Cross squad in a Patriot League women’s basketball matchup Wednesday night at the Hart Recreation Center.

The Raiders (5-13, 1-6 Patriot) enter on a six-game losing streak, with their last win coming against Lafayette on Dec. 31. Their most recent loss was a 58-54 defeat at Boston University on Saturday. Colgate has shown an ability to keep games close during the streak, with four of the six losses coming by single digits, but has repeatedly fallen short in the final minutes.

Guard Madison Schiller has been a consistent presence for Colgate, averaging 8.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game in conference play. She is coming off a 38-minute, nine-point, six-assist effort against Boston U. Ella Meabon (13 points) and Grace Klag (14 points) provided the primary scoring in that contest.

Holy Cross (11-8, 5-3) has won three of its last four, most recently a 70-58 road victory over American on Saturday. The Crusaders’ offense is powered by guard Meg Cahalan, who exploded for 25 points in that win. She averages a team-high 14.2 points per game in Patriot League play and has scored 19 or more in four of her last eight outings.

The Crusaders have been strong defensively at home in conference action, holding league opponents to an average of 56.5 points at the Hart Center.

This game is the first of a regular-season series between the teams; they will meet again in Hamilton, New York, on Feb. 11. Holy Cross will look to solidify its position in the upper half of the league standings, while Colgate aims to rediscover the winning formula that has eluded it for nearly a month.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST Wednesday. Holy Cross visits Army next on Saturday, while Colgate hosts Lehigh on Saturday.