[2] The program boasts such notable alumni as Boston Celtics legends Bob Cousy and Tom Heinsohn, and longtime Providence College basketball coach Joe Mullaney.

The Crusaders originally played their home games at the Boston Garden and the South High Community School.

In 1947, the Crusaders, behind coach Doggie Julian, NCAA tournament MVP George Kaftan, star Joe Mullaney and freshman point guard Bob Cousy, beat Oklahoma at Madison Square Garden to win the NCAA championship.

In the first game, Holy Cross defeated the Navy 55–47, in front of a sold-out crowd at Madison Square Garden.

[5] In the semi-final match, Holy Cross faced the City College of New York, coached by Nat Holman.

In 1954, Holy Cross won the NIT Tournament behind another future NBA Hall-of-famer and Celtics legend Tom Heinsohn.

[9] Holy Cross could have joined the newly founded Big East Conference in 1980, but college President Rev.

Holy Cross stayed independent until joining the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) to start the 1983–84 season.

In recent decades, the men's basketball team has been the leading varsity program of the Holy Cross' athletic department.

With Ralph Willard as head coach, the Holy Cross men's team nearly accomplished three major upsets in the NCAA tournament.

Holy Cross has finished the year ranked by the Helms Athletic Foundation in 1947 and in the final Associated Press poll of the season on six occasions: Note: As the College program stated, the jerseys were retired but not the "numbers" so other players can wear them:[12]