FRAMINGHAM, Mass. -- The MCLA duo of Hayden Bird and Noah Yearsley combined to score 41 points in leading the Trailblazers past the Framingham State Rams, 74-62, in MASCAC action on Monday.

 

MCLA (8-10, 3-4) never trailed in this one.  The Trailblazers jumped out to an 8-2 lead after back-to-back 3-pointers from Drury graduate Bird just under three minutes into the game. The Rams (3-18, 1-8) answered with six straight tying the game on jumper with just less than 15 remaining in the first half.  

 

A few minutes later leading 14-13, the Trailblazers rattled off a 10-0 run capped by a Yearsley jumper taking a 24-13 lead with just over six to play in the first. The Rams cut the deficit to eight on an Ivan Nyantenji 3, but the Trailblazers pushed the lead back to double digits and headed to the locker room leading 37-22. 

 

MCLA led 44-28 six minutes into the second half before the Rams rattled off an 8-0 run capped by an Joshua-Daniel Okafor layup to pull within ten at 44-34. The two teams traded points until back-to-back 3s from Yearsley put the visitors up 56-40 with eight to go. Framingham got no closer than the final margin.

 

Bird went 7-for-15 from 3-point range for his 21 points. He didn't attempt a shot from inside the arc. Yearsley was 8-15 shooting for his 20 point night. Taconic graduate Quentin Gittens stuffed the stat sheet with 13 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists.

 

MCLA shot a solid 44% from the field in the win.

 

The same two teams will meet again on Wednesday night in North Adams.

 

Women's Basketball

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- The visiting Bridgewater State women's basketball team started the game on an 18-0 run and never looked back as they defeated the MCLA Trailblazers 105-42 in MASCAC action.

 

To say the Bears (14-7, 6-2) started fast would be an understatement. Caroline Tripp began the scoring on the opening possession with a bucket and then back to back triples from Sydney Bradbury made it 8-0. Destiny Fitzgerald scored six of the next eight points and just four minutes into the game, the Bears led 18-0. 

 

MCLA (1-18, 1-7) finally got on the board with an Olivia Pressley free throw, however the Bears would continue the surge and lead 34-8 after one quarter of play.

 

MCLA was paced by Drury graduate Brooke Digennaro's team-best 17 points. Shannon Carney added 13. MCLA shot just 28% in defeat.

 

MCLA is back in action on Wednesday evening when it hosts Framingham State in the Amsler Campus Center.