BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- For the third straight week and fifth time this season, Bridgewater State College junior forward Nicholas Motta has been selected as the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Men's Basketball Player of the Week. 

A native of Fairhaven, Massachusetts, Motta averaged 18.5 points, six rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.5 steals while shooting 71% (15-21) from the floor as the Bears picked up a pair of MASCAC wins over Framingham State and Fitchburg State. 

Motta tallied 19 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals in a 71-69 victory on the road at Framingham. He then notched 18 points on 8 of 8 shooting to go along with eight boards, three assists and three steals as the Bears set the program record with their 12th straight win in a 75-47 win over Fitchburg.

Through 20 games this season, Motta is averaging 19 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.7 steals and two assists per game.  He currently leads the MASCAC in steals and is second in the conference in scoring, third in field goal percentage (.508), fourth in free throw shooting (.759) and three-point shooting (.359), and seventh in rebounding.

The Bridgewater State men's basketball team is 15-5 overall on the season and unbeaten in MASCAC play with a perfect 9-0 mark.  The Bears eclipsed the previous school mark of 11 straight wins set back during the 1982-83 season and equaled in 2008-2009.  Bridgewater will travel to Bowdoin College on Tuesday night (6:00 PM) for a non-conference game with the Polar Bears.   

In 69 games over three seasons, Motta has scored 843 points for an average of 12.2 points per game.  He is also averaging 5.1 rebounds and 2.0 steals for his career.

Motta also earned MASCAC Player of the Week honors back on November 30th and again on January 4th, January 25th and February 1st.