The University of New England won its 20th straight game, its school record 25th overall, and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III women’s basketball tournament for the first time ever Friday night, outlasting Bridgewater State, 67-58, in Amherst, Mass.

Beth Suggs went 11-for-15 from the floor and finished with a game-high 26 points for the Nor’easters (25-4), which will face host Amherst at 6 p.m. Saturday. Bridgewater State (23-4) had an 11-game winning snapped.

Suggs snagged 13 rebounds, five on the offensive glass, for her 17th double-double of the season. Kelly Coleman added 15 points and 14 rebounds for the Nor’easters. Meghan Gribbin scored 11 points, including 8-for-8 from the free-throw line, and dished out nine assists.

Michaela Cosby bolstered the Bears with 20 points. Elisha Homich had 11 points. Megan Boutilette coupled eight points with 12 rebounds.

Bridgewater cut a 31-20 halftime deficit to 53-48 on a Cosby jumper in the paint with 5:42 remaining.

Suggs scored the next six points on two free throws and a pair of a layups. Two Gribbin free throws extended the run to 8-0 before Homich’s 3-pointer ended the Bears’ drought with just under three minutes to go.

Two separate 9-0 runs staked the Nor’easters to the sizable halftime advantage.

The first surge broke a 6-6 tie, with Alanna Vose scoring all six of her points off the bench in the sequence. Gribbin also knocked down a 3-pointer.

After the Bears cut it back to 19-13, Coleman and Suggs each collected four during the second spurt of nine unanswered points.

Suggs was 5-for-5 from the field in the half. Bridgewater scored the first points of the game on a Boutilette putback before going more than four minutes without another bucket.

Smith 80, Southern Maine 58

Smith College put five players in double figures Friday night and never trailed in stunning host University of Southern Maine, 80-58, in the first round of the NCAA Division III women’s basketball tournament at Hill Gym in Gorham.

The Pioneers (23-4) will face Ithaca in the second round. Southern Maine ended its season at 27-2.

Paulina Solis racked up 17 points, six steals and five assists to lead Smith. Rosa Drummond dropped in 16 points, Devon Quattrocchi 14, Sydney Parkmond 12 and Lauren Weston 10.

Parkwood and Weston were a combined 11-for-13 from the field. Weston added nine rebounds and four blocked shots off the bench.

Rebecca Knight paced Southern Maine with 13 points, eight rebounds and four steals. Jordan Grant contributed 12 points and seven boards. Nicole Garland and Erin McNamara each added 10 points.

Smith forced 14 first-half turnovers and led by as many as 18 points before the break.

McNamara’s two free throws pulled the Huskies to within eight, 58-50, with 10:01 to go, but USM nudged no closer.

It was one-and-done most of the night for the Huskies, who shot 41 percent and grabbed only five offensive boards.

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