Homich Leads Women's Hoops to 92-89 Win over UMass Dartmouth

NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. -- Sophomore guard Elisha Homich (Ludlow, MA) netted a career high 21 points on 8 of 10 shooting to lead the Bridgewater State University women's basketball team to a 92-89 victory over UMass Dartmouth on Tuesday evening at the Tripp Athletic Center.

Junior forward Monica-Sabina Bharoocha (North Smithfield, RI) added 14 points and three assists for the visiting Bears, while senior guard Corey Cuddihy (Scituate, MA) scored 10 points and dished out four assists.  Sophomore forward Michaela Cosby (Walpole, MA) chipped in with nine points, ten rebounds, five assists and three steals off the bench.

Corsair senior guard Tashauna Ashmeade (Hyannis, MA) recorded her first double-double of the season with a career high 28 points on 12 of 20 shooting with a game-high 11 rebounds. Freshman forward Erika Bornemann (Canton, MA) scored 20 points while sophomore forward Colleen Moriarty (Canton, MA) registered 14 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman guard Keneisha Debnam (Dorchester, MA) added eight points and nine boards off the bench.

Bridgewater shot 50% from the field including 44.4% from behind the three-point arc.  The Bears, however, were outrebounded by a margin of 53-40 with 25 of the Corsairs' 53 boards coming off the offensive glass. UMass Dartmouth shot 44.3% from the floor and 40% from three-point range in the loss.

The Corsairs jumped out to a 19-14 advantage over the Bears with 13:34 left to play in the first half, but Bridgewater went on a 17-0 run to take a 31-19 lead. The Corsairs pulled within two at 37-35 after a 5-0 run with 5:24 remaining in the opening half. Foul trouble gave the Bears free throw opportunities late in the half, allowing Bridgewater to push their lead to 52-44 as the first half came to a close.

Bridgewater maintained an eight-point advantage, 67-59 with 14:42 left to play in the second stanza. A three-pointer by Bornemann, a layup by sophomore guard Shannon Singletary (Brockton, MA) and a jumper by Moriarty cut the lead to one, but the Bears responded with an 11-3 run making it 78-69. A 10-2 Corsair run highlighted by five points from freshman guard Megan Sheehan (Carver, MA) again pulled the hosts to within one.

UMass tied the game up at 83-83 on a Moriarty bucket.  A layup by BSU freshman guard Jenna Williamson (Ludlow, MA) was answered by a Bornemann jumper with 5:31 on the clock. The Bears scored consecutive buckets on layups by Bharoocha and senior guard Brittney Chappron (Braintree, MA) to take an 89-85 lead.

Trailing by three (90-87) with 1:21 on the clock, Ashmeade nailed a jumper to pull UMass Dartmouth to within one, but Cuddihy answered back with a quick layup making it 92-89 with under a minute to play. After a Corsair turnover, the Bears were stopped on their final possession with less than ten seconds remaining. UMass had a chance to tie the game but junior guard Stephanie Houtman (New Bedford, MA) forced up a tough shot that was off the mark, securing the 92-89 victory for Bridgewater State.

The 92 points was the most in a game for Bridgewater State since a 95-63 victory over Framingham State in February of 2007.

The Corsairs fell to 1-4 with the defeat, while the Bears remain unbeaten at 4-0 with the victory. UMass Dartmouth will return to action when they visit Plymouth State in their Little East Conference opener on Saturday. Bridgewater State will play Vassar Friday at the Wesleyan Invitational.