BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Junior forward Nicholas Motta (Fairhaven, MA) poured in a game-high 22 points to lead the Bridgewater State College men's basketball team to an 80-62 Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference (MASCAC) victory over Salem State College this afternoon at the Tinsley Center in Bridgewater.
The host Bears, winners of eight straight games, improve to 5-0 in MASCAC play and 11-5 overall. Bridgewater is in sole possession of first place in the conference standings. Salem State drops to 4-13 on the season and 3-2 in the MASCAC.
Motta, who was one of four Bears to finish in double-figure scoring, also added six rebounds and connected on 10 of 18 field goal attempt. Senior center Chris Dijak (Lunenburg, MA) added 12 points, seven boards and two assists, while junior forward Judah Jackson (Everett, MA) tallied 12 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals. Sophomore guard Corey Ryser (Tewksbury, MA) came off the bench to score 11 points as he knocked down 3 of 4 three-point attempts.
Sophomore forward Tristian Shannon (Andover, MA) paced Salem State with 21 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Sophomore forward Brian Clark (Deerfield, MA) added 12 points, five boards and two steals for the Vikings.
Trailing by nine points (27-19) late in the first half, Bridgewater scored the final 17 point of the opening stanza to take a 36-27 lead into the intermission.
The Bears carried that momentum into the second half and got up by 25 points (65-40) with 10:57 left to play. Salem responded with a 15-2 run to get to within 12 points (67-55) with 6:34 remaining. A jumper by Motta and a Jackson layup got the BSC advantage back up to 16. Salem answered with a Shannon layup and a Jamel Williamson (Boston, MA) layup to get it back to 12 (71-59) with 3:41 left.
BSC senior guard Matt McLaughlin (Rochester, MA) then struck for a three-pointer followed by a two-point jumper to squash Salem's comeback attempt.
Bridgewater State held a 41-31 rebounding advantage including a 17-10 edge on the offensive glass. Both teams struggle at the free throw line as the Bears finished 8-for-16 while Salem was just 4 of 10.