BRIDGEWATER, Mass. - Sophomore Corey Cuddihy (Scituate, MA) scored 18 points to lead a contingent of five players in double figures, as the Bridgewater State College women's basketball outlasted MASCAC rival Fitchburg State, 88-80, in overtime this afternoon from the Tinsley Center in Bridgewater.
Cuddihy connected on 4 of 7 three-point attempt for the game and was a perfect 3-for-3 from behind the arc in the second half. She added six assists, four rebounds and a pair of steals and was 6-for-6 from the free throw line with four free throws coming in the overtime period.
The Bears (9-6, 2-1 MASCAC) led 74-71 with the final seconds of regulation ticking away, but sophomore guard Kim Duprey (Bernardston, MA) made her only shot of the game as she buried a three-pointer with two seconds left on the clock to send the game into overtime.
In the overtime, BSC connected on 12 of 14 free throw attempts and outscored the Falcons by a margin of 14-6. Cuddihy, freshman forward Shelly DePina (New Bedford, MA) and junior guard Brittany Chappron (Braintree, MA) each scored four points in the extra session.
In the early going, Bridgewater jumped out to a 20-12 lead before a 9-2 Fitchburg run cut the deficit to one point (22-21). The Falcons would follow that up with an 11-3 run to end the half. Fitchburg actually outscored the Bears 20-5 over the final eight minutes to take a 32-25 lead into the intermission.
Down 41-34 early in the second half, the Bears went on a 12-0 run to take a 46-41 advantage. BSC would not relinquish the lead again until Duprey's game-tying three-pointer in the final seconds.
DePina, Chappron, senior forward Ashley Coucci (Dartmouth, MA) and sophomore forward Carolyn Swanson (Stoughton, MA) joined Cuddihy in double figures for the Bears. DePina finished with 15 points, eight rebounds and four steals while Chappron added 15 points and four assists. Coucci chipped in with 11 points and eight boards, and Swanson scored ten points on 4-for-4 shooting while also pulling down five rebounds.
Bridgewater finished 35-for-46 (76%) from the free throw line as the Bears almost attempted as many free throws as they did field goals (48). BSC shot 48% (23-for-48) from the floor and 44% (7-for-16) from three-point range.
Senior forward Stephanie Payette (Townsend, MA) paced the Falcons (8-6, 1-1 MASCAC) with 20 points, nine rebounds and four assists before fouling out late in the second half. Junior guard Kari Averill (Barre, VT) also played very well for the Falcons before fouling out in overtime as she scored 19 points on 4 of 6 shooting from behind the arc. Averill also grabbed seven rebounds, dished out four assists and recorded four steals. Sophomore forward Melissa Proffitt (Hubbarston, MA) tallied a double-double with 14 points and ten rebounds
Fitchburg shot just 37% (30-for-81) from the floor for the game, but held a 46-29 rebounding advantage. The Falcons grabbed 21 offensive rebounds to just five offensive boards for the Bears, but were whistled for 30 fouls in the game leading to three disqualifications.
The MASCAC schedule resumes for both teams next week. Bridgewater hosts Worcester State College next Thursday night at 5:30, while Fitchburg also hosts the Lancers on Tuesday night at 5:30.