WALTHAM, Mass. – Eleven days after completing the 2019 portion of the schedule with an overtime win at Bloomfield College, the Bentley University men's basketball team will return to action Thursday in Albany, N.Y. with a non-conference encounter at The College of Saint Rose. Tip-off at Nolan Gymnasium is set for 1 pm and the game can be viewed over the NE10 NOW digital network.

It will be the Falcons' first action since moving into the NABC Division II rankings at number 23 earlier this week. Coach Jay Lawson's club is tied for first in the Northeast-10 Conference Northeast Division and is 10-2 overall.

Saint Rose returns from the break at 3-9 overall and in search of its first victory since before Thanksgiving. The Golden Knights, 1-6 at home, have dropped seven straight and given up at least 85 points five times during that stretch.

With four of the five starters averaging in double figures and shooting over .500, Bentley leads the Northeast-10 in a number of categories, including scoring (85.5), field goal percentage (.500), assists (19.2), scoring margin (15.4) and rebound margin (8.2).

Six-five forward Chris Hudson (Hodgdon, Maine/Williston Northampton School) is in the midst of a solid senior year, one that has seen him move into Bentley's list of 1,000-point scorers. He leads the Falcons in scoring (17.6), rebounds (7.9), field goal percentage (.582), blocks (21) and steals (15).

Sophomore guard Mason Webb (Oklahoma City, Okla./Bishop McGuinness HS) puts up just under 17 a game while knocking down 43 percent of his three-pointers and 92.5 percent of his free throws.

Junior guard Jordan Mello-Klein (Sharon) and junior forward Pete Blust (Hinsdale, Ill./ Hinsdale HS) are also scoring in doubles, at 12.9 and 10.6 respectively, and sophomore guard Brian Wright-Kinsey (Brooklyn, N.Y./Brook School) follows at 9.8. Mello-Klein is the only player in the region averaging at least seven assists and six rebounds. Wright-Kinsey was the hero of the Bloomfield win after forcing OT with a buzzer-beating three-pointer.

Senior guard Seth Stankiewicz (Reading, Pa./Hill School) has been productive off the bench, averaging just under eight a game while making 44 percent of his three-pointers.

Saint Rose features the only player in the conference averaging a double-double in sophomore forward Sekou Sylla. He averages 20.5 points, 11.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.2 blocks while making 57 percent of his shots. His season has included eight 20-point games and ten double-doubles.

Junior guard Adam Anderson is the Golden Knights' other double-figure scorer with his average standing at 13.1. He leads the team in three-pointers with 23.

As a team, Saint Rose averages 76.5 points and gives up 83.1. The Golden Knights are third in the NE10 in field goal percentage but are 13th in three-point accuracy and last in both scoring defense and field goal percentage defense.

Bentley leads the all-time series, 23-9, although Saint Rose has won three of the last five, including 66-61 in the only meeting last year. In that one, the Golden Knights buried 13 of 24 three-pointers with the last one breaking a 61-all deadlock with 29.4 seconds left.

The final 15 games of the regular season will be conference, beginning with Saint Anselm at the Dana Center Saturday afternoon.

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