MANCHESTER, N.H. – The Bentley University Falcons closed with a 17-5 run over the final 6:40 to earn a come-from-behind 67-60 win over Saint Anselm College in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball Wednesday night at the Stoutenburgh Gymnasium.

Senior guard Kari Brekke (Appleton, Wis./Appleton North HS) and junior guard Ella Thompson (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove HS) led the Falcons with 18 and 14 points, respectively. Graduate forward Autumn Ceppi (Bedford, Mass./Dana Hall School) also had a strong game for Bentley, stuffing the stat sheet with 12 points, eight rebounds, three assists, three blocks and two steals.

Down five after sophomore guard Gabby Turco (Wildwood, N.J.) buried a three for the Hawks, Bentley reversed the lead with ten unanswered points. Thompson made two free throws, Brekke hit a lay-up, senior guard Kolleen Bouchard (Houlton, Maine/Houlton HS) followed with a second-chance basket, Ceppi scored in close and Brekke hit a runner.

That made it a 60-55 Falcon advantage with 2:58 left. After a Saint Anselm three-point play, a Bouchard lay-up made it 62-58. It stayed that way until the Hawks started fouling in the final 20 seconds.

Thompson made three of four at the line and Ceppi put the game away with two free throws with 3.2 seconds left.

Down the stretch, Saint Anselm was limited to two field goals in the final 6:40. It was a strange shooting night for the Hawks who were two-for-10 in the first quarter and two for 14 in the final 6:40. In between, they were 22 of 31, a blistering 71 percent clip.

The first 20 minutes was a tale of two quarters. Bentley outscored the Hawks by 11 in the first and Saint Anselm did the same in the second. As a result, the two teams went into the break even at 24 points apiece.

Bentley shot 58 percent in the opening quarter to open a 17-6 advantage but was limited to seven in the second on 3-of-13 shooting. Meanwhile, at the other hand of the court, Saint Anselm went from 20 percent in the first to 9-of-15 in the second.

Six Falcons scored in the half with sophomore guard Maggie Whitmore (South Portland, Maine/South Portland HS) leading the way with seven, all in the first.

The third ended with Bentley down by just a single point, 44-43, despite Saint Anselm making nine of 12 shots in the frame, including two triples.

Brekke scored her 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting and finished a +18. Thompson, a +16, complemented her 15 with eight rebounds, and Bouchard added eight points off the bench.

Senior guard Peyton Steinman (Pittsfield, Mass.) led Saint Anselm with 25 points and ten rebounds.

Saint Anselm (2-1) shot slightly better overall, 47-46 percent, but the Falcons doubled the home team from deep, 10-5. Bentley was also a plus-10 on rebounds, 35-25, and finished with a 42-32 advantage in paint points.

Next up for 2-0 Bentley is nationally-ranked Stonehill College on the road Tuesday.