MANCHESTER, N.H. – Senior forward Chris Hudson (Hodgdon, Maine/Williston Northampton School) and junior guard Jordan Mello-Klein (Sharon, Mass./Thayer Academy) combined for 51 points and eight steals, but despite their personal successes, the Bentley University men's basketball team fell to Southern New Hampshire University, 87-81, in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball Saturday afternoon at the Stan Spirou Field House.

Hudson finished with 28 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks. Mello-Klein made a career-high six steals and also amassed 23 points, three assists and three rebounds. Both players were an identical 9-of-15 from the field and Hudson was perfect on nine free throw attempts.

Bentley fell to 16-9 on the year, including 8-8 in conference play. Southern New Hampshire, a half-game back of the Falcons in the NE10 Northeast Division standings, improved to 15-10 overall and 8-9 NE10.

After trailing by as many as 11 points in the second half, Bentley stormed back to take a 55-53 lead on the strength of a 17-4 run. Hudson, who had the Falcons' first 17 second-half points, scored the first 11 during the spurt and sophomore guard Mason Webb (Oklahoma City, Okla./Bishop McGuinness HS) made a pair of baskets.

With Bentley up 57-55 with 8:15 to play, the Penmen countered with 15 unanswered points over the next three minutes, opening a 70-57 lead. Included were three pointers from six-ten senior Eamonn Joyce (Medford, Mass.), junior guard Michael Almonacy (Brentwood, N.Y.) and freshman guard Jacari Sanders (San Antonio, Texas).

A 12-2 spurt brought the Falcons to within four with two minutes to play, 75-71. Five different players scored with Webb and senior guard Seth Stankiewicz (Reading, Pa./The Hill School) connecting from distance.

Penmen senior guard Ryogo Sumino (Kanagwa, Japan) answered with a triple from the left corner, and SNHU put the game away by sinking 9 of 12 free throws in the final 79 seconds as Bentley went to the foul game.

The two teams were separated by two points at the half, with the home team up 34-32, after Stankiewicz and Almonacy exchanged top-of-the-key three-balls in the final 25 seconds. SNHU ran off nine straight to go up nine with three minutes left in the half and Bentley responded with 10 unanswered, a run capped by Stankiewicz' trey.

Both big men, Hudson and Joyce, played all 40 minutes with Joyce matching Hudson's 28 points. He didn't shoot as well (8 of 17), but knocked down four triples and sank 9 of 12 free throws.

SNHU, which shot 61 percent in the second half and was 13 of 25 from three over the full game, also received 20 points off the bench from Sanders. His 8-of-13 included three treys in as many trys,

Hudson and Mello-Klein were followed on the Bentley scoring list by Webb, who finished with 12 points, six rebounds and three assists. Junior forward Pete Blust (Hinsdale, Ill./Hinsdale Central HS), one of three Falcons with six points, grabbed a game-high eight rebounds.

Bentley, which shot 49 percent overall, was only 7 of 21 from three and was outscored 39-21 from beyond the arc. The Falcons had the edge in rebounds, 34-29.

The Falcons will be at home for two games this week, Assumption on Wednesday and Franklin Pierce on Saturday.