Lafayette Edges Holy Cross in Close Contest
Wednesday, February 18, 2026, 6:00 PM ET · Hart Center Arena
Lafayette Leopards 86, Holy Cross Crusaders 83, final. Our NCAAB picks are sealed as a hash before kickoff and settled in public, losses included.
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Quick answers
Who won Lafayette Leopards vs Holy Cross Crusaders?
Lafayette Leopards beat Holy Cross Crusaders 86-83 at Hart Center Arena on February 18, 2026.
Who was favored in Lafayette Leopards vs Holy Cross Crusaders?
Holy Cross Crusaders were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -122 (about 55% implied). The underdog won.
In a tightly contested matchup, the Lafayette Leopards triumphed over the Holy Cross Crusaders with a final score of 86-83 at Hart Center Arena. Both teams entered the game with identical records of 9-19, making this clash particularly significant as they sought to improve their standings in the NCAAB league.
Holy Cross has struggled in recent outings, holding a record of 2-8 over their last ten games, and they are currently on a two-game losing streak. They have averaged 69.7 points scored while allowing 75.4 points per game during this stretch. Their last five games show a record of 1-4, with an average of 70.2 points scored and 73.0 points allowed. At home, Holy Cross has a record of 2-3 in their last five games, while their away record stands at 0-5.
Lafayette, on the other hand, has recorded a 4-6 record in their last ten games, also on a two-game losing streak. Their scoring average during this period is 65.9 points, while they have allowed 68.7 points per game. In their last five games, Lafayette has a record of 2-3, scoring an average of 60.6 points and allowing 67.2 points. They have performed equally at home and away, with both records standing at 2-3.
In their previous meetings, Lafayette has had the upper hand, holding a 3-1 advantage in their last four matchups against Holy Cross. The most recent encounter before this game was on January 17, 2026, where Lafayette won decisively with a score of 74-55. In contrast, Holy Cross's only victory in their last four meetings came on February 19, 2025, when they defeated Lafayette 74-69.
In terms of injuries, the block does not specify any players missing from either team, indicating that both squads were likely at full strength for this game. The betting lines from DraftKings reflected a close contest, with Holy Cross favored by 1.5 points, a spread that highlighted the competitive nature of this matchup. The total points line was set at 139.5, indicating expectations of a moderately high-scoring game.
The game conditions were not detailed in the block, but given the venue, Hart Center Arena, it can be inferred that the atmosphere was charged, as both teams sought a crucial win. Viewers were treated to a thrilling game, particularly in the second half, where the scoring plays became critical. Notable moments included free throws by Shareef Jackson, Andrew Phillips, Tyler Boston, and Caleb Williams, which ultimately helped Lafayette secure the victory.
As the game concluded, Holy Cross's win probability was recorded at 0.0%, confirming Lafayette's hard-fought victory. This match not only highlighted the competitive spirit of both teams but also underscored the importance of every game as they both look to finish the season strong.
Odds
| Book | Spread | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| DraftKings | HC -1.5 | 139.5 o -110 / u -110 | Lafayette Leopards +102 · Holy Cross Crusaders -122 |
Leaders
- PointsAiden Disu20Holy Cross Crusaders
- AssistsTyler Boston5Holy Cross Crusaders
- ReboundsDeAndre Williams5Holy Cross Crusaders
- PointsRyan Pettit19Lafayette Leopards
- AssistsCaleb Williams3Lafayette Leopards
- ReboundsRyan Pettit7Lafayette Leopards
Recent form
Holy Cross Crusaders
Last 10: 2-8Streak L269.7 scored · 75.4 allowed per game2-3 at home
- L73-83at Loyola Maryland GreyhoundsFeb 15
- L70-74vs Colgate RaidersFeb 11
- W76-67vs Lehigh Mountain HawksFeb 7
- L64-72vs Boston University TerriersFeb 3
- L68-69at Army Black KnightsJan 31
- L74-79at Colgate RaidersJan 29
- L67-76vs American University EaglesJan 24
- L68-85at Navy MidshipmenJan 22
- L55-74at Lafayette LeopardsJan 17
- W82-75vs Army Black KnightsJan 14
Lafayette Leopards
Last 10: 4-6Streak L265.9 scored · 68.7 allowed per game2-3 away
- L69-78vs Lehigh Mountain HawksFeb 14
- L54-68vs Loyola Maryland GreyhoundsFeb 12
- W63-60at Army Black KnightsFeb 7
