Gray Scores 27, Leads Owls to Big Win

WESTFIELD, Mass.  –   Westfield State University sophomore forward Melissa Gray (Peabody, Mass.) scored 27 points to lead Westfield State to a 99-63 win over Fitchburg State in a MASCAC women's basketball game at the Woodward Center on Tuesday evening.

The win was Westfield State's 26^th straight conference win at home, as the Owls improve to 11-7 overall and 5-0 in the MASCAC.   Fitchburg slips to 8-8 and 2-3 MASCAC.

Westfield ran out to a 27-9 first quarter lead and led 54-22 at the half.   The Owls substituted liberally in the fourth quarter as they led 87-39 entering the fourth.

Gray connected on six of 10 shots from three point range and 10-14 from the floor.  She also grabbed eight rebounds and had five steals in just 17 minutes of playing time.

Owls senior forward Kierra McCarthy (Ludlow, Mass.) who had been named the USBWA National Player of the Week earlier in the day, added 18 points on 7-9 shooting.  Westfield State senior guard Lucy Barrett (Williamstown, Mass.) scored 10 points and dished out four assists in 14 minutes of play after missing the previous game due to injury.

The Owls finished 40-88 (45.5 %) from the floor and connected on 13 of 42 three point tries.

Fitchburg was led by 18 points and 14 rebounds from Catherine Coppinger, and got 12 points from Angelina Marrazzi.

Westfield will be back in action on Thursday evening with a game at Worcester State at 7:30 p.m.   Fitchburg will host Bridgewater State on Thursday.