Grassi, Peebles Lead Women's Basketball to 56-47 MASCAC Win over Framingham

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Junior guard Kylie Grassi (Plymouth, Mass.) scored 20 points and junior forward Jordan Peebles (Middleboro, Mass.) recorded her first collegiate double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Bridgewater State University women's basketball team to a 56-47 victory over visiting Framingham State University in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) matchup on Saturday afternoon at the Tinsley Center.

The defending MASCAC champion Bears improve to 6-8 on the season and 2-0 in conference play while the Rams fall to 12-2 overall and 1-1 in the MASCAC. Bridgewater holds a 62-26 advantage in the all-time series.

Grassi, who now has 979 points in her career, went 9-for-13 from the free throw line and added five rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot.

Peebles was 5-for-7 from the floor as well as 2-for-2 at the charity stripe, and three of her game-high 11 boards came off the offensive glass. She also recorded three steals and a block in 29 minutes off the bench. Peebles' 12 points marked a career high.

The Bears also received ten points, five rebounds (two offensive), three assists, two steals and two blocks from junior forward Arielle Cleveland (Groveland, Mass.), and six points, eight boards and a game-best four blocks from Jessica D'Amours (Feeding Hills, Mass.).

Senior guard Gwendolyn Carpenter (Ashley Falls, Mass.) led the way for Framingham State with 21 points, four rebounds and a pair of assists. Carpenter went 8-for-9 at the free throw line and 3-for-6 from three-point range.

The Bears, who led from start to finish, scored the first nine points of the game, and jumped out to a 15-2 lead. Bridgewater held a 23-11 advantage after one. The second quarter was evenly played with both teams scoring 12 points as the Bears took a 35-23 lead into the break.

Trailing 37-25 in the third quarter, the Rams used a 7-0 run, highlighted by a pair of three-point plays by Carpenter, to cut the deficit to five (37-32) with 5:29 remaining in the period. The Bears answered with three straight layups, one by Peebles and two from Cleveland, to push the lead back up to double-digits at 43-32. Framingham would get no closer than eight the rest of the way. Bridgwater got up by as many as 15 points (54-39) in the final period.

The Bears shot 47.7% (21-44) from inside the arc, but just 1-for-15 from three-point range. Bridgewater also went 11-for-18 (61.1%) at the free throw line.

The BSU defensive effort was impressive throughout the game as the Bears forced 20 turnovers and held the Rams to 21.6% (11-51) shooting. Twenty-one of the Framingham's 47 points came at the free throw line. The Rams went 21-for-27 (77.8%) at the stripe.

Bridgewater held the advantage in points in the paint (36-14), points off turnovers (21-9) and second chance points.

In upcoming action, the Bears travel to WPI on Monday night for a seven o'clock game with the Engineers. The Rams entertain the Vikings of Salem State University on Wednesday evening at 5:30.