WALTHAM, Mass. – Following an 85-78 win at Southern New Hampshire on Wednesday, Bentley will return to the Granite State Saturday for a 1:30 pm game at Franklin Pierce University.

The Falcons, 17-5 overall and 14-3 in the Northeast-10, enter the weekend at the top of the conference's Northeast Division standings. They are one up on nationally-ranked Saint Anselm College, which will be at St. Michael's on Saturday.

In the SNHU game, Bentley closed with an 11-2 run after being down two with two minutes to play and as much as eight in the second half. The Falcons had a strong shooting night, finishing at .500 overall, .462 from three with a dozen makes and .905 from the line.

Graduate student Keegan Hyland (South Portland, Maine/South Portland HS) and senior forward Tyler McFarland (Rockport, Maine/Camden Hills HS), two of the six players named to the CoSIDA Division II Academic All-District team on Thursday, combined for 56 points and 19 rebounds against the Penmen. It was the sixth time this year the duo has teamed for at least 50 points.

McFarland, 44 points away from joining Bill Holden '90 and Jason Westrol '10 in Bentley's 2,000-point club, has regained the conference lead in scoring (23.5) after averaging 29 points in the last four games. His season mark is up to 23.5, a production level that would set a school record should he maintain it the rest of the way.

Hyland, number four on the NE-10 scoring list at 20.0, has averaged over 27 points and posted three double-doubles during the last three weeks. One of his seven double-doubles this season, a 19-point, 12-rebound effort, came in the Falcons' 92-77 win over Franklin Pierce back on Dec. 9.

Bentley's third double-figure scorer is senior guard Alex Furness (Wells, Maine/Wells HS), whose .496 three-point percentage is fifth best nationally in Division II. Owner of a 13.9 average, he's 39 points away from becoming the Falcons' 52nd 1,000-point scorer.

Franklin Pierce, currently in fifth place in the Northeast Division with records of 13-9 overall and 10-7 conference, has played well at home this season, winning six of eight with the two losses by a total of six points (62-58 to Adelphi, 81-79 to Stonehill). The Ravens have also won five of their last six overall, including a 79-76 win over Saint Anselm Feb. 3 at the FPU Field House.

Franklin Pierce has four double-figure scorers, including sophomore guard Matt Banton, the NE-10's top offensive threat among non-starters this season. He ranks among the top ten in both three-pointers made (68) and accuracy from downtown (.428) while giving the Ravens 13.4 points a game

Junior guard Donte Gittens is having another solid year for Franklin Pierce, averaging a team-best 14.4 points and 5.6 rebounds while leading the team in assists (108), steals (24) and free throws (79). Among the approximately 200 players in the NE-10, only Southern New Hampshire's Chris Walters takes more free throws per game than Gitten's 6.2.

Senior guard Tyler Iacuone (10.4 ppg) is a 40 percent shooter from outside the arc and six-foot-eight sophomore Mike McDevitt is also a solid shooter with his average at 13.3.                                     

In the previous meeting this season, McFarland was the game's high scorer with 28 points. The Falcons gave up 12 threes in the 16-point win but dominated the boards, 45-29, and outscored FPU 15-3 at the foul line.

Bentley, which will be playing on the road for the sixth time in nine games, will be back at home Wednesday to take on St. Michael's.