Strong Defensive Effort Leads CMS Women's Basketball to Win over Bridgewater State

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Austyn Masuno had her third straight double-double to start the year with 14 points and 16 rebounds, and the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's basketball team allowed only eight first-quarter points as it captured a 52-46 win over Bridgewater State on the first day of the NYU Tip-Off Classic on Saturday.

With the win, CMS improves to 2-1 on the young season, bouncing back from its first defeat to Pacific on Sunday. 

CMS led 25-23 at the half, and started off the second half with a three-pointer from Flora Dugerian to pull ahead 28-23. CMS maintained between a 5-9 point lead for the remainder of the third quarter and then extended it to double figures at 47-37 on two Masuno foul shots with 6:18 left. A Jocelyn Song jumper made it 49-37, and Kayla Ishibashi hit a jump shot with 2:54 left to make the lead 51-39. A late Bridgewater rally closed the final deficit to six points, but CMS was able to hold on and take the win. 

CMS never trailed and did not allow its first field goal until over five minutes in, as it built a 6-1 lead. A Mary Markaryan lay-up with 5:51 left in the first half made it a 20-11 lead, before Bridgewater State cut it to one point on two occasions. A Gwen Gilmore three-point play with 22 seconds left in the half made it a 25-21 CMS lead, and the Athenas settled for a 25-23 lead at the break. 

Gilmore was also in double figures for CMS with 10 points on 4-5 shooting. CMS held Bridgewater State to only 33.3 percent shooting on the day (19-57) and forced 24 turnovers, led by three steals apiece from Song and Carter. 

CMS will be back in action for the second day of the NYU Tip-Off Classic against the host Violets tomorrow afternoon, with tip-off scheduled for 12 p.m. Pacific (3 p.m. local time).