Women's Basketball Falls to Framingham, 87-75

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Junior forward Tiphani Harris (Revere, Mass.) scored a team-best 22 points on 10 of 11 shooting to lead the visiting Framingham State University women's basketball team to an 87-75 victory over Bridgewater State University in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) contest on Saturday afternoon at the Tinsley Center.

The Rams improve to 10-7 on the season and 4-1 in the MASCAC, while the Bears fall to 4-12 overall and 1-3 in conference play. Since dropping 11 straight games to Bridgewater from 2010 to 2015, Framingham has won each of the last seven meetings of the two teams.

Harris added eight rebounds, two assists and two steals for the Rams who also received 19 points, three boards, five assists and two steals from sophomore guard Mary Kate O'Day (Berlin, Mass.) as well as 18 points and four assists from sophomore guard Emily Velozo (Tewksbury, Mass.).

Framingham overcame outstanding efforts from BSU junior guard Sara DaSilva (Chelmsford, Mass.) and senior guard Jennifer Whyte (Braintree, Mass.). DaSilva scored a season and game-high 25 points on 10 of 17 shooting to go along with three rebounds, three assists, a blocked shot and a pair of steals, while Whyte knocked down a career-best seven three pointers (7-for-13) and added three assists.

Framingham led 24-21 after one quarter of play as the Rams connected on 10 of 14 field goals (71%) in the period including 3-for-3 from behind the arc. The Bears hot shooting from three-point range kept the game close as Whyte knocked down 4 of 5 three-point attempts. DaSilva closed out the quarter with a pair of free throws and a trifecta.

Early in the second quarter, sophomore guard Nicole Bostick (Bridgewater, Mass.) drained a three to knot the score at 26-26. Following a stop, DaSilva buried another three-ball to give the Bears their first lead since the opening minute of the game. Later in the period, however, a 16-2 FSU run capped off by a Velozo traditional three-point play put the Rams up 44-33 with a minute remaining. Sanborn scored six points during the spurt while freshman guard Abbey Battaini (Haverhill, Mass.) added five. A Whyte three-pointer with time winding down closed the gap to 44-36 as the teams headed to the locker room.

Whyte led all player with 15 first-half points as she went 5-for-7 from long distance. DaSilva chipped in with ten points off the bench. Bridgewater shot 43% (13-30) from the floor over the first two quarters including 8-for-12 (67%) from behind the arc.

Harris paced FSU with 14 points on a perfect 7-for-7 shooting over the first 20 minutes. Framingham shot 54% (19-35) in the first half. The Rams, however, made just 1 of 7 attempts from three-point land in the second quarter after going 3-for-3 in the opening period.

Trailing 50-38 two minutes into the third quarter, the Bears went on a 12-2 run to close the gap to two (52-50) with 5:10 remaining in the period. DaSilva scored six points during the run. Framingham outscored the Bears 13-5 over the next five minutes as the Rams' lead ballooned back to ten (65-55) heading into the final minute of the period. O'Day tallied seven of the Rams' 13 points during that span. A DaSilva three-pointer and layup closed out the scoring in the third as the Bears cut the deficit to five, 65-60, as the game entered the fourth quarter.

A 10-3 run to open the final period extended the Framingham lead to 75-63 with eight minutes left to play. The BSU defense then held the Rams to just two points over the next five minutes as a Whyte trifecta jumpstarted a 9-2 run which was capped off by a DaSilva jumper with 3:24 remaining. The Bears, however, went just 1-for-7 from the floor over the final three minutes as Framingham pulled away for the 87-75 victory.

Framingham shot 55% (34-62) for the game and converted 14 of 17 (82%) free throws. The Rams also turned the ball over just seven times.

Bridgewater connected on 47% (30-64) of its field goal attempts in the contest including 12-for-27 (44%) from downtown. The Bears committed 15 turnovers which helped lead to a 19-6 FSU advantage in points off turnovers.

In upcoming MASCAC action, the Bears travel to Worcester State University on Tuesday evening for a 5:30 game with the Lancers, while the Rams entertain the Trailblazers of the MCLA on Thursday night at six.