BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University women's basketball team cruised to a 74-28 victory over visiting Elms College in a non-conference matchup on Monday night at the Tinsley Center.
The host Bears improve to 6-13 on the season, while the Blazers fall to 6-11.
Senior forward Chanelle Melton (Brockton, Mass.) tallied 11 points, eight rebounds and four assists to lead the way for Bridgewater State. Melton now has 927 points in her career.
Senior guard Rhiana Page (Brookline, Mass.) added ten points, three boards, two assists and a game-high five steals for the Bears, while junior guard Sara DaSilva (Chelmsford, Mass.) filled the stat sheet with ten points, four rebounds, three assists, a blocked shot and four steals. Junior forward Kailyn Aguiar (Acushnet, Mass.) checked in with seven points, a team-best nine caroms and a pair of steals in ten minutes off the bench.
Bridgewater dominated the first two quarters outscoring the Blazers 40-5 over the first 20 minutes. The BSU defense forced 19 turnovers in the first half and kept the Blazers completely off the scoreboard in the second quarter.
Melton scored ten points in the first half to lead all players, while Page tallied eight.
The Bears got up by as many as 46 points in the second half including the final tally of 74-28. The 28 points marked the fewest Bridgewater State has allowed this season.
All 15 players in the gameday lineup for the Bears scored. Bridgewater received 34 points from the bench with junior guard Olivia DelGrosso (Ledyard, Conn.) leading the BSU reserves with eight points in 12 minutes.
Bridgewater shot 46% (32-69) from the floor including 61% (28-46) from inside the arc. The Bears finished with 15 steals for the game which helped lead to 27 Elms' turnovers.
The Blazers shot 20% (11-55) from the floor, including 2-for-11 (18%) from three-point range, and 36% (4-11) at the free throw line.
Freshman center Angelica Peguero-Flores (Springfield, Mass.) tallied 13 points and eight rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench to lead the way for Elms, while junior forward Niah Pantry (New Haven, Conn.) pulled down a game-high 15 rebounds.
In upcoming action, the Bears travel to MCLA on Wednesday evening for a 5:30 MASCAC game with the Trailblazers. The Blazers entertain NECC rival Newbury College on Saturday afternoon at one.
Notes: The last time the Bears allowed fewer than 28 points in a game was in a 61-24 win at MCLA on January 16, 2006....The program record for fewest points allowed in a game is 22 against North Adams State College (now MCLA) during the 1988-89 season.