GARDEN CITY, N.Y. – After twice overcoming double-digit deficits, the Bentley University Falcons came up short in the end, 71-68, as Adelphi University closed with an 8-2 run over the final 85 seconds in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball Saturday afternoon at the Center for Recreation and Sports.

Bentley, which hasn't been able to win in the CRS since 2015, dropped to 5-3 overall, including 2-2 in conference play. Adelphi improved to 4-3 overall after winning for the third time in four NE10 contests.

Senior guard Zach Laput (Beacon Falls, Conn./Notre Dame HS) had a difficult shooting afternoon but finished with a team-high 18 points for Bentley. Graduate guard Kellan Bochenek (Kettering, Ohio/Fairmont HS) added 14 for the Falcons.

Bentley, which trailed by 12 in the first half and 13 in the second, used a three-point play by senior guard Aaron Latham (Glastonbury, Conn./Glastonbury HS) and two Laput free throws to take a 66-63 lead with 2:37 left.

The next six points belonged to the home team, including a driving lay-up with 27 seconds left by sophomore guard Mason Jackson (Baltic, Conn.) that gave Adelphi a 69-68 lead. After a Falcon miss from deep, two free throws from graduate forward Conor Regan (Mullica Hill, N.J.) with 14 seconds made it a three-point game.

Bentley used most of the remaining time to find a potential game-tying shot and needed to settle for a contested three by Laput that fell well short.

After an 18-6 start by the Panthers, Bentley answered with a 16-4 run to draw even at 22 apiece. Both sophomore guard Cash McClure (Readfield, Maine/Maranacook HS) and senior forward Ivan Misic (Toronto, Ont.) had five during that comeback.

Adelphi scored the first ten of the second half to open a 13-point lead. But again, Bentley battled back. This time, it was a 20-4 explosion that resulted in a 59-56 Falcon lead with 6:06 to play. Both Laput and sophomore forward Joe Carroll (Cedar Grove, N.J./Don Bosco Prep) scored seven during the run.

The two teams were never separated by more than three the rest of the way.

Laput and Bochenek were followed on the Bentley scoring list by McClure with nine and the trip of Misic, Latham, and Carroll, all with seven.

Adelphi had four players score in doubles with junior guard Matthew Price (Brookline, N.H.) leading the way with 17.

 The Panthers outscored the Falcons 36-22 in the paint and shot .500 overall. Bentley finished at .418, including 10 of 23 from downtown, and was perfect on 12 free throws. Rebounding was a problem for the Falcons as they came up with only two offensive boards and had a final margin of minus-14.

Bentley will return to action Wednesday at Southern New Hampshire.