FRAMINGHAM, Mass. – Junior guard Mary Kate O'Day (Berlin, Mass.) scored a game-high 20 points to lead the Framingham State University women's basketball team to a 71-49 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) victory over visiting Bridgewater State University on Saturday afternoon at the Athletic Center.
The Rams improve to 12-5 on the season and 4-1 in the MASCAC, while the Bears fall to 7-10 overall and 2-2 in conference play.
O'Day connected on 4 of 6 three-point field goals and tallied eight rebounds (four offensive), three assists and a pair of steals. Senior forward Tiphani Harris (Revere, Mass.) and junior center Julia Sanborn (Dracut, Mass.) added ten points apiece for the Rams, while sophomore guard Abbey Battaini (Haverhill, Mass.) checked in with eight points in 12 minutes off the bench. Harris and Sanborn also collected eight and six rebounds, respectively.
Sophomore center Destiny Fitzgerald (Medford, Mass.) notched 15 points, eight rebounds (five offensive), two assists and three blocked shots in 23 minutes off the bench to lead the way for Bridgewater State.
The Bears scored the first four points of the game on back-to-back buckets by junior forward Kayla Carter (Beverly, Mass.) and senior guard Olivia DelGrosso (Ledyard, Conn.). The Rams, however, dominated the rest of the period outscoring the Bears 21-2 during a 7 ½ minute stretch to grab a 21-6 lead at the end of one quarter of play. Framingham maintained the double-digit advantage throughout a low-scoring second quarter and took a 27-16 lead into the break.
Junior forward Mallory DeFeo (Arlington, Mass.) led all players with nine points over the first two quarters, while senior guard Sara DaSilva (Chelmsford, Mass.) scored six to pace the Bears.
The Rams shot 38% (11-29) from the floor over the first 20 minutes and held the Bears to 24% (8-33) shooting. Framingham was also 5-for-6 at the free throw line, while Bridgewater did not attempt a free throw. Neither team made a three-pointer in the first half as the two squads combined to go 0-for-12 from behind the arc.
Back-to-back baskets by Carter and senior forward Kailyn Aguiar (Acushnet, Mass.) to open the third quarter pulled the Bears to within seven (27-20). The Rams dominated the rest of the period outscoring the Bears 27-5 over the final eight minutes to open up a 54-25 lead. Framingham drained five three-pointers in the quarter including four from O'Day who scored 14 of her 20 points in the third.
A pair of Battaini three-pointers helped give Framingham its biggest lead of the game at 31 points (65-34) midway through fourth quarter and the Rams would coast to the 71-49 victory.
Framingham shot 47% (27-57) from the floor for the game and finished 10-for-11 (91%) at the charity stripe. After going 0-for-7 from behind the arc in the first half, the Rams knocked down 7 of 12 (58%) three-point attempts over the final 20 minutes.
The Bears shot 36% (22-62) for the game including just 2-for-12 (17%) from long range.
In upcoming action, the Bears host MASCAC rival Worcester State University on Tuesday (Jan. 22) night at 5:30. The Rams travel to MCLA on Thursday (Jan. 24) evening for a 5:30 conference game with the Trailblazers.