WALTHAM, Mass. – After earning its second overtime win of the month, the Bentley University men's basketball team will be back in the Dana Center Saturday afternoon, looking to carry that momentum into a 3:30 pm encounter with Southern Connecticut State. A free webcast will be available at www.bentleyfalcons.tv.

Coach Jay Lawson's team, 10-7 overall and 7-5 Northeast-10, will be attempting to gain its fourth win in its last six games and string together consecutive victories for the first time since a three-game streak Nov. 21-Dec. 2.

Southern Connecticut, coached by former UConn and NBA player Scott Burrell, has dropped three in a row, including an 89-81 decision at Franklin Pierce Wednesday, to fall to 7-9 overall and 4-7 conference. The Owls are 5-2 in home games, including a win over Southern New Hampshire recently, but have had difficulties on the road with only two victories in nine opportunities.

 Bentley moved to three games over .500 and to within a half-game of third place in the NE10 Northeast Division with Wednesday's 83-81 win over Adelphi.

Three-pointers, of which the Falcons sank a baker's dozen, played a large role in the victory. In particular, there was one by junior guard Ryan Richmond (Toronto, Ont./Thomson Collegiate) that tied the game at 73-73 late in regulation and the game-winner, by junior forward Zach Gilpin (Hampden, Maine/Hampden Academy), with 4.7 seconds remaining in OT.

Richmond, the number three scorer in the conference, has been on a tear since NE10 crossover play began at the start of the month. He's put up at least 25 in five straight games, a stretch in which he's averaged 27.2 points, 3.4 assists and 3.8 rebounds.

It's a similar run to what the Falcons' newest 1,000-point scorer enjoyed last season when he averaged 28.6 points in February, including a school-record 45 points against Adelphi.

Gilpin follows Richmond on Bentley's scoring list at 12.9 a game. He totaled 15 points in Wednesday's game and has elevated his three-point accuracy mark to .456 by making 15 of 25 from distance over the last eight games.

Sophomore forward Chris Hudson (Hodgdon, Maine/Northampton Williston School), fourth among NE10 players in offensive rebounds, is Bentley's third double-figure scorer. He averages 10.8 points and is second on the club in rebounds (5.9).

Bentley's top six also includes senior forward Brandon Wheeler (Stamford, Conn./Trinity Catholic HS) and guards Seth Stankiewicz (Reading, Pa./Hill School) and Jordan Mello-Klein (Sharon/ Thayer Academy). Wheeler (7.4 ppg) is the fourth leading rebounder in the conference and both Stankiewicz, the NE10's most accurate three-point shooter (34-60, .567), and Mello-Klein, who missed Wednesday's game with an injury, score 8.8 points a game.

Stankiewicz made his first career start against Adelphi and gave the Falcons 18 points. He was four of six from downtown, and is 12 of 21 on threes over the last three games.

Southern Connecticut is led offensively by junior guard Isaiah McLeod, the top scorer in the NE10's Southwest Division with a 19.4 average. He has made 16 three-pointers in his last four games and is second in the conference in steals (34).

McLeod combines with senior forward Jerry Luckett, Jr. and freshman guard Ulyen Coleman for nearly 50 points a game, about two-thirds of the Owls' 74.1 per game average. Luckett, Jr. provides 16.2 points and 6.8 boards per contest, and Coleman (42% from 3) follows at 13.6.

Whichever team controls the boards could be a key to the game as both the Falcons and Owls are among the top rebounding teams in the conference. Bentley leads the NE10 in rebound margin (+8.1) and Southern follows in third (+5.1).

Only one game is on next week's schedule as the Falcons will have the midweek bye before playing at Pace University next Saturday.