THE SERIES
The game marks the second all-time meeting between the two programs, dating back to the first contest in 2014 - a 65-41 Smith victory.
LAST MEETING
First-year
Meghan Holland (Atherton, Calif./Sacred Heart Prepatory) set a new career high with 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the floor, including 5-of-7 from three, and added three rebounds and a pair of assists while classmate
Amanda Barriscale (Mill Valley, Calif./Tamalpais) scored 11 points and grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds in the win.
SCOUTING THE BEARS
Bridgwater State (3-5) enters Thursday's game after their toughest stretch of the season, playing #2 Amherst Tuesday following a match-up with top-ranked Tufts University December 6. Against the Purple and White, sophomore guard Sara DaSilva led the way for the Bears with ten points, while senior forward Jennie Lindland and junior forward Rhiana Page added nine points apiece. Bridgewater State's last win came on December 3 in the consolation game of the Ed Hockenbury Classic against Maine Augusta. The Bears had a five-year reign as the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) tournament champion end last season. After losing only one senior from a team that was 13-13 and 9-3 in the conference in 2015-16, the BSU returns their leading scorer Chanelle Melton who was a second-team All-MASCAC pick as a junior. Page leads the team with 11.3 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.
SCOUTING THE PIONEERS
Smith (5-3) aims to win back-to-back games for the second time this season after their record-breaking 111-103 win over Westfield State Saturday afternoon. In that game, the Pioneers
received career-high performances from Mandy Castro (San Diego, Calif./Poway), Kennedy Guest-Pritchett (Fairburn, Ga./The Lawrenceville School), Erin Hanley (San Francisco, Calif./St. Ignatius College Prepatory) and Sydney Koh (Seattle, Wash. /Lakeside).
Against the Owls, Smith shot 60.7 percent (37-of-61) from the field, a new program record. The Pioneers' 111 points was the most scored in program history as the two teams combined for 214 points and their 30 made free throws and 46 attempts were the most in program history. Guest-Pritchett
ranks in the top-5 of the NEWMAC in points per game (14.3) and rebounds per game (10.5). Hanley is averaging 12.4 points, 6.4 rebounds per game while Castro leads the team with 3.5 assists per contest. The Pioneers have the league's fourth-highest scoring offense averaging 70.1 points per game while the defense allows 55.5 points per contest.
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