EASTON, Mass. – Stonehill College senior forward Andrew Sims (Mount Laurel, N.J.) scored 16 of his game-high 26 points in the first half as the Skyhawks handed Bentley University its first loss of the season, 70-59, in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball at Merkert Gymnasium Tuesday night.

Bentley, which was listed 15^th in this week's D2SIDA Division II media poll, averaged 92.5 points in winning its first two games but was held well below that mark by Stonehill. The Falcons shot only 37 percent and turned the ball over 18 times, leading to 20 Skyhawk points.

The Falcons, whose only lead of the night came at 3-2 in the opening minute, fell behind 16-6 after seven-and-a-half minutes. The strong start included four points by Sims and a pair of three-pointers.

Stonehill dominated in the paint during the opening half, outscoring the Falcons 26-4 to open a game-high 15-point advantage, 39-24. Sims was seven of 12 shooting in the half while Bentley had only eight baskets as a team, in 28 attempts.

Down 16 with 8:39 to play, Bentley put together a 12-2 run to pull within six, 60-54, with just under four to play. Senior guard Brian Wright-Kinsey (Brooklyn, N.Y./Brooks School) led the way, scoring five of his ten points during the spurt.

It stayed that way for more than a minute-and-a-half, until Skyhawk sophomore guard Jackson Benigni (East Haddam, Conn.) was fouled shooting a three with 2:19 to play. He dropped in all three to restore the lead to nine and ignite a game-ending 10-5 run that secured the win.

Wright-Kinsey, graduate guard Jordan Mello-Klein (Sharon/Thayer Academy) and sophomore guard Zach Laput (Beacon Falls, Conn./Notre Dame HS) all had ten points to lead Bentley in the scoring column. Mello-Klein also had seven rebounds to lead Bentley in that category.

Bentley also received a career-best 13 rebounds and three blocks from graduate forward Adria Amabilino-Perez (Barcelona, Spain).

Sims, who finished 10 of 15 from the floor, was followed in the scoring column by Benigni and senior guard Isaiah Burnett (Annapolis, Md.), each with 13 points,

Stonehill shot 44 percent overall and finished with a 42-20 advantage in points in the paint. Bentley had the rebound advantage, 42-36 overall and 16-11 at the offensive end.

Next up for Bentley is a non-conference home game against Southern New Hampshire Sunday afternoon.