Women's Basketball Opens MASCAC Play with 75-58 Win Over Framingham

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. – The visiting Bridgewater State University women's basketball team opened Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) play with a decisive 75-58 victory over two-time defending MASCAC champion Framingham State University on Wednesday night at Logan Gymnasium.

Bridgewater State improves to 9-4 (1-0 MASCAC) on the season as the Bears defeated the Rams for the first time since 2019. Bridgewater's last road win over the Rams came in 2014. Framingham State falls to 8-3 (0-1 MASCAC) with the setback.

Senior guard Sydney Bradbury (East Bridgewater, Mass.) scored a game-high 20 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter, to lead the way for the visitors. Bradbury connected on 6 of 11 three-point attempts and added three rebounds and three steals.

BSU sophomore forward Kylie Grassi (Plymouth, Mass.) filled the stat sheet with 14 points and seven rebounds to go along with a game-best seven assists and four steals, while senior forward Sophia Gaucher (Lakeville, Mass.) checked in with eight points and a team-best nine rebounds (four offensive). Sophomore forward Arielle Cleveland (Groveland, Mass.) added seven points and eight rebounds for the Bears, while junior guard Caroline Tripp (Plymouth, Mass.), sophomore guard Eryn Rice (Medway, Mass.) and sophomore forward Jessica D'Amours (Feeding Hills, Mass.) tallied eight points apiece off the bench.

Junior guard Gwendolyn Carpenter (Ashley Falls, Mass.) paced Framingham State with 16 points, nine rebounds, five assists and two steals, while junior forward Flannery O'Connor (Amesbury, Mass.) posted a double-double with 11 points and 11 boards (three offensive). Junior forward Katty Haidul (Gilford, N.H.) added eight points, 11 rebounds (five offensive) and three assists for the Rams who also received 11 points and four boards in 24 minutes off the bench from sophomore guard Jenna Tavanese (Wilmington, Mass.).

Bridgewater led 18-12 after one quarter of play. The visitors used suffocating defense to force seven turnovers and hold the Rams to 31.6% (6-19) shooting over the first ten minutes. The Bears continued to hold the edge in play in the second quarter outscoring the Rams 25-9 in the period to take a 43-21 lead into the break. The outstanding BSU defensive pressure forced nine more turnovers in the second session and limited the Rams to 4-for-17 (23.5%) shooting.

Grassi scored ten points in the first half to lead all players, while D'Amours tallied all eight of her points. O'Connor paced Framingham with eight points over the first two periods.

Bridgewater shot 44.1% (15-34) in the first half including 3-for-9 (33%) from three-point range. The Bears also went a perfect 10-for-10 at the charity stripe over the first 20 minutes, while the Rams didn't even attempt a free throw.

The Bears took their biggest lead of the game at 24 points following a pair of Gaucher free throws with 6:32 remaining in the third quarter. Later in the period, a three-pointer by Rice gave the visitors a 52-30 advantage. The Rams, however, closed out the third quarter with an 11-0 run to make it an 11-point heading into the final period. Carpenter and sophomore guard Katherine Haselton (Greenfield, Mass.) notched five points apiece during the spurt.

A trio of three-pointers by Bradbury over the first 3 ½ minutes of the fourth quarter helped the Bears push the lead back up to 19 (63-44). A quick 7-0 spurt cut the Rams' deficit to 12 (63-51), before a shot clock beating jumper by Grassi jumpstarted a 9-0 BSU run, highlighted by another Bradbury trifecta, to put the game out of reach.

Bridgewater State shot 39.1% (27-69) for the game, including 8-for-22 (36.4%) from three-point range, and went 13-for-16 (81.3%) at the free throw line. Framingham connected on 33% (23-69) of its field goal attempts and finished 6-for-21 (28.6%) from behind the arc. The Rams made just eight trips (6-for-8) to the charity stripe.

The Bears forced 23 FSU turnovers and held a 19-9 edge in points off turnovers.

The MASCAC schedule continues for both teams on Saturday afternoon at two o'clock. The Bears entertain the Vikings of Salem State University, while the Rams travel to Westfield State University to take on the Owls.