BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Senior center Jon Greenberg (Antwerp, Belgium) knocked down the game-winning free throw with 4.7 seconds left as the visiting MCLA Trailblazers edged Bridgewater State University, 78-77, in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) men's basketball action on Thursday night at the Tinsley Center.
Greenberg's free throw came less than ten seconds after junior forward Jamal Brown (Springfield, Mass.) tied the game with a long three. After Brown's three, the Trailblazers forced a big turnover and, out of a timeout, Greenberg was fouled on the inbounds pass. After missing the first free throw attempt, Greenberg buried the second. Bridgewater was not able to get a shot off on the ensuing possession as the Trailblazers walked away with the win.
MCLA improves to 14-3 overall and remains undefeated in MASCAC play with a perfect 5-0 conference mark. Bridgewater falls to 11-7 overall and 3-3 in MASCAC play.
Greenberg finished with 20 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a pair of steals. Junior forward Chris Harris (Dorchester, Mass.) added 20 points, seven boards, two assists and two steals, while Brown notched 14 points, three boards and a pair of assists.
Senior forward Nicholas Motta (Fairhaven, Mass.) paced Bridgewater State with double-double totals of 16 points and ten rebounds to go along with four assists and two steals. Classmate Corey Connor (Providence, R.I.) added 16 points, four boards and a pair of assists, while junior guard Corey Ryser (Tewksbury, Mass.) scored 13 points off the bench.
Trailing by four points with 8:31 remaining in the first half, Bridgewater went on a 10-0 run and outscored MCLA 15-5 over the final eight minutes, as the Bears took a 41-35 lead into the intermission.
MCLA held the edge in play over much of the second half. After Bridgewater increased their advantage to ten points (45-35), the Trailblazers responded with a 15-2 run to jump ahead 50-47 with Brown tallying seven points during the run. MCLA upped their lead to nine points (64-55) before the Bears battled back with a 7-0 spurt to cut the deficit to two at 64-62.
The Trailblazers would jump ahead, 70-64, before Ryser drained a three and Connor knocked down a pair of free throws thanks to an MCLA technical foul. A Motta layup put the Bears up by one (71-70), but MCLA quickly tied the game on a Greenberg free throw. The score was knotted at 74-74 heading into the final 90 seconds. Sophomore guard Anthony Fortes (East Providence, R.I.) knocked a free throw for BSU but missed the second. Motta, however, corralled the offensive rebound and Ryser would promptly connect on a baseline jumper to make it a 77-74 advantage with 44 seconds left to play.
That would set the stage for MCLA's late-game heroics. Down by three and with the shot clock winding down, Brown buried a three from the top of the arc with 14 seconds left. The Trailblazers then forced Bridgewater into a bad turnover with Harris intercepting an errant pass. MCLA immediately called timeout and Greenberg was fouled as the inbounds pass headed his way.
MCLA dominated the boards, outrebounding the Bears by a margin of 42-29 including a 19-7 advantage on the offensive glass. The Trailblazers shot 44% (27-62) from the field and knocked down 21 of 29 free throw attempts.
Bridgewater shot 51% (29-57) from the floor and 83% (15-18) at the free throw line.
The Bears will travel to Westfield State University on Saturday afternoon for a three o'clock MASCAC game with the Owls. MCLA hosts Worcester State University on Saturday evening at 5:30.