Army Hosts Holy Cross in Crucial Patriot League Showdown

WEST POINT, N.Y. — The Army Black Knights aim to solidify their position in the Patriot League standings as they host the Holy Cross Crusaders in a pivotal matchup Wednesday night at Gillis Field House. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET.

Army (12-10, 6-4 Patriot League) enters the game riding momentum, having won six of its last eight contests. The Black Knights boast a strong home record of 9-3 this season. Meanwhile, Holy Cross (11-12, 3-7 Patriot League) looks to snap a two-game losing streak after falling 69-67 to Lehigh on Saturday.

According to the SportsLine consensus, Army is a 4.5-point favorite, with the over/under set at 144.5 points. The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every Division 1 college basketball game 10,000 times, has been on a hot streak, going 208-149 on top-rated picks since 2023. The model leans toward the Over on the total points and indicates one side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time.

Army averages 75.0 points per game, slightly above the 71.0 points Holy Cross typically allows. The Crusaders, however, shoot 45.8% from the field, just edging out Army’s opponents’ average of 45.3%.

Key players to watch include Army’s Jalen Rucker, who averages 17.8 points, 3.2 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. Teammate Josh Scovens has been on a roll, averaging 14.8 points over the last 10 games. For Holy Cross, Max Green leads the way with 14.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game, while Joe Nugent has been consistent, averaging 12.8 points and 6.5 rebounds in the same span.

In their last 10 games, Army has gone 6-4, averaging 68.9 points and shooting 45.3% from the field. Holy Cross, meanwhile, has struggled, posting a 3-7 record while averaging 68.7 points and shooting 46.8%.

This matchup could have significant implications for the Patriot League standings as both teams vie for momentum heading into the final stretch of the season.