WALTHAM, Mass. – Southern Connecticut State doubled Bentley University in three-pointers made, 14-7, and scored 27 points off turnovers to fly past the Falcons, 76-66, in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball Tuesday night on the Dana Center's Barbara Stevens Court.

Bentley, which received 22 points from senior guard Zach Laput (Beacon Falls, Conn./Notre Dame HS), finished the regular season at 19-10 overall, including 14-8 NE10, and will be the third seed for the upcoming conference championship tournament.

Entering the game, the Falcons had scored 41 percent of its points via the three-ball and 31 percent of Southern's offense came from the long ball. It was much different in this one with the Owls making 14 of 31 from outside the arc, including a 7-for-15 performance from the bench, and Bentley was limited in terms of threes, attempting a season-low 12. The Falcons connected on seven but two of those came late, after the outcome was determined.

Southern drained five in a five-minute span in the first half, a stretch in which the Owls used a 17-7 run to open a 26-19 lead. Six-seven grad student Josh McGettigan (Southbury, Conn.), who finished with a game-high 23, and junior guard Sean James (West Hartford, Conn.) each had two during the stretch.

Bentley senior guard Aaron Latham (Glastonbury, Conn./Glastonbury HS) scored the final four points of the opening half and the Falcons went into the break down eight, 40-32, after committing nine turnovers. Southern returned the differential to double figures with a 7-3 run to start the second half.

Bentley drew to within seven a couple times midway through the second, the last time at 57-50 on a Laput three-point play. However, the Owls responded with ten straight, including four by McGettigan and a couple more three-balls. That made it 67-50 with 6:35 left.

The Falcons had another surge, scoring six straight to make it an 11-point game with five minutes to play, but that would be as close as it would get.

Laput shot 8 of 14 from the field, made five of seven free throws and also had five rebounds and four assists.

Joining him in doubles were sophomore guard Cash McClure (Readfield, Maine/Maranacook HS) and Latham. McClure had 17 points, nine rebounds and two assists, and Latham finished with 12 points, five rebounds and three steals.

McGettigan, who also had eight rebounds and two blocks, was one of four Owls to score in doubles. That list included James, who made four of seven threes for 12 points.

Bentley had the better shooting percentage (.481-.422) and more rebounds (36-34) but couldn't handle the 42-21 difference in points generated by the three or the 27-9 difference in points from turnovers. Southern also had the advantage in second chance points, 12-4.

Bentley could see the Owls again as soon as Sunday when the Falcons will host a Northeast-10 quarterfinal game. They'll play the winner of Friday's first-round game between Southern Connecticut and American International.