FRAMINGHAM, Mass. – Sophomore forward Flannery O'Connor (Amesbury, Mass.) posted a double-double with 18 points and 17 rebounds to lead the Framingham State University women's basketball team to a 78-54 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) victory over visiting Bridgewater State University on Friday evening at the Athletic Center.
The Rams improve to 14-3 on the season and remain unbeaten in MASCAC play with a perfect 6-0 conference mark. The Bears fall to 10-7 overall and 2-2 in the MASCAC. Framingham has won 15 of the last 16 meetings of the two teams.
O'Connor connected of 8 of 14 field goals attempts and eight of her game-high 17 boards came off the offensive glass. She also added two assists, a blocked shot and three steals.
Sophomore guard Gwendolyn Carpenter (Ashley Falls, Mass.) checked in with a game-high 19 points to go along with seven rebounds for the hosts, while senior guard Krysta Padellaro (Newburyport, Mass.) notched 18 points and six boards. Senior guard Camille Desrochers (Westford, Mass.) added 12 points and sophomore forward Katty Haidul (Gilford, N.H.) scored 11 to round out the Rams' double-digit point producers. Haidul also pulled down nine rebounds.
Senior guard Olivia Dziadyk (Wakefield, Mass.) and freshman forward Arielle Cleveland (Groveland, Mass.) tallied ten points apiece to lead the way for Bridgewater State, while freshman guard Kylie Grassi (Plymouth, Mass,) added eight points and a team-best seven rebounds to go along with a blocked shot.
Framingham led 30-20 at the half and used a 17-4 third quarter run to open up a 24-point lead (55-31). Haidul tallied seven points during the decisive run while Carpenter started it with a pair of free throws and capped it off with a three-pointer. The Rams got up by as many as 26 points in the fourth quarter and coasted to the 78-54 victory.
Framingham shot 43% (26-60) for the game, including 8 of 19 (42$) from three-point range, The Rams also connected on 18 of 27 (67%) free throw attempts and finished with a 44-30 rebounding advantage with a decided 17-7 edge on the offensive glass.
The Bears shot 39% (22-57) from the floor and went just 1-for-16 (6%) from behind the arc. The visitors knocked down 9 of 10 (90%) free throw attempts.
The two teams combined for 46 turnovers.
The MASCAC schedule continues for both teams on Monday evening. The Bears travel to Salem State University to take on the Vikings at six o'clock, while the Rams head to Fitchburg State University for a five o'clock game with the Falcons.