WALTHAM, Mass. – Senior guard Zach Laput (Beacon Falls, Conn./Notre Dame HS), a 2023 NABC Division II All-America, scored 15 in the first seven minutes and finished with 25 points, 13 rebounds and five assists in Bentley University's 80-64 win over Assumption University in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action Wednesday night on Barbara Stevens Court.

Bentley, 6-0 at home, improved to 8-5 overall and squared its conference record at 3-3 after maintaining the lead for the final 37:45. Assumption dropped to 7-6 overall and 3-4 NE10.

Bentley ran off 21 consecutive points over a span of eight-and-a-half minutes to open a 25-7 lead. Laput had 13 of the first 15, an explosion that included three triples, an outside jumper and a pair of free throws.

After Laput's fast start made it 19-7, the big run continued halftimewith four points off the bench from sophomore forward Chase Clarke (Bloomfield, N.J./Newark Academy) and a foul-line jumper by sophomore guard Cash McClure (Readfield, Maine/Maranacook HS).

Later in the half, coach Jay Lawson's squad ran off nine straight to triple up the Greyhounds, 36-12. Senior guard Aaron Latham (Glastonbury, Conn./Glastonbury HS) scored the first five with a three-ball and a drive to the hole.

Assumption cut the spread to 13 by halftime after a 13-2 charge and eventually got to within seven, 58-51, with eight-and-a-half minutes to play.

McClure and Latham responded with three-pointers and Latham completed the 8-0 run with a short jumper, returning the lead to 15 at 66-51, with 6:27 left.

Laput (8-15 FG, 3-5 3's, 6-6 FT) was joined in doubles by graduate guard Kellan Bochenek (Kettering, Ohio/Fairmont HS), McClure, Latham and Clarke. Bochenek scored 15 on six-of-seven shooting and McClure followed with 13. Latham's night included 11 points, five rebounds, five steals, four assists and a team-best +21, and Clarke scored in doubles for the first time as a collegian. He was a +18 in his 18:26 of action.

Assumption was led by graduate forward Kasey Draper (Roanoke, Va.), with five treys and 19 points.

Bentley outshot the visitors 51-36 percent and connected on seven of 16 from beyond the arc. The Falcons finished a plus-14 on the boards, scored 42 points in the paint and had nine second-chance points.

Next up for the Falcons is a Saturday afternoon home game against the College of Saint Rose.