MANCHESTER, N.H. – With a sparkling defense that held Southern New Hampshire to 28 percent shooting overall and no three-pointers in the first 35 minutes, Bentley University men's basketball advanced to the NCAA Division II East Regional finals with a impressive 73-46 semifinal win over Southern New Hampshire University Sunday night at Saint Anselm College's Stoutenburgh Gym.

The reigning regional champions doubled up the Penmen 11 times in the game, the last at 62-31, and led by as many as 34, 65-31, following a long three from junior guard Zach Laput (Beacon Falls, Conn./Notre Dame HS) with 8:24 to play

Coach Jay Lawson's program advanced to the regional championship game for the ninth time since 2005 and will be seeking to become the East's first repeat champion in 15 years on Tuesday night. The Falcons will face the winner of the second semifinal, New Haven and Caldwell, also at Saint Anselm.

"I think we played very well, especially on defense" said Lawson. "We maintained our focus all the way through. There have been times this season when we've had significant leads and that hasn't been the case."

Laput led all scorers with 19 points on 7-of-14 shooting. Graduate guards Brian Wright-Kinsey (Brooklyn, N.Y./Brooks School) and Mason Webb (Oklahoma City, Okla./Bishop McGuinness HS) followed with 16 and 13, respectively.

The first half was also Bentley as the Falcons held SNHU without a three-pointer and to just 21 percent shooting.

Meanwhile, Bentley connected at a 55 percent success rate and had runs of 14-5, 14-2 and 9-3 against a team that was second in the Northeast-10 in scoring defense and third in field goal percentage defense.

Seven different Falcons scored in the half with Webb scoring 10, Laput nine and Wright-Kinsey eight. On the other hand, the SNHU starting unit combined for only 12 points on 4-of-21 shooting.

Ahead by 20 with 16 to play, Bentley broke it wide open by scoring 11 unanswered to make it a 57-26 game with 12:50 remaining. Wright-Kinsey sank two from long distance (one from the top of the key, the other from the right wing), Webb drained a left corner trey and Laput capped the run with a fadeaway in the paint.

At that juncture, the only remaining questions were the final score and if the Penmen (21-9) would connect from three. That they did, making three in the final five minutes, the first coming from sophomore forward Derrick Grant (Plainfield, N.) with 4:30 to play.

Wright-Kinsey made three of five from distance and came within a single rebound of a double-double. Laput's night included seven rebounds and Webb was five of nine from the field.

Bentley also received seven points apiece from graduate forward Matt Leritz (St. Louis, Mo./St. Louis University HS), junior guard Aaron Latham (Glastonbury, Conn./Glastonbury HS) and senior forward Isaac Martin (Atlanta, Ga./Norcross HS), who has been a key contributor off the bench in both regional games.

Bentley shot 51 percent overall, connected on nine of 23 from outside the arc and was a plus-16 on the glass, 44-28. Paint points were 30-18 and second chance 15-8.

SNHU sharpshooter Matt Becht (Vienna, Va.) was held to just seven points on 2-of-11 shooting and missed all seven of his shots from downtown, as did teammate Noah Kamba (Lynn, Mass.).

"Regardless of who we play, they will present a problem" said Lawson. "We haven't played Caldwell and New Haven would play a zone against us, something we rarely see and haven't practiced against."

Bentley and New Haven met once in the regular season. It was a strange game with the Falcons losing 60-59 after taking a 25-point lead into the halftime break.