Worcester, MA- The Worcester Star Men's Basketball team (13-8, 7-1) return to action after a thrilling comeback victory last Saturday versus Westfield State. The Lancers looked to grab another win off the Bridgewater State Bears (11-10, 7-2) and extend their lead in the MASCAC as the teams come to the final two weeks of regular season play.

Final

Worcester State: 61

Bridgewater State: 93

How it Happened:

Worcester would open the scoring in this key conference match as senior Ryan Rubenskas (Bridgewater, MA) would send the ball up over the pressure for a two point jumper. The Bears would be quick to respond, and continue to find offensive success, sending shots sailing through the hoop and upping the rebounding pressure with second chance opportunities that jumped them out to a sixteen point lead early in the first half. A foul on a senior Sam Dion (Barre, MA) three pointer would begin the Lancers' run to cut into the lead as Dion went 3-3 from the line. The teams traded baskets and Rubenskas went for height, slamming the ball into the hoop as the amped up defensive pressure began to make the Bears once solid play begin to crumble. 

The lag in offensive action would hold for the next few minutes for the Bears, as the Worcester State's defense pressure would be pivotal in chipping the lead down to 11 points. A late half run would see the Bears re-settle from the defensive pressure as their continued hot streak would see them unable to miss their shots, pushing the lead to 24 points before halftime. Worcester would go into the halftime break ready to double down and reset the tone in what has come to be a mark of their season, the second half swing. 

Junior Aaron Nkrumah (Worcester, MA) would lead Worcester with almost half the first half points, recording 12 points, while Rubenskas would pull down five rebounds for eight points in the first half action. 

While the bears would grab the first basket of the half, off a three pointer from Precious Okoh, the next three minutes would be all Lancers as graduate student Zion Hendrix (Charlotte, NC), Rubenskas and Nkrumah would collaborate to cut into the Bears lead. Bridgewater would respond to a run of their own to push their lead back out, but a Worcester State timeout would stimmy their offensive rush and give Worcester a breath to regroup on defense. Following the timeout the Lancers would attempt to start their own offensive rally, but the Bears were able to hold off the blue and gold, and keep the game scoreless for over a minute before starting a rally of their own that would see their lead jump. Worcester State would spend the remainder of the second half trying to find their rhythm to reclaim momentum but the cold shooting for Worcester, going 38.1% from the floor, would continue in direct parallel to the Bears hot streak, who shot for 55.6%, with the Lancers falling to Bridgewater 61-93 for their second conference loss of the season. 

Rubenskas would lead Worcester with 17 points and seven rebounds and Nkrumah would add an additional 16 points with four rebounds on the night. 

Worcester now sits at (13-9, 7-2) while the Bears record is now (12-10, 8-2) in a current tie with the Lancers, who have a game to be played on the Bears in the MASCAC standings.. Bridgewater next hosts Fitchburg State on Saturday at 2pm while Worcester State will host Salem State on Saturday February 10th at 2pm after a preceding alumni game, in the team's Pink Out Game, sponsored by the Rosen Cancer Awareness Fund. Cancer prevention information and giveaways, along with shirts will be for sale. Donations will be accepted during the game.