Preview: Holy Cross Crusaders at Army Black Knights

WEST POINT, N.Y. (Interstat) — A surging Army women’s basketball team will look to protect its home court and solidify its position atop the Patriot League when it hosts Holy Cross on Wednesday night at Christl Arena.

The Black Knights (12-3 overall) enter the conference matchup riding a three-game winning streak, most recently a 64-57 victory over Boston University on Saturday. Army’s success has been fueled by a balanced attack and the standout play of junior forward Kya Smith. Smith is coming off a 15-point, 7-rebound performance and has been a force all season, including a 27-point, 22-rebound outing against Howard on Dec. 29.

Army’s 12-3 mark represents one of the program’s strongest starts in recent years, with their only loss since late November coming against Lehigh (77-66) on New Year’s Eve.

Holy Cross (9-6) arrives after a decisive 65-48 home win over American, snapping a brief two-game skid. The Crusaders have shown resilience, with four of their six losses coming by single digits.

A key player for the Crusaders is sophomore forward Janie Bachmann. She provided a strong all-around effort in the win over American, contributing 12 points, six rebounds, three assists and three blocks in 24 minutes. Her defensive presence and activity on the boards will be crucial against Army’s physical frontcourt, led by Smith.

The matchup pits Army’s stout defense and efficient offense against a Holy Cross team seeking a statement road win. The Black Knights will aim to leverage their home-court advantage, where they are 6-1 this season, while Holy Cross looks to improve upon a 3-4 record in away games.

This contest is the first of two regular-season meetings between the rivals, with the rematch scheduled for Jan. 31 in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. EST on Wednesday, Jan. 14.