NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The Frostburg State men's basketball team could not hold off a hard-charging Bridgewater State club as it dropped an 87-82 decision to the Bears on Thursday in the Holiday Inn Captains Shootout Consolation Game in Newport News, Virginia.
Seniors Nicholas Motta (Fairhaven, Mass.) and Judah Jackson (Everett, Mass.) led five players in double-figure scoring for Bridgewater. Motta, who was named to the all-tournament team, tallied 18 points to go along with nine rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block. Jackson finished with 19 points, five boards, four assists and three steals.
Frostburg led by as many as 13 in the first half before taking a 48-41 lead into the intermission. Bridgewater ended the opening stanza with an 8-2 run over the final three minutes. Frostburg also extended the lead to double digits in the second half with a 54-44 advantage at the 17:42 mark.
Trailing 63-54 with under 14 minutes remaining, Bridgewater went on an 11-0 run capped off by a Motta three-pointer as the Bears took their first lead (65-63) since the 9:28 mark of the first half.
Bridgewater State would not relinquish the lead the rest of the way, despite making only 4 of 9 free throw attempts over the final ten minutes. The Bobcats couldn't capitalize on the Bears' poor free throw shooting, however, as they shot just 34.5 percent from the field and 56.5 percent from the line in the final stanza.
The Bobcats had a chance in the final minute to tie or take the lead trailing by two at 84-82, but Bridgewater forced senior guard Brian Anderson (Perry Hall, Md.) into a turnover. Jackson managed to make just 1 of 2 at the line on the ensuing foul, but an offensive rebound and two more Jackson free throws brought the final margin to five points.
Frostburg did have five players score in double figures led by senior forward Mhabhushah Koffa (Germantown, Md.) who posted a double-double with 13 points and 15 rebounds. Anderson led all players with his 21 points and seven assists. Junior guard Maurice Williams (Columbus, Ohio) also nearly registered a double-double as he chipped in with 10 points and eight boards.
Senior center Samuel Johnson (North Chelmsford, Mass.), senior guard Corey Connor (Providence, R.I.) and sophomore guard Shawn Yard (Brockton, Mass.) also finished in double-figure scoring for Bridgewater. Johnson posted a double-double with ten points and 12 rebounds to go along with four assists. Connor knocked down 3 of 5 three-point attempts on his way to 13 points, while Yard added 12 points, four assists and three steals.
Bridgewater (5-4) will travel to MIT on Monday, January 3rd to take on the Engineers at 6:00 PM. The Bobcats (6-7) get back into Capital Athletic Conference action when they travel to Wesley on Wednesday, January 5th for an 8:00 PM tip-off.