By Jim Fenton
BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Here's a look at the week ahead (Feb. 17-23) for the Bridgewater State University athletics teams:
WEDNESDAY
WOMEN'S LACROSSE, at Wheaton College, 4:00 PM: The Bears begin the season by traveling to Norton to face the Lyons.
Wheaton has won nine of the last 10 meetings after a season-opening 10-6 victory in Bridgewater last year.
BSU plays four of its first five games on the road before traveling to Hilton Head, S.C., for a pair of games during spring break in March.
MEN'S BASKETBALL, Westfield State, 5:30 PM: BSU concludes the regular season by hosting the Owls at the Tinsley Center.
It will be Senior Night with four players being honored in a pregame ceremony.
The Bears defeated first-place Westfield State on the road, 82-79, on Jan. 25 when TJ Williams and Josh Campbell combined for 42 points and seven 3-pointers.
BSU is 5-6 in the conference and 10-14 overall. Westfield State is in first place tie with Worcester State at 8-2.
The Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament will begin on Tuesday, Feb. 25.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL, Westfield State, 7:30 PM: The first-place Bears finish the regular season by hosting the Owls.
BSU won at Westfield State, 81-68, on Jan. 25 with four players scoring in double figures.
The Bears (16-6, 8-1 MASCAC) are riding a nine-game winning streak and have not lost since the conference opener against Salem State on Jan. 8.
Westfield State is second with a 5-3 record and is 14-8 overall.
BSU will look to improve on its 10-3 record at the Tinsley Center.
The top seed in next week's MASCAC Tournament, the Bears will have a first round bye and will host a semifinal-round game on Thursday, Feb. 27.
SATURDAY
WOMEN'S LACROSSE, at Salve Regina University, Noon: The Bears will be in Rhode Island to take on the Seahawks.
BSU has a 17-3 record against Salve Regina, which defeated the Bears, 15-13, last season for its first win in the series since 2012.
SUNDAY
WRESTLING, at New England Wrestling Association Futures, 10:00 AM: The Bears travel to Springfield where Western New England University is hosting the Futures Tournament.
This will end the February portion of BSU's schedule with the NCAA Northeast Regional Division III tournament on March 1-2 at Wesleyan.