GARDEN CITY, N.Y. – Junior forward Maggie Whitmore (South Portland, Maine/South Portland HS) hit a turnaround jumper in the paint with 43 seconds left, breaking a 70-all tie, and closed out the win with two free throws with 7.1 seconds remaining as Bentley University defeated Adelphi University, 74-70, in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball Tuesday night at the Center for Recreation and Sport.

With its second straight win, the fourth-place Falcons moved to within one game in the loss column of first place in the Northeast-10. Bentley improved to 14-8 overall and 11-5 NE10 while the Panthers dropped to 9-13, including 6-11 conference.

Whitmore, who finished with a team-high 19 points, scored the Falcons' final seven points, including a three-ball with 4:34 remaining that made it a 70-64 game. Adelphi answered with six unanswered points, tying the game on a long jumper by graduate guard Ty'zhea Hawkins (Brentwood, N.Y.) with 2:09 left.

It stayed that way until Whitmore came through with the go-ahead basket. Adelphi had four shot attempts after the go-ahead basket but couldn't get any to fall.

Bentley, despite falling behind 10-3 early, had a 17-point lead at intermission, 48-31, after shooting 54 percent and sinking eight three-balls. The Falcons, after a one-for-seven start, were 18 of 28 over the final 16 minutes of the half.

Leading the Falcons were three players who came off the bench to score 32 points and make 13 of 16 shots, including six of seven from downtown. Senior guard Ella Thompson (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove HS) made three triples for 13 points, freshman post Ciara Norman (Roebling, N.J./Life Center Academy) scored 10 and freshman guard Cassidy Yeomans (Mari) matched Thompson's three from deep.

With Bentley's offense cooling off in the third, Adelphi scored the first 11 points to draw within six, 48-42, with four minutes left in the quarter.

Junior guard Brooke Obar (North Yarmouth, Maine/Greeley HS), who finished with a career-high 14 points, kept the visitors in front with three treys in a span of 2:15, the last coming with 8:23 left in the fourth.

But that didn't slow the Panthers, who used a 13-5 run to even the game at 70 with just over two minutes left. Hawkins had the final four of the surge, a driving lay-up and a long two-pointer.

Whitmore, who scored 13 of her 19 in the second half, shot 50 percent from the floor while also contributing seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. Her two clinching free throws extended her streak of consecutive makes to 32.

Obar (4-5 from deep), Thompson (13 with 9 rebounds) and Norman (12 with 8 rebounds) followed Whitmore in the scoring column.

For Adelphi, senior forward Jenna Jordan (Valley Cottage, N.Y.) and Hawkins combined for 50 points. Jordan finished with 26 points and 14 rebounds and Hawkins followed with 24 points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Adelphi shot better, 47-42 percent, but Bentley outscored the Panthers by 24 points from deep after hitting 12 of 26 three-pointers. Coach C White's team also had the advantage in rebounds (40-33), second-chance points (14-9) and bench points (34-6).

Bentley's next two games are at home, beginning Saturday afternoon with a Senior Day game against Pace University.