WALTHAM, Mass. – Explosive starts to each of the first two quarters, 19-2 in the first and 16-3 in the second, propelled Bentley University to a 35-12 lead and the Falcons went on to register a 70-55 win over The College of Saint Rose in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball at the Dana Center Wednesday night.

Junior All-Conference forward Jen Gemma (Milton/Fontbonne Academy) led the Falcons with 21 points and six rebounds, and freshman post Victoria Lux (Arundel, Maine/Thornton Academy) followed with 16 and eight. The duo were a combined 15 of 19 from the floor, including a seven-for-seven effort by Lux.

Bentley, with its 10th win in its last 11 and sixth wire-to-wire win of the season, extended its lead in the NE-10 Northeast Division to two games while improving to 16-3 overall (10-3 NE-10). Saint Rose, which came in with a 10-1 record in its last 11, dropped to 14-6 overall and 8-5 conference.

The strong start to the game featured Lux, who scored the game's first two baskets (both on lay-ups) and had eight of the 19. Gemma added five and both senior guard Jane White (Amherst, N.H./ Souhegan HS) and sophomore guard Trevena Bennett (Union, N.J./Gill St. Bernard HS) connected on triples from the left corner.

After the Golden Knights closed the first with seven unanswered to get within 10, Bentley took over again to start the second. The Falcons ran off the first 11, including four by Gemma and a three-ball from freshman guard Megan Lewis (Sevenoaks, England), to make it 30-9 with six minutes left in the half.

Meanwhile, the Falcon defense didn't yield a second-quarter point until just 2:45 was left. Before that three from senior guard Tyler Hansen (Fairfax, Va.), the Golden Knights had come up empty on their first 14 second-quarter possessions (0-9, 5 turns).

At the half, Bentley's lead stood at 23, 37-14, with the Falcons outshooting the visitors 63-21 percent.

A 6-0 run midway through the third quarter produced the game's biggest differential, 49-21 with 5:08 to play. That flurry included a Bennett three from the right corner and a Gemma lay-up.

Saint Rose, down 59-33 after three, came alive in the fourth quarter, scoring 22 points, but never got closer than 14.

Lewis was Bentley's third double-figure scorer as she made five of seven to finish with 12 points, along with five rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block.

Junior forward Staci Barrett (Elmont, N.Y.) led Saint Rose with 12 points and eight rebounds.  Freshman guard Ashley Vanderwall (Palmyra, N.Y.), who helped her team cut into the Falcons' big lead with three fourth-quarter treys, followed with 11.

Bentley outshot the Golden Knights 52-41 percent and made five more free throws, hitting 11 of 15 as compared to Saint Rose's six of seven. Rebounds went in the Falcons' favor, 36-23, and the two teams combined for 43 turnovers, including 22 by the home team.

Bentley will also be at home Saturday for a 1:30 game against Southern Connecticut State.