BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Four different players scored in double figures as the Bridgewater State University women's basketball team coasted to a 75-55 victory over visiting Fitchburg State University in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) matchup on Wednesday evening at the Tinsley Center.
The Bears improve to 5-13 on the season and 2-4 in the MASCAC, while the Falcons fall to 5-13 overall and 0-6 in conference play.
Senior forward Chanelle Melton (Brockton, Mass.) led all players with a season-high 20 points on 6 of 11 shooting from the floor and 8-for-9 at the free throw line. Melton, who now has 916 points in her career, also added five rebounds, two assists and a steal.
Sophomore forward Kayla Carter (Beverly, Mass.) added a career-high 14 points for the Bears to go along with five rebounds, while junior guard Olivia DelGrosso (Ledyard, Conn.) notched a career-best 13 points in 21 minutes off the bench. Carter was 7-for-10 from the floor and DelGrosso connected on 3 of 7 three-point field goals. Junior guard Sara DaSilva (Chelmsford, Mass.) rounded out BSU's double-digit scorers as she tallied ten points as well as four assists and a pair of steals.
Sparked by back-to-back three-pointers by DelGrosso, the Bears closed out the first quarter with a 10-0 run to take a 23-18 lead after one. Bridgewater carried the momentum into the second quarter as the Bears outscored the Falcons 21-10 in the period and held a 44-28 advantage at the break.
Melton and Carter scored ten points apiece for BSU in the opening stanza while Thomson led all players with 13.
Bridgewater was never threatened in the second half as the Bears led by as many as 21 points on three separate occasions in the third quarter and 23 points (73-50) late in the fourth.
Sophomore guard Emma Thomson (York, Maine) paced Fitchburg State with 19 points and six rebounds. Thomson went 5-for-9 from behind the arc.
The Bears shot 41% (28-68) for the game and finished 6-for-23 (26%) from three-point range and 13-for-17 (77%) at the charity stripe. The Bears forced 29 Fitchburg turnovers thanks in part to 15 steals in the contest. Senior guard Rhiana Page (Brookline, Mass.) led all players with six steals. Page also notched nine points, a game-high eight rebounds and a pair of assists.
The Falcons shot 40% (21-52) from the floor and finished 8-for-21 (38%) from long range.
The Bears are off until next Wednesday night at 7:30 when they host a non-conference game against Elms College. The Falcons travel to Framingham State University on Saturday afternoon for a one o'clock MASCAC matchup with the Rams.