SYRACUSE, N.Y. – A three-pointer from Le Moyne College senior forward Tom Brown (Ellicott City, Md.) with 4:10 remaining produced the 20th lead change of the night and the Dolphins went on to post an 81-78 men's basketball victory over visiting Bentley University in a battle of Northeast-10 Conference divisional leaders Tuesday night at Tom Grant Court.

Despite 25 points from senior forward Chris Hudson (Hodgdon, Maine/Williston Northampton School), Bentley dropped to 16-5 overall and 8-4 in the NE10, good for a tie for first in the Northeast Division standings with Stonehill. Le Moyne, the Southwest Division leader, improved to 15-5 overall and 11-1 conference following its first win over the Falcons since 2013.

It was a back-and-forth tightly contested game all night with the two teams separated by more than six points for less than a minute total.

Bentley, which led 35-34 at the half, fell behind 49-42 with 15:12 left after an 8-0 Dolphin spurt that included five points from sophomore guard Nino Hernandez (Gardner, Mass.).

The Falcons turned things around with a 23-14 run that produced a 65-63 lead with eight minutes to play. Eleven of those points came from sophomore forward Adria Amabalino Perez (Barcelona, Spain), who finished with a career-best 15 points in 21 points off the bench. During that stretch, he made a lay-up, scored a second-chance basket, drained a three from the left corner, finished a fast break lay-up and scored on a driving lay-up. It was a seven-foot turn-around by Hudson that returned the lead to Bentley.

There would be four more lead changes before Brown's go-ahead three ball.

Following a lay-up from Dolphin senior guard Malik Garner (Midland, Mich.) that made it 75-72, Bentley drew within one point three times in the final 3:20, on layups by junior guard Jordan Mello-Klein (Sharon/Thayer Academy), Amabalino Perez and sophomore guard Brian Wright-Kinsey (Brooklyn, N.Y./Brooks School).

Each time, Le Moyne returned the lead to three, including on a pair of free throws by Garner with 19 seconds left. Following a timeout, Bentley was off the mark on two potential game-tying threes before the final horn sounded.

The first half, despite ending with only one point separating the two clubs, was filled with runs. Bentley put together spurts of 6-0, 10-0 and 8-0 while the Dolphins had nearly the same: 8-0, 9-0 and 6-0.

Hudson made 11 of 19 shots and filled the stat sheet with seven rebounds, five steals and four assists. Amabilino connected on seven of 11 from the field and matched Hudson in the rebounding column. Sophomore guard Mason Webb (Oklahoma City, Okla./Bishop McGuinness HS) also scored 15 points with three of his team's seven treys.

Ryan Roland (Syracuse, N.Y.) led Le Moyne with 26 points, six assists and three steals, all of which resulted in fast break lay-ups for the senior guard. He was 9 of 14 overall and buried five of nine from three-point land. Brown's line included 15 points and 12 rebounds

Free throws proved to be a difference, both in terms of quantity and accuracy. Le Moyne was perfect in 14 attempts while Bentley sank only three of eight.

Both teams shot just about 51 percent but Le Moyne had the edge from deep, 11-7. Bentley finished with four more rebounds, 33-29, and had two less turnovers, losing it 11 times. Points in the paint favored Bentley, 40-26, while fast break points went the other way, 17-7 Le Moyne.

On Saturday, Bentley will host Adelphi University at 3:30 pm.