Holy Cross Men"s Basketball Earns NCAA Tournament Berth
WORCESTER When senior forward Raquel Scott went down with a career-ending knee injury Dec. 2, the Holy Cross womens basketball team lost its best player, leading scorer and top rebounder.Coach Bill Gibbons appealed to his players Everyone has to step up in her role, Gibbons said, to try to replace Scotts 16 points and nine rebounds per game.Expectations were especially increased for senior center Molly Hourigan.We talked to Molly about her role as a rebounder and scoring inside, Gibbons said. She had to become more of a force on the boards and scoring on the block.The 6-foot-4 Hourigan averaged 9.1 points, 8.8 rebounds and 32 minutes, all career highs, and matched her career high with 77 blocked shots, which ranked third in the Patriot League and is the fourth highest single-season total in Holy Cross history.Overall, Im pretty happy (with how the season has gone), Hourigan said. Its definitely a different role for me and the coaches have helped me define that role as more of an offensive threat and more rebounding and more minutes. I think Ive adjusted to it pretty well. I needed to do it for the team.Hourigan earned All-Patriot League third-team honors. Senior guard Lisa Mifsud and sophomore guard Infiniti Thomas-Waheed were named to the second team.With 10 points and 10 rebounds, Hourigan posted her seventh double-double of the year in HCs regular-season finale at Loyola, but the Crusaders, hoping for a top-four seed and home game in the Patriot League Tournament lost, 58-45, and ended up with the No. 5 seed. HC (13-16, 10-8) plays at No. 4 Lehigh in a quarterfinal Monday night.We definitely wanted a home game, Hourigan said, but weve been good at Lehigh before and we can be again.The Crusaders split with the Mountain Hawks this year, winning at home and losing on the road.While watching tape of HCs thrilling overtime win against Lehigh at the Hart Center, Hourigans performance, especially at the defensive end, stood out to Gibbons. In OT, Hourigan had a rebound, a block, an assist, a steal and two points.She was a force in there, said Gibbons, who switched to a zone defense with Hourigan and four guards in the lineup in the second half. Our zone wouldnt have been as good without her in there blocking shots and intimidating people.Hourigan played behind Emily Parker last year and made 11 starts. She averaged 4.6 points and 5.3 rebounds.This season, shes had 12 double-digit rebounding games, including a career-high 17 against Colgate Jan. 2.Molly, to her credit, has really stepped up, Gibbons said, and just became a better rebounder, a more aggressive rebounder. I have a lot of respect for what shes done.Hourigan, a biology major and excellent student, is a well-respected figure on campus.In addition to being a member of the Holy Cross Leadership Academy and SPUD (Student Programs for Urban Development), a community service organization sponsored by the Chaplains Office, this year Hourigan is serving as co-executive director, along with fellow Holy Cross senior Brendan Healey, of Working for Worcester, the wonderful student-run community initiative that betters recreational areas for the citys children.Working for Worcester was co-founded by HC graduates Jeffrey Reppucci and Derek Kump, both former hockey players, in 2012. Since then, the group has renovated numerous playgrounds, community gardens, schoolyard basketball courts and other spaces.This years project day is April 16, and among the 18 undertakings is building a dance studio at Vernon Hill School, building playgrounds at the Goddard School and at Plumley Village and a basketball court at Union Hill School.Hourigan has been involved with Working for Worcester since she was a freshman.Jeff really inspired me to get more involved with the community, Hourigan said. My freshman year, the basketball team painted hopscotch and four-square games, cleaned up the landscaping and installed monkey bars at Belmont Street Community School. We went back a couple weeks later and saw kids playing out there. That was awesome, and that inspired me to keep volunteering with this great organization and every year Ive had a bigger leadership role.As co-executive director, Hourigan oversees volunteer recruitment, tools and inventory and helps the site developers with site plans.Growing up near Syracuse, N.Y., Hourigan volunteered in food pantries, at the SUNY Upstate Medical University and at a hospice care house.My parents (Ed and Karen) always taught me to give back to the community, Hourigan said, and that carried over here.Hourigan plans to go to medical school and she would like to be a pediatrician.I love working with kids, Hourigan said. The Working for Worcester motto is for the kids. Ive always enjoyed coaching at basketball camps. I think pediatrics would be great for me.Hourigan has not only taken the Jesuit ideal of men and women for others to heart, she has lived it.Gibbons nominated her for a Presidents Volunteer Service Award.She embodies everything we talk about as a program, Gibbons said, giving her all in the classroom, on the court and in the community.Contact Jennifer Toland at jennifer.toland@telegram.com. Follow her on Twitter @JenTandG
Source: http://www.telegram.com/article/20160305/SPORTS/160309503
