Men's Basketball Soars Past Falcons, 85-72

FITCHBURG, Mass. -- Six players scored in double figures as the Bridgewater State University men's basketball team broke a two-game losing streak Wednesday night.

The Bears shot 64 percent in the first half on the way to an 85-72 victory over Fitchburg State University to improve to 7-10 and 3-2 in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference.

Precious Okoh (Brockton, Mass.) was the top scorer with 20 points to go with seven rebounds while Dante Kikuba (Framingham, Mass.) added 15 points (three 3-pointers) and four rebounds.

Zach Taylor (Quincy, Mass.) scored 14 points with four assists and Emerson Halbleib (Carmel, Ind.) was 4-for-4 from the field for 11 points and grabbed 15 rebounds to go along with a season-high six blocked shots including the 100th of his career.

Halbleib is averaging 10.6 rebounds in 14 games to lead the MASCAC. The double-double marked his eighth of the season and 20th in 40 career games with the Bears.

Justin Parsons (Portsmouth, R.I.) had 10 points on 4-for-6 shooting while Louis Jennings (Walpole, Mass.) also scored 10 points with eight rebounds.

Fitchburg State (2-15, 0-4 MASCAC) was led by Frederick Siayor (Worcester, Mass.) with 21 points, including four 3-pointers, and Kamau Franks (Converse, Texas) with 13 points and nine rebounds.

BSU finished shooting 53 percent, including 8-for-17 from 3-point range. The Bears had 20 turnovers which resulted in 25 Fitchburg State points. BSU outrebounded the Falcons, 46-33, and scored 42 of its points in the paint while limiting the hosts to 39 percent shooting.

The Bears, who were without standout rookie Josh Campbell (Plymouth, Mass.) for the second straight game, jumped out to a 9-2 lead just over four minutes into the contest with Taylor scoring seven of the points. Their first 10-point edge was at 18-8 after layups by Halbleib, Okoh and Kikuba.

A 3-pointer by Parsons with 5:12 to go in the half put BSU ahead, 35-21, and a three-point play by Okoh with 1:37 made it 44-27 with 1:37 to go.

The Bears were in front, 46-29, at halftime with Okoh (12), Parsons (10) and Taylor (10) all in double figures.

BSU opened its first 20-point lead at 49-29 on a Taylor layup 1:37 into the second half and a three-point play by Halbleib made it 56-34 with 16:10 left.

The Bears' biggest lead of the night was 64-41 with 13:11 left after two Okoh free throws, but Fitchburg State made one last bid, going on a 28-16 run to close within 78-69 with 3:40 remaining.

But the Bears scored seven points in a row for an 85-69 advantage, getting layups from Jennings, Okoh and Halbleib plus a free throw by Okoh to seal the victory.

The Bears are 86-33 against the Falcons since 1960.

BSU returns home to face Westfield State on Saturday at 2 p.m. to close out the first half of the MASCAC schedule.

Fitchburg State will travel to Salem State for a 2 p.m. game on Saturday.