By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University men's basketball team has won back-to-back games for the first time this season.

With senior Louis Jennings (Walpole, Mass.) turning in a rare 20-20 performance, the Bears defeated the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, 90-72, at the Tinsley Center Saturday afternoon.

Jennings grabbed a career-best 21 rebounds, 11 of them offensive, to go with a season-high 22 points as BSU improved to 3-1 in the MASCAC, 5-10 overall.

Jennings made 10 of 17 shots, hitting two 3-pointers, and blocked four shots in a sensational all-around outing.

His 21 rebounds were six shy of the school record, held since Feb. 2, 1970 by Keith Richards, who grabbed 27. Jennings' previous career high was 15 rebounds. Jennings had 11 first-half rebounds and 10 in the second half.

Limited to 15 games a year ago due to a season-ending injury, Jennings is averaging a team-high 7.9 rebounds this winter.

Three other players scored in double figures for BSU with senior Dante Kikuba (Framingham, Mass.) getting 18 points on 6-for-9 shooting. The guard had six assists and five rebounds. He became the 16th player in program history to crack the 1,300-point barrier.

The Bears all-time leader in steals, Kikuba now has 496 in his career as he is closing in on the 500-assist milestone.

Junior Zach Taylor (Quincy, Mass.) also had 18 points plus five rebounds while freshman Jake Olmstead (Franklin, Mass.) scored 15 points on 6-for-8 shooting in 15 minutes off the bench with three rebounds.

MCLA (4-9, 1-3 MASCAC) was led by senior Craig Williams (Dover, Del.) with 25 points, hitting four 3-pointers, and 10 rebounds.

Junior Kamau Franks (Converse, Texas) added 13 points and seven rebounds while senior Jayden Mills (Bronx, N.Y.) scored 10 points to go with seven rebounds.

BSU made 47 percent of its shots and was 9-for-27 on 3-pointers while MCLA was limited to 36 percent shooting, going 25-for-70 and hit only 4 of 24 of its 3-pointers.

The Bears commmited just seven turnovers and scored 14 points off 13 Trailblazers' turnovers and held a 55-37 edge in rebounds.

BSU never trailed MCLA, taking a 12-4 lead in the first 4:20 as Jennings scored two baskets, Taylor hit one and Kikuba and freshman Jayden Florestal (Foxborough, Mass.) made 3-pointers.

A Jennings' 3-pointer gave BSU its first double-digit lead at 18-8, part of an 11-4 run.

Jennings made a layup with 9:39 left in the half for a 32-15 advantage before the Trailblazers cut the deficit to 10 and trailed, 48-36, at halftime after a late layup by Williams.

The Bears up were up, 59-40, with 14:01 remaining, but MCLA went on a 17-6 run in less than six minutes to get within 65-57 with 8:30 to go.

BSU managed just four points from Olmstead and a Jennings' basket in that stretch.

Ahead, 71-61, the Bears put the game away with a 15-6 spurt as Kikuba scored six points to help open an 86-67 lead.

BSU is home again on Wednesday night, facing Westfield State at 7:30 p.m. The Bears and Owls are tied for first place with Worcester State at 3-1.

MCLA will be hosting Framingham State on Wednesday at 7 p.m.

Notes: The last player in program history to record a 20-points, 20-rebound game was Emerson Halbleib in 2023 (Feb. 18) also against MCLA. Halbleib notched 23 points and 26 rebounds in a 79-75 victory in North Adams.