By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University women's basketball team extended its winning streak to five games with the most impressive victory of the season.

The Bears defeated Rhode Island College, 83-75, in overtime at the Tinsley Center Tuesday night, prevailing over a team that was 29-1 and advanced to the NCAA Division III Sweet Sixteen a year ago after making it to the Final Four in 2023.

The Anchorwomen (3-2), who had won six straight games over BSU, are receiving votes in the D3hoops.com and Women's Basketball Coaches Association national polls after going 57-5 the past two seasons.

Senior Kylie Grassi (Plymouth, Mass.) led BSU with 22 points, hitting three 3-pointers, and had seven of her team's 14 points in OT.

Senior Arielle Cleveland (Groveland, Mass.) added 13 points and seven rebounds while freshman Lexi Thompson (New Bedford, Mass.) and junior Haley Burchhardt (Schenectady, N.Y.) scored 12 points each.

Graduate student Kylee Piche (Bridgewater, Mass.) scored 10 points and grabbed six rebounds and junior Mairead Gallagher (Bridgewater, Mass.) had eight rebounds and four key points in OT.

The Bears won despite missing 21 of 45 foul shots. They missed 1 of 6 free throws in just under 10 seconds at the end of the fourth quarter, allowing RIC to force OT, then went 7-for-14 at the line in the overtime session.

The 45 free throw tries were the most since BSU took 46 against Fitchburg State on Jan. 17, 2009 at the Tinsley Center.

Bridgewater's defensive pressure forced 24 turnovers which led to a 21-5 advantage in points off turnovers.

The Bears also went 7 for 12 (58.3%) from behind the arc with Grassi connecting on 3 of 4 three-point tries, Burchhardt a perfect 2-for-2, and Cleveland 2 of 3. 

The Anchorwomen were led by senior Madison Medbury (Scituate, R.I.) who notched 27 points, 10 rebounds and six assists before fouling out late in the fourth quarter.

Senior Angelina Nardolillo (Hinsdale, N.H.) added 20 points and 18 rebounds while sophomore Meagan Schuermann (Cooperstown, N.Y.) scored 15 points and had six rebounds.

Nardolillo scored on a layup with four seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 69, and BSU turned the ball over with two seconds remaining to send the game to OT.

After RIC took a 71-69 lead in the opening seconds of the extra session, Grassi put BSU up, 73-71, by making a foul shot, then hitting a 3-pointer.

The Anchorwomen were called for a technical foul with 2:41 to play and Grassi converted at the line for a 74-71 lead.

Gallagher, who had two clutch offensive rebounds in the final minute of regulation, scored on two drives with 2:21 and 1:24 left as BSU took a 78-73 lead.

Piche and Grassi each hit a foul shot for an 80-73 lead with less than a minute to play, and the Anchorwomen got no closer than five.

BSU led, 18-16, after one quarter after falling behind, 9-4, in the opening 3:49 when it missed four of five shots.

Cleveland scored six points when the Bears moved in front, 17-14, but they went scoreless the last 2:25 of the quarter.

BSU held a 34-31 lead at the half, holding RIC to 31 percent shooting. The Anchorwomen turned the ball over 10 times in 20 minutes.

The Bears were up as many as eight in the second quarter (32-24 with 2:06 left) before a late RIC run.

In the third quarter, BSU held a 41-34 lead ith 6:31 to go after a Grassi layup, but a 13-3 run allowed the Anchorwomen to take a 47-44 lead.

Two foul shots by Medbury with four seconds to go gave RIC a 49-48 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

An 8-2 run to start the final 10 minutes of regulation put the Anchorwomen up, 57-50, with 8:06 left.

BSU was down, 62-54, with 6:56 remaining after a long 3-pointer by Medbury.

But the Bears outscored RIC, 14-2, and went up, 68-64, with 1:16 left after two Piche foul shots.

Cleveland had two baskets inside, Grassi made a 3-pointer, Thompson converted after a steal and senior Jordan Peebles (Middleboro, Mass.) added a three-point play.

But BSU went 1-for-6 from the free throw line in the final 20 seconds of regulation while holding a 68-65 lead, opening the door for RIC to tie it in the final seconds.

Grassi now has 1,325 career points, leaving her 41 points away from taking over first place on the all-time BSU list currently held by Jenna Williamson (2010-14).

BSU coach Bridgett Casey moved a step closer to the 400-win mark and is now 397-294.

The Bears play again on Tuesday at 7 p.m. when they host Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

RIC is at Tufts Sunday at 1 p.m.