Women’s Basketball team drops a couple of close matchups
By Brendan Coughlin
Sports Editor
The lady Bears had won seven of their last nine games before their recent two game skid in MASCAC play. The Bears are now sitting at 12-9 overall, and 6-3 in MASCAC games, good enough for second place.
BSU fell to a Westfield State team that has an unblemished record in conference play. The Bears fell 56-49 at their home Tinsley Center. Senior forward Megan Boutilette did a little bit of everything in the loss, recording yet another double-double, giving her 14 on the season. Junior guard Vanesa Conceicao contributed with 11 points.
After leading 26-24 at halftime, the Bears could not hold on to the lead. The lead shifted hands ten times throughout the matchup. In the last minutes, BSU had two chances to take the lead but came up empty handed. The Westfield Owls closed the game out at the free throw line, sinking their final four attempts of the night.
More heartbreak followed the Bears in their road game at Framingham State. With the game tied 61-61, the Lady Bears had an uncontested three point shot and a putback attempt as time expired.
The missed opportunities would come back to bite BSU as Framingham pulled away in an overtime period. BSU saw its last lead with 1:24 remaining in overtime.
Freshman Christina Jaros hit a layup to give the Bears a 67-65 lead. Framingham’s freshman Lauren Donahue responded with a clutch three point basket to give her team the advantage. The Bears could not convert on the following possessions, sending Framingham to the foul line again.
Framingham successfully put the game away by once again converting on their free throws down the stretch. The Bears would lose 72-67. Second chance points would be the ultimate difference in the tilt. Framingham outscored Bridgewater in second point opportunities 19-7.
Those opportunities would not be possible without a major advantage on the offensive boards as well. Framingham pulled down 18 offensive boards while the Bears claimed ten. The third overtime matchup of the season was the first one lost by the Bears.
Boutilette has recently moved into 8th on the all-time scoring list of Lady Bear’s basketball players. Her historic career is winding down and her legacy is set intact. It would take a lot for the Bears to claim the top of the MASCAC, as they currently sit at 6-3 in conference play behind a perfect 10-0 Westfield State.
Brendan Coughlin is the Sports Editor for The Comment.
