WALTHAM, Mass. – Forward Matt Leritz (St. Louis, Mo./St. Louis University HS) scored 25 points, guard Mason Webb (Oklahoma City, Okla./Bishop McGuinness HS) added 22 and the two graduate students combined to make nine of 15 three-pointers as Bentley University defeated Pace University, 72-56, in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball Saturday afternoon at the Dana Center.

Bentley, ranked 16^th in Division II, remained in a three-way tie for first in the conference while improving to 18-4 overall and 13-4 NE10. Pace slipped below .500 in the conference (8-9) and fell to 16-9 overall.

Closely contested for the first 30-plus minutes, coach Jay Lawson's Falcons took charge with a run of ten unanswered that made it 62-49 with six minutes left. Leritz hit a straightaway three, Webb made one of two free throws after a Setter flagrant, Leritz scored on a lay-up, junior guard Aaron Latham (Glastonbury, Conn./Glastonbury HS) finished a fast break with a lay-ip and Webb hit a turnaround jumper.

Up 11 with about 4:40 left, Bentley put the game out of reach by scoring the next seven points. Junior guard Zach Laput (Beacon Falls, Conn./Notre Dame HS) converted two free throws, Webb hit a fallaway jumper to beat the shot clock, and Webb drained his fourth triple of the afternoon.

A low-scoring first half that included four ties and two lead changes ended with Bentley up five, 29-24. The Falcons outscored the visitors 11-6 over the last six minutes, a run started and ended by Webb triples.

Pace tied the game twice in the second half, including at 44-44 with 11:56 to play. Back-to-back triples by senior guard Kellen Bochenek (Kettering, Ohio/Fairmont HS) and Leritz restored the lead for the Falcons, and Bentley remained in front the rest of the way.

Leritz, with his second highest point total as a Falcon, made 10 of 17 shots overall and five of his seven from distance. The former Division III All-America also contributed eight rebounds, two assists and two rejections.

Webb, who buried half of his eight attempts from outside the arc, complemented his 22 points with six rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block.

Bentley also received nine points from NE10 scoring leader Laput, who was limited to five shots, and 11 rebounds, five points, four assists and two steals from graduate guard Brian Wright-Kinsey (Brooklyn, N.Y./Brooks School). Latham played every minute and had five assists and five points.

Pace was powered by senior forward Bryan Powell (Middletown, N.Y.), with 25 points on 9-of-13 shooting from 4-of-6 from deep.

Bentley shot 61.5 percent in the second half, both from inside and from outside the arc. For the game, the Falcons connected at a 49 percent clip and were 13 of 26 from three. Meanwhile, they limited the Setters to 37 percent, including 7 of 26 from deep.

Bentley also won the rebounding battle, 36-27, but was hurt by 14 turnovers, resulting in 15 Pace points.

The Falcons will be back at home Wednesday for a 7:30 encounter with Saint Rose.