Holy Cross Edges Boston College 64-54

Holy Cross opened its season with a win over Boston College women's basketball, with Janie Bachmann leading the Crusaders with 21 points.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Basketball

Holy Cross defeated Boston College 64-54 in the season opener on November 2, 2026, at Conte Forum. Boston College led 31-28 at halftime before a poor third quarter, in which it scored eight points and committed six turnovers.

Why it matters

The loss drops Boston College to 0-1 to start the season, while Holy Cross begins 1-0 after a 23-10 campaign in 2025-26 that included a conference championship and a No. 15 seed in March Madness. The result highlights ball security and perimeter shooting as early concerns for the Eagles.

Boston College shot 3-for-19 from deep and 31 percent overall, while Holy Cross forced 15 Boston College turnovers and converted them into 11 points. Bachmann shot 9-for-15 for 21 points, and the extraction does not include season-long comparison figures for either team.

The players

Janie Bachmann

Holy Cross guard who led all scorers with 21 points on 9-for-15 shooting in the season opener.

Holy Cross Crusaders

The women's basketball program of the College of the Holy Cross, which finished 23-10 in 2025-26 and won a conference championship.

Boston College Eagles

The women's basketball program of Boston College, which opened its season with a 64-54 loss to Holy Cross.

The details

Boston College began the second quarter with a full-court press that forced a turnover, but Holy Cross scored on every fourth-quarter possession it had following a Boston College basket. Daniele Paunkstye and Jocelyne Grier each scored 13 points for Boston College, and Eunicia Salgado added 10.

November 2, 2026: Boston College loses its season opener 64-54 to Holy Cross at Conte Forum.
2025-26 season: Holy Cross finishes 23-10, wins a conference championship and earns a No. 15 seed in March Madness.

Season Trajectory

Holy Cross carries momentum from its 23-10 2025-26 season, which included a conference championship and a No. 15 seed in March Madness, into the new campaign. Boston College's 0-1 start offers no early read on its place in the conference race.

Fantasy managers tracking Bachmann, Paunkstye or Grier will want to monitor their minutes and usage after a 21-point effort for Bachmann and 13-point games for Boston College's top scorers. The opening result also signals that turnover totals could shape early-season standings for both programs.

The takeaway

Boston College's loss turned on turnovers and perimeter efficiency, two areas that often decide close games across a season. Tracking how the Eagles address both in their next outings will show whether the opener was an isolated outcome.