BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Junior guard Brittney Chappron (Braintree, MA) scored a career-high 34 points and knocked down a school-record seven three-pointers to lead the Bridgewater State College women's basketball team to an 83-69 Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference win over Salem State this afternoon at the Tinsley Center in Bridgewater.
Chappron connected on 11 of 16 field goal attempts and finished 7-for-9 from behind the arc and 5-for-5 at the free throw line as she was a point shy of the Bears' single-game scoring record of 35 points set by Catie Furtado in 2006.
The host Bears, winners of six straight games, remain unbeaten in MASCAC play as they improve to 5-0 in the conference and 9-7 overall. The last time Bridgewater started 5-0 in the MASCAC was in 2007-2008 when the team captured both the conference regular season and tournament titles and advanced to the NCAA Division III Tournament. Salem State dips to 10-6 on the season and 3-2 in the MASCAC.
Bridgewater scored the first ten points of the contest and led 14-3 with 14:40 remaining in the first half. Salem responded with a 14-3 run of their own over the next six minutes to tie the game up at 17 apiece. The Bears would ultimately take a 36-30 advantage into the intermission with Chappron leading the way with 18 first half points.
Trailing by eight (48-40) early in the second half, Salem went on a 9-0 run thanks in large part to seven points from senior center Danielle Jenkins (Marlborough, MA). The game went back and forth until a Monica-Sabina Bharoocha (North Smithfield, RI) layup gave the Bears a 55-54 lead and also jumpstarted a 15-4 BSC run. Salem would get no closer than eight points the rest of the way as Bridgewater would pull away for the 83-69 victory.
Jenkins paced the Lady Vikings with 26 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two steals. She was 10-for-15 from the floor and 6 of 7 at the free throw line. Salem also received 13 points from freshman guard Erica Batchelder (Stoughton, MA).
Sophomore forward Shelly DePina (New Bedford, MA) added 13 points and seven rebounds for the host Bears. Senior forward Michaela Johnson (Riverside, RI) chipped in with nine points, seven rebounds (five offensive) and three assists. Junior guard Corey Cuddihy (Scituate, MA) tallied eight points, seven boards, five assists and two steals. Cuddihy also tied Lora O'Connell's (1998-2002) all-time program record with her 116th career three-pointer.
Bridgewater State shot 46% (28-for-61) for the game including 10-for-16 (63%) from three-point range. The Bears were also 17 of 20 (85%) at the charity stripe.
The Lady Vikings scored 48 of their 69 points either in the paint or at the free throw line. Salem was 16-for-20 (80%) at the charity stripe, but connected on just 5 of 16 three-point attempts.