WALTHAM, Mass. – More than three weeks after last taking the court, the Bentley University women's basketball team will launch a three-game homestand Wednesday with a 6 pm non-conference encounter with USciences.

Bentley, which will bring a 5-3 record into its final game of 2021, has not played since falling at Southern New Hampshire back on Dec. 7, 65-53. The three losses suffered by coach C White's Falcons this season have been to a trio of teams with a combined 26-4 record to date, including 8-0 Eckerd.

In USciences, the Falcons will be facing another team that is off to a strong start. The Devils, 4-0 all-time against Bentley, are 8-1 thus far with the only loss coming against 9-2 Concordia-St. Paul, 58-55. Most recently, they won at home against Saint Anselm Dec. 19, 61-50.

Three Falcons own double-figure scoring averages with junior guard Ella Thompson (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove HS) topping the list at 14.8. She's been outstanding from the free throw stripe, knocking down 26 of 29 (.897).

Graduate forward Autumn Ceppi (Bedford/Dana Hall HS) follows at 12.1 points, and senior guard Kari Brekke (Appleton, Wis./Appleton North HS) is the third at 10.9. Ceppi is the team's top rebounder at 7.1 a game, and Brekke has a team-best 13 steals.

Sophomore guard Maggie Whitmore (South Portland, Maine/South Portland HS), the fourth Falcon who has started every game, has produced 7.4 points and 6.3 rebounds a game in her first eight games as a collegian.

Bentley, which tops the Northeast-10 Northeast Division (4-1), leads the conference in field goal percentage (.432), is second in scoring defense (58.3) and is third in both scoring margin (+9.2) and rebound margin (+7.1).

USciences has long been known for its defense and it's no different this season. The Devils are fourth in Division II in scoring defense (49.9) and 29^th in opponent field goal percentage (.347).

 The leading scorer for ninth-year head coach Jackie Hartzell is graduate guard Jess Huber. She averages 18.8 points, an increase of more than eight a game over her 2019-20 production, and has scored at least 25 three times.

Senior guard Kendall Keyes is next on the scoring list, averaging 10.7 a game. She played a key role in the Saint Anselm win with 22 points and four three-pointers.

After taking on USciences, Bentley will meet up with Daemen College Sunday and Saint Michael's College next Wednesday.