BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Sophomore guard Jenna Williamson (Ludlow, Mass.) scored 26 points and knocked down a career-high eight three-pointers to lead the Bridgewater State University women's basketball team to a 68-58 non-conference win over visiting UMass Boston on Thursday night at the Tinsley Center.

Winners of three straight games, the host Bears improve to 8-5 on the season.  UMass slips to 5-9 overall as the Beacons have dropped three of their last four.

Williamson, who just missed the Bears' single-game three-point mark, connected on 8 of 12 from behind the arc.  She also grabbed four rebounds and dished out a pair of assists.  Former BSU standout Brittney Chappron set the program mark with nine trifectas against MCLA in February of 2011.

As a team, Bridgewater converted 12 three-pointers which accounted for over half of Bears' 68 points.

Senior forward Shelly DePina (New Bedford, Mass.) added 12 points, including a pair of threes, to go along with seven rebounds and six assists.  Junior forward Michaela Cosby (Walpole, Mass.) chipped in with eight points, five boards, five assists and a game-high five steals. 

Freshman guard Lauren Perra (Taunton, Mass.) paced the Beacons with 22 points and a pair of steals.  Perra knocked down 5 of 11 three-pointers and was a perfect 5-for-5 from the free throw line.  Junior guard Teresa Pina (Boston, Mass.) tallied 14 points and seven boards for the Beacons, while freshman center Kirsten Morrison (North Reading, Mass.) added 12 points, eight caroms and two steals.

UMass used a strong rebounding advantage to stay in contention throughout much of the contest.  The Beacons outrebounded the Bears 20-10 on the offensive glass and held a 28-2 edge in second chance points.

Bridgewater led 33-29 at the intermission and tallied the first five points of the second half on a layup by sophomore forward Megan Boutilette (Charlton, Mass.) and a Williamson three to increase the advantage to nine.  The Beacons got to within five points twice over the next five minutes including a 46-41 deficit with 14:13 remaining.  However a 10-3 BSU run, highlighted by a pair of three-pointers by Williamson, gave the Bears' a 12-point cushion with under ten minutes left on the clock.  UMass would get no closer than nine points the rest of the way.  Bridgewater would get up by as many as 13 before settling for the 68-58 win.

In upcoming action, the Bears host MASCAC rival Westfield State University on Saturday afternoon at three, while UMass travels to Little East Conference foe Eastern Connecticut State University on Saturday for a one-o'clock game with the Warriors.