WALTHAM, Mass. – Nine more three-pointers, a +11 rebound margin and a strong defensive effort helped the Bentley University Falcons earn a 75-60 win over Southern New Hampshire University in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball Wednesday night on the Dana Center's Barbara Stevens Court.

Senior guard Zach Laput (Beacon Falls, Conn./Notre Dame HS), who became the 15^th player in program history to reach the 1,500 point mark, led four Falcons in double figures with 20 points. He also provided eight rebounds and five assists in nearly 38 turnover-free minutes.

With the win, Bentley (15-8, 10-6 NE10) took sole possession of third place in the conference, a game back of second-place Adelphi university. Southern New Hampshire (13-8, 9-7 NE10) dropped into a three-way tie for fourth.

A close game with Bentley in front for most of the first 30 minutes, the Falcons took charge with a 24-8 explosion that began with a second-chance basket by sophomore forward Chase Clarke (Bloomfield, N.J./Newark Academy) with 10:50 left. Laput stuck a three from the right wing and graduate guard Kellan Bochenek (Kettering, Ohio/Fairmont HS) drained a straightaway three following an offensive board by sophomore forward Joe Carroll (Cedar Grove, N.J./Don Bosco).

Those eight points, in an 80-second span, made it a 55-44 with nine-and-a-half minutes on the clock.

The run continued with a Laput lay-up, a Bochenek triple from the right wing, two treys by Laput and five points by Carroll. He hit a three with 3:38 left and his lay-up with 2:50 on the clock made it a commanding 19-point lead, 71-52.

Carroll's lay-up with 4:35 left in the first half erased the Penmen's final lead of the night and launched a run of ten straight that produced a 34-25 advantage. The run also included three-balls from sophomore guard Cash McClure (Readfield, Maine/Maranacook HS) and senior forward Ivan Misic (Toronto, Ont.), who had scored the game's first seven points.

An early second-half 7-0 run by SNHU brought the visitors within two with 15:39 left. The Falcons countered with a basket by Misic and a three from Bochenek, and maintained a slim lead until the 24-8 explosion.

Following the game, coach Jay Lawson praised his defense, which kept the Penmen to 41 percent shooting and only four three-pointers in 28 attempts. SNHU entered the game number one in the conference in three-balls made and attempting, sinking 11 a game.

Bentley shot 47 percent overall, collected 43 rebounds and turned 11 offensive boards into 16 second-chance points. There were only ten turnovers in the game, including seven by the Falcons.

Laput, now 13^th on Bentley's all-time scoring list, made half of his 14 shots and was four of ten from deep. Bochenek scored all of his 13 in the second half when he made three of five triples. Finished with 12 points and eight rebounds, and Carroll provided 12 off the bench.

Junior forward Derrick Grant (Plainfield, N.J.) led SNHU with 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting and six-seven senior Preston Santos (Providence, R.I.) posted a 13-point, 13-rebound double-double.

Bentley is back in action Saturday with a 3:30 game at Assumption University.