Worcester, MA- The Worcester State Lancers (7-6, 2-0 MASCAC) tipped off against the Bridgewater State Bears (6-9, 2-1 MASCAC) in a conference rivalry matchup. This game could have major consequences with play off seeding at the end of the season, so securing the win would better place the Lancers in the top spot come February.

FINAL: LANCERS 84 | BRIDGEWATER ST. 79

The Lancers claimed victory punching a ticket to the MASCAC playoff Tournament last season when they defeated the Bears 75-72. These two teams' rivalry has always determined who is the best skilled team in the MASCAC, Bridgewater losing their last matchup to MCLA 80-76, Lancer's winning their last game against Westfield 86-78 . 

HOW IT HAPPENED: 

Junior forward Aaron Nkrumah (Worcester, MA) scored the Lancers first points of the afternoon, driving the lane and going up for the layup for an easy two. The next possession, the ball in Nkrumah's hands again, had the junior pull up for three draining the shot from distance for a quick five points. Senior Ryan Rubenskas (Bridgewater, MA) fresh off a career high 33 points, got on the board for his points with a post move to get a layup. Shortly after, Rubenskas, facilitating the ball, drew attention and dished a pass out to Zion for a three to tie the game at 13-13. 

Nkrumah picked up his second foul six minutes into the game, putting the Preseason All-American in foul trouble early. Graduate student Sam Davies (Worcester, MA) hit a three with 13 minutes remaining, cutting the lead to three. Off the bench, Johnny Annan (Worcester, MA) hit the ground fighting for a loose ball offensive rebound. Graduate student and North Carolina native Zion Hendrix (Charlotte, NC) pulled up for three, cutting the Bears lead to seven. Continuing his spark off the bench Nate Bangandozou (Worcester, MA) stole a ball on an inbounds, putting up a tough layup in traffic for the points. Soon afterwards, he would get an offensive rebound finding senior Sam Dion (Barre, MA) in transition for points.

Junior guard Suubi Nkugwa (Chelmsford, MA) pulled up from distance hitting a corner three keeping the Lancers  within 11 points as the first half came to a close.

The start of the second half would see Worcester double down and refocus as they looked to reclaim their control of the game, the Lancers, who had cut the lead down to 49-40, knocked down a mid range jumper from Rubenskas. Worcester State first-year forward Jaylen Kirkland (Gardner, MA) hit a mid range shot to cut the Lancer deficit to 49-42. Lancers kept on rolling with a three point shot from  Zion Hendrix to bring the Lancer to within three points. After being fouled, Hendrix went one of two from the line to bring Worcester within three points, a gap they had struggled to achieve in the comeback bid thus far. Hendrix, on an offensive flurry, made a lay up to further cut into the momentum. Bridgewater's Dante Kikuba converted a lay up to increase Bridgewater's lead to 57-52. The Lancers and Bears went shot for shot for the entirety of the opening 13 minutes of the second half.

After a three-point attempt from Dion, the senior knocked down the jumper pulling the Lancers within five points in this tightly contested MASCAC matchup. The next points came on a Bangandozou three to pull the team back within three. The very next possession, he would hit another three to tie the game after a momentum stealing block from Nkrumah. 

Ryan Rubenskas with 2:24 left in the game, and the Lancers up by two, was in the middle of the paint where he saw the open lane, drove and dunked with authority after a back and forth transfer on the court, with defenders in space to give the team a four point lead 77-73. The score now tied and the ball in Bangandozou's hands, a Bridgewater defended stripped the ball out of the guards hand, but determined to not lose the ball the junior dove on the ground, fighting the ball free from the opponent and found a streaking Hendrix to put the Lancers up by two, with Worcester not looking back. Nkrumah, on a fast-break and free lane ahead of it, elevated for a flush in traffic for an and-one, sealing the game for the Lancers as he hit the free  throw to secure the win 84-79.

With the win the Lancers improve to (8-6, 3-0) while Bridgewater State's record drops to (6-10, 2-2)

Next up for Worcester will be Trinity College (16-0, 3-0 NESCAC) in a home game Monday January 15th with a top off time of 3 PM.