By Jim Fenton, The Enterprise (Brockton)
BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The opportunity to move up a spot in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference standings was there for the Bridgewater State University men’s basketball team.
A Bears’ victory over Fitchburg State University Saturday afternoon would have sent them into a third-place tie with the Falcons, just one game behind second-place Worcester State University heading down the stretch.
A drought at the offensive end over the final nine minutes, however, prevented BSU from improving its position in the standings.
The Bears were held without a field goal and were outscored, 17-3, in the last 8:55, resulting in a 72-61 loss to Fitchburg State at the Tinsley Center.
BSU was in front, 58-55, when Rocky DeAndrade made a 3-pointer with 9:39 remaining, but the Bears, frustrated by a zone defense, missed their final 10 shots while turning the ball over seven times the rest of the way.
“The difference in the game,’’ said BSU coach Joe Farroba, “was they went to a zone and I thought we became ineffective.
“They were trapping on the wings, and when we did get the ball out, we never kept it going. The ball was dying in someone’s hands and the defense would reset itself. It’s very frustrating.’’
Following the 3-pointer by DeAndrade, all the Bears could get offensively were a pair of foul shots by him with 7:45 to go and one free throw by Fawaz Mass of Taunton with 2:32 remaining.
Fitchburg State took full advantage, getting its transition game going. The Falcons scored six straight baskets on layups and had a 30-0 second-half advantage in the paint.
“The bad part was the transition out of the zone that led to the layups,’’ said Farroba, whose team had 23 turnovers. “It was all transition layups in the run they had and that hurt us. They drive to the basket and they finish.
“The 23 turnovers were huge. That’s been one of our problems this season, that we turn the ball over a little bit.’’
BSU, which was 5-for-20 and scored 21 points in the second half, was led by Joseph Carty with 15 points and eight rebounds.
Mass added 14 points while DeAndrade scored 13 points to go with seven rebounds and five assists.
Fitchburg State, which made 59 percent of its shots after the break, was led by Jaleel Bell with 14 points. Senior Kwame Lee of Brockton contributed eight points, six rebounds, two steals and two blocks in 24 minutes.
The Bears held a 40-34 halftime lead and built the edge to 48-39 less than four minutes into the second half. But a 12-3 run by the Falcons created the game’s sixth tie and it was soon after that when BSU’s offense faltered.
The Bears fell to 4-4 in the MASCAC, 8-12 overall while Fitchburg State (13-8) is tied for second place with Worcester State at 6-2.
The loss leaves BSU just one-half game ahead of fifth-place Westfield State (4-5).
“We just didn’t close it out,’’ said Farroba. “It’s disappointing.’’