MANCHESTER, N.H. – Graduate guard Kari Brekke (Appleton, Wis./Appleton North HS) scored 19 and the Falcon defense allowed only 22 points over the final 24 minutes as Bentley University stayed unbeaten with a 63-51 win over Southern New Hampshire University at the Stan Spirou Field House Tuesday evening.

Bentley, which trailed by 11 following the opening quarter, outscored the Penmen 57-34 over the final three stanzas to improve to 4-0 overall and 2-0 NE10. Southern New Hampshire, held to 20 points below its season norm, slid to 2-2 overall and 1-1 conference.

The first half was a tale of two quarters as SNHU dominated the first to the tune of 17-6 and Bentley came back strong in the second to draw within two at the break, 33-31. The Falcons put up 25 points in the second, making 11 of 18 shots with three trifectas, and outscored the Penmen by nine.

Leading the way were Brekke and senior post Bri Gillen (Lakeville, Mass./Bishop Feehan HS), both with seven points, with Brekke finishing the half with 11.

The momentum from the second carried over to the third with Bentley scoring the first seven points and 15 of the first 18 to go up 10, 46-36 with 4:40 left in the quarter. The starting burst featured a six-foot turn-around from Gillen, a driving lay-up by Brekke for her team's first lead since 2-0, and a corner three by senior guard Ella Thompson (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove HS).

Up nine after the Penmen scored the first two points of the low-scoring fourth, Bentley extended its lead to 15, 59-44, with 4:23 to play. That string of six unanswered points included a lay-up by freshman forward Julia Elie (Rockland, Mass./Rockland HS), a mid-range jumper from freshman Cassidy Yeomans (Marion, Mass./Tabor Academy) and a driving lay-up from Thompson.

Brekke amassed her highest point total of the young season by making seven of 12 shots overall, a pair of three-pointers and three of four free throws. Thompson complemented her 11 with nine rebounds and four assists in 34 turnover-free minutes and Gillen was on target for five of seven shots. Elie added eight points and junior Maggie Whitmore (South Portland, Maine/South Portland HS) came down with 11 rebounds.

Junior forward Jess Knight (Hanover, Mass.) led SNHU with eight of her 14 points coming in the first quarter.

Bentley had the advantage in several statistical categories, including field goal percentage (43-32 percent), three-pointers (5-2), rebounds (41-34). Points in the paint wound up 32-30 Falcons after the SNHU did most of their first quarter damage inside.

Bentley will head to Florida later in the week to take on number five Eckerd Saturday and unbeaten Saint Leo on Sunday.