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How does one become the unluckiest D-I team, anyway?

Every fan knows their team is always the unluckiest around. A turnover here, a bad call there, a missed shot and before you know it, your team lost the game.

OK, it’s rarely that bad. Unless you’re Holy Cross.

The Crusaders have gone 3-20 during the last two seasons in games decided by five points or less, by far the luckiest D-I team according to Kenpom.com metrics. (They’re a 17-43 overall in that span.) How can this be? Lucky for us, Andy Glockner (mostly) has answers in this story.

It comes down to: coaching changes, different playing styles and an occasional bad decision. If that sounds nebulous, it is. Coach Milan Brown isn’t sure what to make of the Crusaders bad luck, which makes sense. It didn’t happen only under him, and similar teams haven’t had the same unlucky results.

What else can you say? Sometimes it’s just bad luck.

But give Brown credit. He and his guys aren’t backing down from this.
From Glockner’s story:

“We haven’t run from the thing as far as the luck factor, but we said, ‘We did this, this is all our fault,’ he said. “The great thing about it being all our fault is we can change every nook and cranny of it, so let’s go create some better luck for ourselves.”

And, hey, if all else fails, the new block/charge circles being painted on the court for this season are in the shape of horseshoes. Maybe having an extra pair in the building will recharge the Crusaders’ mojo?

Brown smiled at the idea, but he wasn’t buying it.

“I don’t know if ours will be more powerful than anyone else’s,” he said.

You also can follow me on Twitter @MikeMillerNBC.