Berthiaume Scores 20, Owls Dominate Dean, 99-64

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State senior guard Morgan Berthiaume (Webster, Mass.) scored a game-leading 20 points as the Owls posted a season high in points as part of a 99-64 victory over Dean College in a non-conference game to begin the new year on Saturday afternoon.

The Owls improve to 8-3 on the season and snap the Bulldogs four-game winning streak, dropping Dean to 5-7 overall.

Westfield jumped out to an early double digit advantage thanks in part to the three-point ball with Sophia Rockwood (Windsor, Vt.) and Kayley Downie (Easthampton, Mass.) connecting on consecutive triples for a 19-7 lead. Caroline Galvani (Framingham, Mass.) pushed the lead to 13 points after hitting a three, the Owls fourth triple of the quarter.

Dean closed the quarter strong with a 10-2 run, trimming the deficit to five points entering the second quarter where Westfield imposed their pressure packed trapping. The Owls forced 11 Bulldogs turnovers and held the opposition without a point until the 2:21 mark of the quarter, allowing Westfield to pile up a 23-0 run to blow the game open, 47-19.  

The Owls were also efficient from a scoring standpoint in the period as well, shooting 52.2 percent from the floor by making 12 of 23 field goals in the frame. Dean managed just six points on two made field goals in the quarter as Westfield owned a 27-6 advantage in the stanza.

Westfield continued to stretch the lead in the second half, outscoring Dean by nine points in the final two quarters and led by as many as 41 points at the midway point of the fourth.

Berthiaume was highly efficient shooting the ball, making nine of 12 attempts while hitting both of her threes.

The Owls made a season-high 12 three-pointers, showing little rust despite their last game coming on December 13. Galvani made four threes and finished with 18 points while Downie netted three triples and added 13 points and a team-high six steals. Ashley Ames (Valatie, N.Y.) was the fourth double figure scorer with 11 points.

Jordan Ellis led the Bulldogs with 17 points and secured the double-double with ten rebounds. Azaria Landry and Abigail Lacy chipped in 15 and 14 points each.

Defensively, Westfield forced a season-high 54 turnovers and generated 33 steals which resulted in 52 points off turnovers. The Owls more than doubled the Bulldogs in points in the paint, finishing with a 50-22 edge.

Westfield State wraps up the non-conference portion of the schedule and will enter their 14-game MASCAC slate beginning on Wednesday at Framingham State for a 5:30 P.M. tip-off.