EASTON, Mass. – Bentley University erased a 23-point second-half deficit but came up just short in the end when Stonehill College sophomore guard Michael Boen (Mansfield) knocked down two free throws with 1.9 seconds left to give his team an 82-80 win in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action Saturday afternoon at the Merkert Gymnasium.

Before Boen broke an 80-all tie, Bentley had outscored the Skyhawks 42-19 over the previous 15:28 to storm back from a 61-38 deficit. Stonehill had shot over 60 percent for the game while building that commanding lead.

Senior guard Ferguson Duke (Dartmouth, N.S./Hun School (N.J.)) helped get the comeback started. During a 12-2 run that shaved 10 points off the Stonehill lead, bringing the Falcons within 13 at 63-50, he scored seven with a drive to the basket, a three from the right wing and a pair of free throws.

Following two Stonehill baskets, Bentley closed to within six, 71-65 with 6:51 left, on the strength of a 15-4 spurt. Duke launched it with a three, and the run also included five points from sophomore forward Zach Gilpin (Hampden, Maine/Hampden Academy) and four from sophomore guard Ryan Richmond (Toronto, Ont./Thomson Collegiate).

A three from the top of the key by senior guard Matt Barr (Stratham, N.H./Cushing Academy) with 5:57 to play brought the Falcons within three at 73-70, and a traditional three-point play by Duke on a drive to the basket knotted the game at 77 with 2:10 to play.

Stonehill reclaimed the lead on a straight-away three by junior forward Joel Berroa (Lawrence), his second of the game and only his fourth of the season, with 1:35 remaining. Gilpin responded with an elbow jumper and after a stop, junior guard Brandon Wheeler (Stamford, Conn./Trinity Catholic HS) went to the line for the Falcons with 42.8 seconds left. He made the first to tie the game but missed the second with Stonehill claiming the rebound.

In the ensuing possession, Stonehill missed three shots but came up with the offensive rebound each time. The last was grabbed by Boen and he was fouled on the put-back attempt, setting the stage for the  decisive free throws.

The first nine minutes-plus was bac k-and-forth with five lead changes, three ties and a 19-18 Stonehill lead before the Skyhawks embarked on a 17-2 explosion to go up 16 with 6:13 to play. Bentley got back within ten, only to see the home team close the first half with a 9-2 burst to go into the break up 17 at 48-31. By the time the spread hit 23, it had been a 42-20 run over a span of about 15 minutes.

Gilpin, who made his first career start, led Bentley with 20 points on 8-of-17 shooting. Richmond  followed with 17, along with six rebounds, and Duke scored 15 off the bench.

Senior All-Conference forward Ryan Logan (Fredericktown, Ohio) led Stonehill with 24 points and Marist transfer KJ Lee (Huntington Station, N.Y.), a junior guard, followed with 19 points.

Stonehill (6-4, 4-3 NE10) cooled down to a .486 field goal percentage overall while Bentley shot .422. The Falcons made twice as many threes (10-5), had seven more free throws (16-9) and finished with a 41-37 rebound advantage.

Bentley (4-6, 2-5 NE10) will be off until playing a non-conference game at American International Monday, Dec. 19