Conceicao's Clutch Free Throws Lift Women's Basketball over RIC in OT

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Junior guard Vanesa Conceicao (New Bedford, Mass.) sank a pair of free throws with just seven seconds remaining in overtime to lift the visiting Bridgewater State University women's basketball team to a 68-67 victory over Rhode Island College on Tuesday evening at the Murray Center.

The Bears improve to 4-1 on the season with the dramatic win, while the host Anchorwomen slip to 0-5.

Sophomore forward Jennie Lindland (Edgartown, Mass.) paced the visitors with 13 points, eight rebounds, three assists and a career-high seven steals.  Classmate Chanelle Melton (Brockton, Mass.) added 15 points, eight boards, two assists and two blocked shots, while Conceicao finished with ten points, five caroms, and four assists. Freshman center Christina Jaros (Plymouth, Mass.) pulled down a season-best 15 rebounds.

Junior guard Michelle Lagrotteria (Niantic, Conn.) led the way for RIC with a game-best 18 points and six assists to go along with five rebounds. Freshman guard Jess Korzek (West Brookfield, Mass.) added 17 points, eight boards and three steals, while sophiomore guard Alex Moore (West Newbury, Mass.) posted a double-double with ten points and ten rebounds in addition to five assists and four steals.

In a game which featured 16 lead changes and 12 ties, RIC rallied from an 11-point first half deficit.

The teams started the game evenly matched and took turns trading the lead through the first eight minutes of the half. Starting with a jumper from freshman guard Rhiana Page (Brookline, Mass.) with 12:32 remaining and ending with a three-pointer from senior guard Rachel Kusz (Worcester, Mass.) at the 4:01 mark, Bridgewater State used a 17-7 run to take 29-18 advantage. The Anchorwomen chipped away over the remaining four minutes and a free throw by Korzec made the score 30-22 in favor of Bridgewater State at the break.

The Bears shot 32% (10-31) from the field in the half, while converting on 73% (8-11) from the free throw line.

Rhode Island College struggled from the floor, shooting 20% (6-30) from the field and 64% (9-14) from the charity stripe over the first 20 minutes.

The Anchorwomen continued their comeback, cutting the BSU lead down to two, 36-34, on a layup from Moore with 13:36 left in the game. Bridgewater State ballooned their lead up to five, 54-49, with just 3:25 remaining, but a Korzec jumper followed by a Lagrotteria three-point play with just 42 seconds on the clock tied the score at 54 and sent the game into overtime.

Each team had a chance to win the game in regulation in the final 30 seconds but neither could convert.

In overtime, the Anchorwomen took their biggest lead of the game, 67-64, on a driving layup by Moore with just 39 seconds left on the scoreboard. Lindland knocked down a pair of free throws at the other end of the floor to make it a one-point game as the clock ticked down to 21 seconds.

The Bears fouled right away and Korzek missed the front end of a one-on-one.  Korzec made up for the miss by forcing a turnover, but Lindland responded with a steal of her own to give Bridgewater possession of the ball with under ten seconds remaining.

Conceicao was fouled away from the basket and calmly sank both free throws to give the visitors the lead. Lagrotteria's long jumper in the final seconds came up short and the Bears held on for the well-earned victory.

Bridgewater State shot 82% (22-27) from the free throw line including a perfect 8-for-8 during the overtime session.

Both teams struggled with their shooting.  The Anchorwomen converted 33% (25-75) of their field goal attempts, while the Bears also shot 33% (22-67) from the floor.

Bridgewater held a 55-46 rebounding advantage but also turned the ball over 25 times.