SALEM, Mass. – Junior forward Jennie Lindland (Edgartown, Mass.) scored a career-high 23 points and sophomore guard Jennifer Whyte (Braintree, Mass.) added 17 off the bench to lead the visiting Bridgewater State University women's basketball team to an 82-72 victory over Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) rival Salem State University on Wednesday evening at Twohig Gymnasium.

The Bears improve to 10-11 on the season and 7-2 in the MASCAC, while the host Vikings fall to 7-16 overall and 3-7 in conference play.

Lindland connected on 10 of 12 field goal attempts and added six rebounds and a pair of steals. Eighteen of her game-high 23 points came in the first half.

White equaled her career-best with five three-point field goals as she was 5-for-12 from behind the arc in 18 minutes of action.

Freshman forward Kia Fernandes (Wareham, Mass.) paced Salem State with 19 points on 8 of 11 shooting to go along with seven rebounds. Junior guard Kaitlyn Bryan (Lowell, Mass.) added 14 points and eight boards for the Vikings, while senior forward Tahira Peralta (Stoughton, Mass.) checked in with 12 points, six rebounds and four assists.

The first three quarters featured five ties and nine lead changes. Trailing 56-52 late in the third, Whyte knocked down a three-pointer with 22 seconds showing on the scoreboard to cut the deficit to one.

The Bears carried the moment into the final period scoring the first nine points, highlighted by a pair of Whyte trifectas, to take a 64-56 lead.

A three-pointer by sophomore guard Katrina Joubert (Westborough, Mass.) followed by a Fernandes layup pulled the Vikings to within three (64-61) with 6:25 left to play. BSU sophomore forward Janet Maher (Mansfield, Mass.), however, answered with a three-pointer to push the visitor's lead back up to six, 67-61.

The Vikings were able to get to within five points (70-65) following a Bryan layup with 3:47 remaining, but Bridgewater was able to answer once again at the other end of the floor as Whyte drained her fifth trifecta of the game to make it an eight-point margin (73-65).

Junior forward Chanelle Melton (Brockton, Mass.) connected on a pair of layups and the Bears went 5-for-6 from the free throw line in the final three minutes to secure the 82-72 victory.

Melton finished with nine points and a game-high nine rebounds to go along with a blocked shot and a pair of steals.

Bridgewater shot 46% (30-65) from the floor including 11-for-30 (37%) from three-point range. The Bears' bench outscored the Vikings' reserves by a margin of 31-15.

Salem shot 42% (27-64) for the game and held a 47-36 rebounding advantage with a 20-12 edge on the offensive glass.

Both teams struggled at the free throw line. The Bears went 11-for-21 (52%) at the charity stripe, while the Vikings converted just 14 of 26 (54%) free throw attempts.

The MASCAC schedule continues for both teams on Saturday afternoon at one. The Bears entertain the Lancers of Worcester State University, while the Vikings travel to Westfield State University to take on the Owls.