OWINGS MILLS, Md. (BC Athletics) – The Bridgewater College women’s basketball team used big nights from Jaiden Polston and Jasmine Griffin to roll past Stevenson 78-54 on Tuesday night.

Score: Bridgewater 78, Stevenson 54
Records: Bridgewater 2-0, Stevenson 0-1

How It Happened
• Stevenson got on the board first with a driving layup in the opening minute of the contest. The teams traded makes at the free-throw line before a Mikayla Coleman three-pointer gave Bridgewater a 4-3 lead. The Eagles got a stop and went to work as Asia Williams, Griffin and Coleman combined to polish off a 9-0 Bridgewater run. BC was in front 10-3 before Stevenson ended a near four-minute scoring drought with a three-pointer to slice the lead in half. The Mustangs sank a free throw to cut into the lead further, but a pair of makes at the charity stripe by Polston put BC back on the board. Mattie Matonic scored twice in the final two minutes of the opening frame to make it a 16-10 Bridgewater edge after 10 minutes of play.
• Neither side got on the board in the opening minute of the second quarter until Polston converted on an old-school three-point play to extend the lead. Stevenson countered with a pair of buckets to close back to within five points, but Polston answered the call with six points on the trot to make it a 25-14 BC edge. Stevenson ended the run with a make from long range, but Matonic answered as the teams traded scores. The Mustangs started to close back in thanks to a 7-0 scoring run, fueled by a trio of BC turnovers. Williams ended the Mustangs’ scoring spree and pushed the lead out to 30-24 after a Savannah Wilson bucket in the lane. The home team responded, but Bridgewater got the upper hand to end the half thanks to an 8-3 scoring run. Four points from Matonic over the final 96 seconds of the first half helped the Eagles take a 40-31 lead to the locker room.
• The Mustangs opened the third quarter with the first three points of the frame, but Griffin drained a jumper on a dish from Williams to get BC on the board. Stevenson answered, but five more points by Griffin extended the Eagles’ advantage to double digits at 47-36. Once more the home team had a response, but Coleman drained a three-pointer on the BC reply. Griffin followed with two more buckets to extend the advantage to 54-38 just over halfway through the third frame. Stevenson drew back to within 12 after a 6-2 scoring run, but a layup by Polston in the final minute gave the Eagles a 58-44 lead heading to the final 10 minutes of play.
• The two sides traded scores to open the fourth quarter until a pair of makes at the charity stripe by Polston swung the momentum. Buckets followed from Griffin, Jalyn Childress and Polston again to cap off an 8-0 BC run to make it 70-48 with six minutes to play. Stevenson ended the run on its next trip down the floor, but the two sides traded scores the rest of the way. Another Coleman three-pointer caped off the victory to make it 78-54.

Match Notes
• Polston and Griffin each tallied career highs in the win. Polston matched her career-best with 18 points and set a new high of eight makes at the charity stripe in the victory. Griffin tallied a career-high 20 points in the win as she was an efficient 9-of-12 from the floor. Polston also notched her second double-double in as many games with 12 rebounds.
• Janiya Ennis led Stevenson with 26 points. Only six Mustangs registered buckets in the contest.
• BC was efficient in the win, shooting 48.4% from the field. The Eagles won the battle on the boards 34-22 and used 15 second-chance points to secure the victory.

Up Next
Bridgewater continues a four-game road swing as it heads to the Star City over the weekend. Bridgewater opens play in an invitational hosted by Roanoke on Saturday night against Marymount. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. from the Cregger Center.

— BC Athletics —