'Saders dealt frustrating loss.

• Position: SPORTS

WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - Holy Cross women's basketball coach Bill Gibbons took the blame for yesterday's 87-80 overtime loss to Howard in the consolation game of the Hawk Holiday Classic.

Gibbons probably couldn't have prevented his team from blowing a 15-point lead with 10:09 left in regulation - after all, Howard shot 55 percent in the second half - but he could have preserved the victory.

"I'm not going to sleep well tonight," Gibbons said.

Why?

Because with the Crusaders ahead by one point with 10 seconds left, HC junior forward Whitney Fremeau found herself alone with the ball at the Howard end of the court. But instead of telling Fremeau to dribble the ball into the corner to run out most of the remaining time, Gibbons yelled for her to take the open layup.

Fremeau did, but the Bison responded with a desperation 3-pointer to tie the game at the buzzer, then won going away in OT.

Gibbons called the loss one of the most frustrating of his career.

"If I tell Whitney to dribble the ball into the corner, we win the game," Gibbons said. "Even if they foul her with three seconds left, I tell her miss the free throw, which wouldn't have left them...