WESTFIELD – The Westfield State Owls women’s basketball team has earned the top seed in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament that begins on Tuesday, February 23 with the quarterfinal round.
Beginning on Tuesday, third-seeded Bridgewater State entertains sixth-seeded Worcester state at 5:30 pm while fourth-seeded MCLA will host Salem State at 6 pm. Second-seeded Framingham State will host the winner of Bridgewater State/Worcester State on Thursday, February 25 at 6 pm in the first semifinal then Westfield State will face off with the winner of MCLA/Salem State at 7 pm.
The winner of the two semifinal contests on Thursday will meet on Saturday, February 27 at the highest remaining seed to determine the MASCAC Women’s Basketball Tournament Champion.
Earning the top seed and a first round bye, the Owls finished the MASCAC regular season with an 11-1 record. The duo of Jill Valley and Forbasaw Nkamebo led the way for Westfield State averaging 17.6 and 14.8 points, respectively. Valley closed out the regular season first in the conference in total points (439), steals (85), three point percentage (42.9 percent) and free throw percentage (84 percent).
Getting the other first round bye was Framingham State with a 10-2 MASCAC record. Alycia Rackliffe led the conference in total rebounds (261), rebounds per game (10.9) and blocks (85) while also tallying 12.4 points per game. Raegan Mulherin led the league in points per game (18.1) and was second in total points (435) at the end of the regular season.
Bridgewater State in the third spot closed out the regular season with a 9-3 record in conference play. The duo of Chanelle Melton and Jennie Lindland led the Bears in points per game with 12.8 and 12.55 and rebounds with 5.6 and 5.9, respectively.
MCLA finds themselves with the fourth-seed after winning four games during the MASCAC season. Kayla Hotaling led the Trailblazers with 11.9 points per game while also having the second most rebounds per game in the league with 9.8 and total rebounds with 245.
Rounding the tournament field are Salem State and Worcester State with the fifth and sixth seed, respectively. Both teams acquired four wins during conference play. Kaitlyn Bryan closed out the regular season for the Vikings with the fourth most point per game in the conference (14.4), total points (360) and free throw percentage (73.7 percent). For the Lancers, Britt Herring had a strong freshman campaign, averaging 13 points per game and 8.8 rebounds which are the fifth most in the league while also averaging the third best field goal percentage at 53.7 percent.
During the 2015 MASCAC Tournament, Bridgewater State captured their fifth straight title with a 60-57 victory over top-seeded Westfield State and a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
