BABSON PARK, Mass.—Senior Patrick Bradanese (Billerica, Mass.) poured in a game-high 26 points and classmate Kyle McKissick (Charlton, Mass.) added 15 points on 7-of-7 shooting as Anna Maria College defeated Bridgewater State University, 76-67, in the opening round of the Babson College Invitational on Friday night at Staake Gymnasium.
AMCAT LEADERS
Bradanese finished 11-of-18 from the floor while also dishing out five assists and grabbing four boards for the AMCATS. Graduate student Corey Pryor (Northbridge, Mass.) and senior Tyler Delorey (Worcester, Mass.) both finished with 12 points, while classmate Pedro Trindade (Billerica, Mass.) pulled down a team-high eight rebounds.
BRIDGEWATER LEADERS
Junior Fawaz Mass (Taunton, Mass.) and sophomore Rocky DeAndrade (Mansfield, Mass.) both scored 15 points to lead the Bears. Fawaz also led all player with nine rebounds, while junior Patrick McGuinness (New City, N.Y.) came off the bench to scored nine points.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Anna Maria made 15 of its first 22 shots from the floor and took a 36-19 lead on a three-point play by Trindade with 7:22 left in the first half. McKissick gave the AMCATS their biggest lead of the first half at 47-28 with a little under two minute to go in the opening half and Bradanese, who scored 18 first-half points, banked in a deep three-pointer at the buzzer to make it 50-32 at the break.
Bridgewater State cut its deficit to 57-46 following a steal and a three-point play by McGuinnes with 14:27 remaining in the contest, but Delorey answered with a three-pointer, and sophomore Gary Stewart (Fort Washington, Md.) buried a step-back jumper on the next possession to push the Anna Maria lead back to 16 with 13:35 left.
Despite not scoring over the final 6:03, the AMCATS limited the Bears to just three field goals to advance to the Babson Invitational title game for the fourth time in six tournament appearances.
FINAL COMPARISONS
Anna Maria shot 51.6 percent on the night and outscored Bridgewater State 40-24 in the paint. The AMCATS also held a 38-35 edge on the glass.
The Bears, who scored 16 points off 19 Anna Maria turnovers, shot just 33.9 percent from the field.
WHAT'S NEXT
Bridgewater State will take on Framingham State in Saturday's consolation game at 2 p.m., while the AMCATS face 10th-ranked Babson in the championship game at 4 p.m.