By Jim Fenton
BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Here's a look at the week ahead (Nov. 11- Nov. 17) for the Bridgewater State University athletics teams:
WEDNESDAY
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL, at Babson College, 7:00 PM: The Bears play their second straight road game after losing at Division 1 Bryant University, 80-57, last week in the opener.
BSU dropped its non-conference game against Babson, 87-64, a year ago.
Babson (1-1) lost to the defending national champion New York University last week, 65-36.
MEN'S BASKETBALL, Nichols College at home, 7:30 PM: The Bears play their first game at the Tinsley Center after sweeping a pair of games at the Wheaton Tip-Off Classic. BSU defeated St. Joseph's of Maine and Anna Maria.
Last season, the Bears lost at Nichols, 93-83.
The Bison will be playing their second straight game on the road after beginning the season with an 89-78 win over Emmanuel College.
THURSDAY
VOLLEYBALL, MASCAC semifinal round at home, 6:00 PM: The second-seeded Bears begin the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament with a match at the Tinsley Center.
The opponent will be determined after Tuesday night's quarterfinal round.
BSU finished second in the conference with a 6-1 record behind top-seeded Westfield State (7-0).
The Bears (11-9) are looking for their first MASCAC tourney win since defeating Salem State in the quarterfinal round in 2019.
FRIDAY
WOMEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING, UMass Dartmouth at home, 5:00 PM: The Bears (0-2) go against the Corsairs after losing to Saint Michael's and Wheaton College.
BSU defeated the Corsairs, 144-34, a year ago.
MEN'S BASKETBALL, Tufts University at home, 5:30 PM: The Bears and the Jumbos meet for the first time since Nov. 17, 2007 when BSU won, 96-70, at the Brandeis Classic in Waltham.
Bears coach Joe Farroba posted the 200th win of his career.
The game will be the season opener for Tufts, which was 21-8 and reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament last winter before losing to Trinity.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL, MIT at home, 7:30 PM: The Bears lost at MIT last season, 89-82.
The Engineers went 19-8 last year and are 1-1 this season.
MIT lost to New York University, the No. 1-ranked team in the nation, and defeated Swarthmore.
SATURDAY
MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY, at NCAA Division 3 East Region, 11:00 AM: The Bears travel to the Hopkinton State Fairgrounds in Contoocook, N.H., for the regional meet.
BSU finished 15th out of 34 teams a year ago with Kevin McBirney (East Bridgewater, Mass.) the Bears' top runner, placaing 43rd out of 229.
WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY, at NCAA Division 3 East Region, Noon: The Bears travel to the Hopkinton State Fairgrounds in Contoocook, N.H., for the regional meet.
Junior Naomi Cass (Westport, Mass.) earned all-region honors a year ago, finishing 10th of 231 runners, and earned a spot at the NCAA Division III Championships. It was the highest BSU finisher since Molly Rouillard in 2012.
The Bears finished 15th out of 34 teams.
FOOTBALL, Mass. Maritime Academy at home, Noon: The 45th annual Cranberry Bowl, presented by A&A Metro Transportation, takes place at Mazzaferro Field.
BSU holds a 33-10-1 edge in the Cranberry Bowl, which began in 1979. The Bears won, 48-6, a year ago.
A BSU (4-5, 4-4) victory avoids a losing record while the Buccaneers are 5-4 and 5-3 in the MASCAC.
Women's Soccer, at The College of New Jersey, TBA: The Bears will travel to nationally ranked The College of New Jersey to take on the #10 Lions in the opening round of the 2024 NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Tournament.
The Bears (12-4-3) are making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2013 and fourth in program history. BSU edged Westfield State University, 3-2, in the MASCAC championship game to advance to the national tournament.
WRESTLING, Western New England at home, 2:00 PM: The Bears host the Golden Bears in the first Bear Cup.
The programs are beginning a new tradition and will compete each year for the trophy.
WENU defeated BSU last season at the Roger Williams quad meet.