SALEM, Mass. – Freshman Rachael Carter (Merrimack, N.H.) made one of two free throws with no time remaining on the clock to boost the Salem State University women's basketball team to a 61-60 MASCAC victory over Bridgewater State University on Tuesday evening.
Carter finished with 14 points and scored the final five points of the game for SSU, as the Lady Vikings improved to 11-13 on the season and 7-4 in league play. Bridgewater State, which clinched the MASCAC regular-season title last weekend, fell to 16-7 overall and 9-2 in the conference.
After BSU's Michaela Cosby (Walpole, Mass.) made one of two free throws to tie the game at 60, Salem State took a time out with 6.7 seconds remaining. Ginny Fleming (Peabody, Mass.) inbounded the ball to Carter, who raced up court with the clock ticking down. As she drove to the basket, she was fouled by Megan Boutilette (Charlton, Mass.) as time expired. Carter missed the first free throw but calmly hit the second one to give the Lady Vikings the victory.
Carter was the only Salem State player to score in the final three minutes.
The second half was a fiercely-contested battle, as the lead changed hands on seven occasions. The Vikings led 56-51 with six minutes remaining, but BSU stormed back with a 6-0 run, sparked by a pair of Cosby hoops, to reclaim the lead. Carter's free throw tied the game at 57 with 2:30 left, then she put Salem State back on top with a runner on the baseline.
Boutilette knotted the score at 59 with a 15-foot jumper, and Carter broke the tie again by hitting one of two free throws. Boutilette missed the front end of a one-and-one with 50 seconds left, but the Bears got another possession when Cosby rebounded Bridget Dullea's (Peabody, Mass.) miss with 20 seconds left. Cosby made one of two free throws with 6.7 seconds remaining, setting up the final sequence.
Carter was one of four Vikings in double figures. Barry had 12 points - all in the first half - while Breanna Comeau (Amesbury, Mass.) and Dullea each finished with 11 points.
The Vikings led 33-32 at halftime thanks to Amy Barry's (Manchester, N.H.) four three-pointers. SSU hit nine of its first 11 shots, and built a lead as big as nine (27-18), but Bridgewater State was able to remain close thanks to a huge advantage on the boards and a 9 of 10 effort from the free-throw line.
Shelly DePina (New Bedford, Mass.) led the Bears with 14 points and added nine rebounds. She moved into seventh place on the Bears' career scoring list with 1,080. Cosby added 11 points, while Boutilette snagged 13 rebounds. BSU shot just 34% from the field and connected on only 4 of 20 three-point attempts, although the Bears did own a 48-35 rebounding advantage.