Last year was a strange one in Worcester, Mass. Losing seasons have been rare for the Holy Cross men in recent years, so when Ralph Willard's Crusaders went 13-15 and lost in the first round of the league tournament, eyebrows were raised.

Even more troublesome was Bill Gibbons women's team turning in an identical 13-15 record. The men's subpar year ended that three-year streak. Before that run, though, the HC men had five consecutive losing seasons. The women had never been below .500 in Gibbons' previous 18 seasons, during which his teams had won 20 games 15 times, winning a MAAC title and 10 Patriot League crowns in that span.

But all is well in Worcester, or at least close. No the men are not in the NCAA's. But they are in the NIT and that in no consolation prize at this level. And the women restored order in the universe by claiming their 11th league crown.

Holy Cross drew a 15 seed for the NCAA Tournament. They will open play Sunday at noon in College Park, Md., taking on No. 2 seed Ohio State. Here's a good story on the HC women from Monday's Boston Herald.