WESTFIELD, Mass. – Tournament MVP Rachel Kusz (Worcester, Mass.) hit what proved to be the game-winning three pointer with 37 seconds left in regulation to lead second seed Bridgewater State University to a 60-57 upset win over top-seeded Westfield State University in the 2015 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Women's Basketball Championship Game held on Saturday at the Woodward Center.
Kusz scored 16 points in the game, and hit four of six three-point tries to power the Bears to the to their fifth straight tournament title. Bridgewater improves to 16-10 on the season and earns the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament.
The Bears have now claimed sixth MASCAC Tournament championships in the last eight years and will be making the program's fifth straight NCAA Tournament appearance and tenth overall.
NCAA Division III Tournament pairings will be announced on Monday, March 2nd at 2:30 PM. The Selection Show will be webcast live on www.ncaa.com.
Westfield State falls to 22-5, and had a school record 16-game win streak snapped. The Owls will await word on a possible at-large NCAA Tournament bid or an ECAC Tournament bid.
Westfield jumped out to a 9-2 lead in the first few minutes of the game, but Bridgewater quickly bore into that lead, tying the game at 11 after capping a 9-0 run with a Vanesa Conceicao (New Bedford, Mass.) jumper.
Bridgewater held a 21-20 lead at the half.
Westfield endured a scare early in the second half when conference player-of-the-year, senior guard Jen Ashton (Beverly, Mass.), went down hard with an apparent injury and left the game briefly at the 17:10 mark of the second half with the Owls down three, 28-25. BSU converted on back to back possessions, on jumpers from Kusz and senior forward Megan Boutilette (Charlton, Mass.) to grab a 32-25 lead that forced an Owls' timeout with 15:22 left that allowed Ashton back into the game.
Westfield pulled itself back into the game, taking a 41-40 lead on a Jill Valley (Orange, Mass.) drive with 11:05 left in the game.
Bridgewater then had its turn with adversity, as leading scorer Boutilette fouled out with 9:52 left in the game and BSU up 45-43.
The Owls tied the game at 53-all on a Forbasaw Nkamebo (Amherst, Mass.) layup. However, Conceicao responded with a three-pointer to reclaim the lead for the Bears, 56-53, with 3:56 to play.
Westfield answered one more time on a hustle rebound from freshman center Rebecca Sapouckey (Chicopee, Mass.), who dished to a driving Ashton for a layup and a 56-55 game with 1:15 to play. On the ensuing possession, the Owls got a steal near midcourt from Nkamebo who drove to the hoop and was fouled with 59 seconds left in the game and hit both free throws for a 57-56 Westfield lead.
Out of a timeout, Kusz drilled the decisive three-pointer from the left corner with 37 seconds left to give the Bears a 59-57 lead.
The Owls had four chances to tie the game in the final 30 seconds thanks to two offensive boards and a BSU turnover but were unable to convert. On the final opportunity, the Owls got the ball to Ashton on the right wing. Ashton drove to the basket and made what appeared to be a game-tying layup, but the hoop was waived off as BSU senior guard Melissa Daigle (Rockland, Mass.) drew the charge call with just seven seconds left in regulation.
Sophomore guard Chelsea Saucier (Portland, Maine) hit one of two at the line for Bridgewater to make it a three-point game (60-57). The Owls' long outlet pass in an effort to get an opportunity at a game-tying three went out of bounds as the Bears held on for the win.
With her four three-pointers, Kusz set the Bears' single-season record as she now has 62 trifectas on the year. Kusz eclipsed the previous mark of 58 recorded by Corey Cuddihy in 2008-2009 and equaled by Jenna Williamson last season.
Boutilette filled the stat sheet with 16 points, five rebounds, two assists, two blocked shots and four steals, while Conceicao added 11 points and four assists.
Boutilette set the Bears' all-time mark for games played with 110 as she broke a tie with Williamson who played in 109 games from 2010-2014. Boutilette also moved past former teammate Shelly DePina (1,162 pts.) into fifth place on the Bears' all-time scoring list as she now has 1,176 points in her career.
Westfield was led by 21 points from Valley on 9 of 13 shooting. Nkamebo added 13 points and eight rebounds, while Ashton chipped in with ten points and six assists.
Westfield State senior center Gabby Felix (Springfield, Mass.) scored her 1,000th career point on her only bucket of the game, a jumper just 2:37 into the contest.