'Sader losing streak hits 4; Shooting woes continue for HC.

• Author: Quillen, Ian
• Position: Sports

Byline: Ian Quillen

WASHINGTON -- It's seven games now since the Holy Cross men's basketball team has shot at least 40 percent from the floor.

Had the Crusaders managed to do so in either of this week's contests, they just might have a dream start to the Patriot League season.

Instead, they're 0-2 in conference following a 53-49 road loss to American University Saturday, even after holding the hosts to only 33 shots and outrebounding them, 37-26.

Couple that with Wednesday's overtime loss to Boston University -- despite a 20-2 turnover advantage -- and it's a brutal reminder that all the little things coaches harp upon only matter if you can score, too.

"I still like who we are -- I still like our chances,'' said coach Milan Brown after Saturday's defeat, the second of two games against last year's conference finalists. "We fought as hard as we could, and that's all I can ask of the guys. We will continue to get in the gym so we can work to hopefully make a few more shots.''

Malachi Alexander scored 13 points off the bench for Holy Cross (5-7, 0-2), while the starters combined for only 32. Malcolm Miller, Taylor Abt and Justin Burrell each added eight points, but Miller and Burrell -- the Crusaders' leading scorers this year -- shot a combined 7 of 25 (28 percent) from the floor. Holy cross shot 35 percent as a team.

"It definitely can be fixed with repetition and persistence,'' Burrell said. "We've got to stay confident in the shot, because we're getting the looks that we want. Unfortunately, they're just not falling for us right now.''

Jesse Reese scored 16 points and John Schoof added 10 as American handed Holy Cross its fourth consecutive defeat.

American hit only one field goal in the final 7:56, and its last 10 points came from the free throw line. Holy Cross committed 28 fouls to American's 13 and made just 14 trips to the line to American's 33.

"The other part of our game that we are not...