Cosby's 29 Points Lifts Women's Basketball to 72-67 Win over WestConn

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Junior forward Michaela Cosby (Walpole, Mass.) scored a career high 29 points to lead the Bridgewater State University women's basketball team to a 72-67 non-conference victory over visiting Western Connecticut State University on Thursday night at the Tinsley Center.

Winners of five consecutive games and nine of their last ten, the host Bears improve to 14-6 on the season.  The Colonials slip to 13-7 as they suffered their third straight setback.

Cosby connected on 12 of 18 field goal attempts on the evening and knocked down 5 of 7 free throw attempts.  She also grabbed six rebounds, including three off the offensive glass, and registered three steals.

Senior forward Shelly DePina (New Bedford, Mass.) added 16 points, three blocks and three steals for the Bears, while classmate Monica-Sabina Bharoocha (North Smithfield, R.I.) tallied 11 points, four assists and four steals.

Sophomore guard Caroline Brasa (East Hartford, Conn.) and senior guard Stephanie Slonski (Griswold, Conn.) paced the Colonials with 18 and 17 points, respectively. Slonski also finished with six rebounds, seven assists and a pair of steals.

Western Connecticut used a 19-3 first half run to turn an eight-point deficit into an eight-point lead (25-17).  A 10-4 BSU spurt at the end of the half would close the gap to two as the teams headed to the intermission with the Colonials leading 31-29.

The game was close throughout much of the second half.  Trailing 55-54 with 4:44 left to play, the Bears ripped off ten straight points, led by DePina's five during the run, to take a 66-57 advantage with 1:38 remaining.  Back-to-back three-pointers by Brasa and junior guard Taylor Nkonoki (Middletown, Conn.) quickly pulled the colonials to within three (66-63).  A pair of free throws by BSU sophomore guard Jenna Williamson (Ludlow, Mass.) was answered by a Slonski driving layup as the clocked ticked down to 33 seconds.

Western Connecticut, however, did not take advantage of four straight missed free throws by the Bears.  A DePina offensive rebound following the first two misses and a big Colonial turnover after the last two would ultimately sink the Colonials.  DePina and Cosby sank four free throws in the final 20 seconds to secure the victory for BSU.   

Bridgewater shot 43% from the floor and knocked down 16 of 23 (69.6%) free throw attempts.  The Bears also scored 26 points off of 29 Western Connecticut turnovers, and held a 34-16 advantage in points in the paint.

The Colonials connected on 49% (23-47) of their field goal attempts including 10-for-20 (50%) from three-point range.  The Western Connecticut bench outscored the Bridgewater reserves by a healthy margin of 33-3.

In upcoming action, Bridgewater travels to Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) foe Westfield State University on Saturday afternoon for a one o'clock game with the Owls.  Western Connecticut heads to North Dartmouth, Mass. on Saturday to take on Little East Conference rival UMass Dartmouth also at one.