By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University men's basketball team picked up a much needed win while also celebrating a milestone Wednesday night.

The Bears put together one of their better performances of the season, defeating Framingham State University, 85-66, at the Tinsley Center to improve to 8-13 and 3-5 in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference.

During the first half, junior captain Dante Kikuba (Framingham, Mass.) became the program's 31st player to reach 1,000 points in his career, doing so with a layup to give BSU a 44-24 lead with 4:20 left before the break.

Kikuba had a season-high 30 points on 11-for-20 shooting, making five 3-pointers, to go with six assists and four rebounds. He did not turn the ball over in 31 minutes.

He began the night needing 14 points for 1,000 and took care of that by going 6-for-10 from the field with three 3-pointers in the opening half.

"I feel honored to be up there with all the other guys that are on that (1,000-point scorers) banner," said Kikuba. "I thank my coaches for letting me do what do what I can do. I feel great for my team as well.''

It was the fifth time in Kikuba's career that he scored at least 30, getting 31, 31 and 30 in games as a freshman in the 2022-23 season and 40 against Anna Maria in the 2023-24 season opener.

The shorthanded Bears, playing without injured starters TJ Williams (Jupiter, Fla.), Louis Jennings (Walpole, Mass.) and Zach Taylor (Quincy, Mass.), needed help at the offensive end and Kikuba provided it on his special night.

"I think tonight he was a little more assertive," said coach Matt McLaughlin whose team split the season series with the Rams. "I told him at the beginning of the game that you've got to let it go. We've got guys who are down and we needed scoring."

Kikuba is the first BSU player to reach 1,000 points since Rayshon Ward did so on Nov. 16, 2019.

Sophomore Josh Campbell (Plymouth, Mass.) added 16 points on 6-for-8 shooting with seven rebounds and two steals while sophomore Sam Sweeney (Burlington, Vt.) scored 15 points in 24 minutes off the bench, making four 3-pointers.

The 15 points Kikuba had in the opening half helped BSU jump to a 49-33 advantage at the midway point.

The Bears led by as many as 22 points in the first half at 33-11.

BSU's defense limited the Rams (9-12, 3-5 MASCAC) to 13 of 33 shooting in the first 20 minutes while the Bears made 19 of 35 shots and connected on 9-for-20 from 3-point range.

Kikuba and Campbell (5-for-5, 13 points in the first half) combined for 28 of BSU's 49 points.

Framingham State closed within 53-45 with 14:18 to go on a layup by sophomore Joshua-Daniel Okafor (Boston, Mass.), but Campbell responded with a 3-pointer with 13:15 left.

Leading, 56-47, BSU went on a 9-1 run that included a 3-pointer by Kikuba, a three-point play by Kikuba and a 3-pointer by Sweeney.

The lead went to 65-48 with 10:51 to go and Framingham State would not get any closer than 15 the rest of the way.

It was BSU's first double digit victory since Nov. 13 when it defeated Nichols, 98-81.

The last four MASCAC losses by the Bears were by three, eight, six and five points as they were unable to hold on to leads.

"The guys have been playing so hard,'' said McLaughlin, whose team has been hit hard by injuries all season. "This team has done a good job of getting a lead, but can we sustain it and hold it.

"I think today was huge for that reason. We got the lead, extended it and held it, which has been a challenge. We've been right there. This was a huge game. Hopefully we can continue to build.''

Framingham State had four players in double figures, led by senior Kyle Philistin (North Plainfield, N.J.) with 15 points and five rebounds and sophomore Dyree Rogers (New City, N.Y.) with 15 points.

Okafor had 12 points and seven rebounds while sophomore Joshua Saint Jean (Lynn, Mass.) had 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Junior Samuel Omisore (Boston, Mass.) had a team-best 10 rebounds and five blocks for BSU.

The Bears play their next-to-last home game on Saturday at noon against the Massachusetts State College of Liberal Arts while the Rams host Salem State at noon on Saturday.