Springfield, MA (December 30, 2014) – Four players scored in double digits including a game-high 18 points from sophomore Megan Baird leading the DeSales University women's basketball team past College of Staten Island, 67-48, in the opening game of the Hampton Inn West Springfield Naismith Classic Tournament.
 
The Bulldogs will take on host Springfield College in the championship game tomorrow at 3:00 pm.
 
Baird scored 12 of her 18 points in the second-half hitting on 6-of-10 from outside the arc.  Junior Kelly Anthony and sophomore Morgan McCollian each recorded double-doubles with Anthony totaling a career-high 12 points and 11 rebounds for her first career double-double and McCollian had 14 points and 10 boards for her fourth double-double on the season.  Senior Mikelyn Mackavage also reached double figures with 11 points.
 
CSI (5-6 overall) was led by Victoria Crea with 17 points, Megan Myhre with 11 points, and Christina Pasaturo with 10 points.
 
The Bulldogs took control early using a 20-2 run over the span of 10:55 extending a 9-7 lead into a 28-11 lead with just 3:05 left to play in the first-half before the Dolphins closed the half on a 7-2 spurt as DSU led 30-18 at the break.  Seven different Bulldogs scored in the opening half led by Anthony with eight points.
 
It was a back-and-forth start to the second-half as the Bulldogs continued to lead by 10 points (50-40) with 9:44 left to play before Baird took the game over on the offensive end hitting three treys over the next 3:31 pushing lead to 21 points (61-40) and DSU cruised the rest of the way.
 
DeSales controlled the glass out-rebounding CSI, 49-38, and forced 26 Dolphin turnovers.  The Bulldogs had 18 second-chance points and held Staten Island to just 30.0 percent shooting from the field.