Lafayette walked out with an 86-83 win over Holy Cross on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2026, surviving a late push to secure a three-point road decision in NCAA action. In a matchup between teams hovering around the same tier in the standings, the Leopards executed just enough in the closing minutes to turn a one-possession game into a needed win.

Game flow: one-possession pressure from start to finish

The final score told the story: this one lived in the margins. Holy Cross (9-20) had chances to flip the outcome late, but Lafayette (9-19) consistently answered to keep the Crusaders at arm’s length. With no overtime needed, the Leopards’ ability to finish the last sequence cleanly became the separator.

Turning point: late-game execution

In a game that never allowed either side much breathing room, Lafayette’s late-game composure stood out. When Holy Cross made its run to bring the game within a single possession, Lafayette steadied the possession game and got to the finish line without giving away the decisive mistake.

What it means going forward

For Lafayette, the win improves the optics of a season that has swung week to week — the Leopards came in with a WLLWL recent form line and added another win in a tight spot. For Holy Cross, now 9-20 with an LLLWL run entering the night, the loss reinforces the urgency: close games are still close, but the difference between building momentum and watching it slip away continues to be a handful of possessions.

Up next

The teams move forward with the Patriot League stretch run still in focus, with both sides needing results quickly to change the trajectory of their seasons.