- L50-65vs Navy MidshipmenFeb 5
- W67-65at American University EaglesJan 31
- W81-79vs Bucknell BisonJan 29
- L59-64at Lehigh Mountain HawksJan 25
- L73-77at Boston University TerriersJan 21
- W74-55vs Holy Cross CrusadersJan 17
- L69-76at Bucknell BisonJan 15
Standings
| Team | Overall | Games behind | In conference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Navy | 26-8 | - | 17-1 |
| Colgate | 18-15 | 6 | 11-7 |
| Lehigh | 18-17 | 6 | 11-7 |
| Boston University | 17-17 | 7 | 10-8 |
| American University | 16-16 | 8 | 9-9 |
| Loyola Maryland | 12-20 | 9 | 8-10 |
| Lafayette | 11-21 | 9 | 8-10 |
| Bucknell | 10-23 | 11 | 6-12 |
| Army | 11-21 | 12 | 5-13 |
| Holy Cross | 11-22 | 12 | 5-13 |
Box score
| Stat | Lafayette Leopards | Holy Cross Crusaders |
|---|---|---|
| Field goals | 32-57 | 30-53 |
| Field goal % | 56 | 57 |
| Three-pointers | 8-17 | 6-15 |
| Three-point % | 47 | 40 |
| Free throws | 14-20 | 17-22 |
| Free throw % | 70 | 77 |
| Rebounds | 27 | 23 |
| Offensive rebounds | 7 | 3 |
| Defensive rebounds | 20 | 20 |
| Assists | 12 | 14 |
| Steals | 5 | 5 |
| Blocks | 1 | 2 |
| Turnovers | 13 | 10 |
| Team turnovers | 0 | 0 |
| Technical fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Technical fouls, total | 0 | 0 |
| Flagrant fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Points off turnovers | 10 | 13 |
| Fast-break points | 7 | 10 |
| Points in the paint | 44 | 42 |
| Fouls | 17 | 20 |
| Largest lead | 4 | 19 |
| Lead changes | 1 | 1 |
| Time in front | 6 | 90 |
How the scoring went
- 2nd Half45-58Andrew Phillips makes layup
- 2nd Half48-58Christian Humphrey-Rembert makes 24-foot three point jumper (Misha Bednostin assists)
- 2nd Half48-60DeAndre Williams makes 14-foot pullup jump shot
- 2nd Half49-60Andrew Phillips makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half51-60Caleb Williams makes driving layup
- 2nd Half54-60Ryan Pettit makes 23-foot three point jumper (Shareef Jackson assists)
- 2nd Half54-63Tyler Boston makes 24-foot three point step back jumpshot
- 2nd Half56-63Ryan Pettit makes 4-foot floating jump shot
- 2nd Half58-63Caleb Williams makes driving layup
- 2nd Half59-63Caleb Williams makes free throw 1 of 1
- 2nd Half59-65DeAndre Williams makes layup (Aiden Disu assists)
- 2nd Half62-65Christian Humphrey-Rembert makes 25-foot three point jumper (Mark Butler assists)
- 2nd Half62-66Gabe Warren makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half62-67Gabe Warren makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half64-67Mark Butler makes driving layup
- 2nd Half64-69Aiden Disu makes 4-foot dunk (DeAndre Williams assists)
- 2nd Half66-69Mark Butler makes 17-foot pullup jump shot
- 2nd Half66-71Aiden Disu makes layup
- 2nd Half68-71Andrew Phillips makes layup (Misha Bednostin assists)
- 2nd Half69-71Andrew Phillips makes free throw 1 of 1
- 2nd Half69-73Aidan Richard makes layup (Gabe Warren assists)
- 2nd Half70-73Mark Butler makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half71-73Mark Butler makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half71-75Aiden Disu makes driving layup
- 2nd Half73-75Shareef Jackson makes layup (Caleb Williams assists)
- 2nd Half73-77Tyler Boston makes 8-foot turnaround jump shot
- 2nd Half76-77Caleb Williams makes 25-foot three point step back jumpshot
- 2nd Half77-77Caleb Williams makes free throw 1 of 1
- 2nd Half77-79Aiden Disu makes layup (Tyler Boston assists)
- 2nd Half79-79Shareef Jackson makes layup (Caleb Williams assists)
- 2nd Half79-80DeAndre Williams makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half81-80Shareef Jackson makes layup
- 2nd Half82-80Shareef Jackson makes free throw 1 of 1
- 2nd Half83-80Andrew Phillips makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half84-80Andrew Phillips makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half84-81Tyler Boston makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half84-82Tyler Boston makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half84-83Tyler Boston makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half85-83Caleb Williams makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half86-83Caleb Williams makes free throw 2 of 2
Win probability
Above the line favours Holy Cross Crusaders, below favours Lafayette Leopards.
Venue
- Hart Center ArenaWorcester, MA
- Attendance1086
- OfficialsJohn Cahill Jr., Michael Kitts, Edward Corbett
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