Kyle Bouchard
Kyle Bouchard

Eight Falcons Connect From Deep as Bentley Shoots Past Post, 84-56

WALTHAM, Mass. – Eight different players combined to bury 13 of 21 three-pointers and ten players delivered at least one assist as the Bentley University men's basketball improved to 2-0 with an 84-56 win over Post University in the final game of the Bentley Tip-Off Classic Saturday night at the Dana Center.

Sophomore forward Kyle Bouchard (Houlton, Maine/Houlton HS) topped the Falcons with 15 points, classmate Ryan Richmond (Toronto, Ont./Thompson Collegiate) followed with 13 and junior forward Brandon Wheeler (Stamford, Conn./Trinity Catholic HS) posted his second straight double-double, finishing with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

With the score tied at nine, Bentley took charge with a 29-4 explosion over the next 10:05, a blast that made it a 38-13 game.  Bouchard hit consecutive threes from the right wing to launch the burst and finished the run with a lay-up.

The run also included seven points from Richmond and five from freshman guard Seth Stankiewicz (Reading, Pa./Hill School). Meanwhile, at the defensive end, the Falcons limited the Eagles to two baskets in 14 shots and forced six turnovers.

A 40-19 halftime lead was reduced to 17 a couple times early in the second half before Bentley put the game away. A 17-6 flurry that featured four three-pointers made it a commanding 28-point advantage, 61-33 with 11:25 remaining.

That spurt was launched by the first of three trifectas from sophomore guard Zach Gilpin (Hampden, Maine/Hampden Academy) in a span of 2:22. He finished with a career-best 11 points in 13 minutes off the bench, hitting four of five from the floor.

Bouchard made six of ten shots, including two of four triples, and Wheeler was four of seven overall.  Senior guard Matt Barr (Stratham, N.H./Cushing Academy) was another Falcon who shot well, hitting all three of his field goal attempts, including two triples, for eight points. Senior forward Tyler Gibson (Rockland/Rockland HS) was a factor on the boards (nine) and also had six points and two steals.

Senior guard Malcolm Amos (Brookport, Ill.) led 0-2 Post with 17 points, five rebounds and two steals. The Eagles shot 38 percent overall and were only 4 of 17 from three.

Meanwhile, Bentley shot well for the second straight night. The Falcons finished at .550 overall and .619 from three. The Falcons also controlled the boards, 38-30, and came up with nine steals. There were a total of 22 assists, including five from senior guard Ferguson Duke (Dartmouth, N.S./Hun School (N.J.)).

In the earlier game, junior guard Marcus Fleming (Linden, N.J.) scored 23, one more than teammate Rakwan Kelly (Newark, N.J.), as Bloomfield College took care of Merrimack College, 97-83. For Merrimack, sophomore Ryan Boulter (Mansfield) had the hot hand with 35 points on 12-of-15 shooting with five three-pointers.

Bentley will also be at home Wednesday night when it hosts Merrimack in the Northeast-10 opener (7:30 pm).