WALTHAM, Mass. – Graduate guard Ella Thompson (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove HS) scored a game-high 19 points, including the 1,000^th of her career, as Bentley University edged Saint Anselm College, 65-61, in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball Wednesday evening on Barbara Stevens Court.

Bentley, number 16 in this week's WBCA Division II coaches poll, improved to 5-1 overall and 2-1 NE10 despite playing without two of its top six players. Saint Anselm, following its second straight loss, dropped to 3-3 overall and 1-2 conference.

Thompson finished her scoring for the night when she beat the shot clock with a three from the left wing with 90 seconds left, a basket that made it a three-possession game, 63-56. Saint Anselm scored the next five, including a three-ball from fifth-year forward Liv Robles (Wallingford, Conn.) with 1:05 to play.

Junior forward Kylie DuCharme (Wilmington/Wilmington HS) kept the Falcons in front with a late block and freshman guard Niya Morgen (Swampscott/St. Mary's HS) locked up the W with two free throws with five seconds left.

After a slow start, Bentley outscored the Hawks 20-11 over the final nine minutes of the second quarter and took a 34-32 lead into the halftime break. Five different Falcons contributed points during that run with junior guard Amanda Kabantu (Portland, Maine/Portland HS) scoring five, including a three-point play with 32.4 on the clock to account for the fifth and final lead change of the second. Thompson, sophomore post Julia Elie (Rockland/Rockland HS) and Morgen each pitched in with four and senior guard Brooke Obar (North Yarmouth, Maine/Greely HS) drained a left-corner three.    

Bentley stayed in front throughout the second half but could never push the lead into double figures. A 7-0 burst, including five from Thompson, made it a nine-point lead, 47-38 with 4:18 left in the third. After Saint Anselm answered with seven of their own, an Obar three and a DuCharme made it 52-44 heading into the fourth.

Thompson's milestone basket came 68 seconds into the fourth, a pull-up jumper from the right side. She's the 38^th player in program history to reach 1,000.

Thompson, who finished the game with 1,004 career points, made half of her 16 field goal attempts and two of her four shots from three. She also collected four rebounds and had two assists.

Morgen scored in doubles for the third time off the bench, finishing with 15 on six-of-eight shooting. Elie followed with 11 points, six rebounds, two steals and two blocks, and Kabantu provided seven points.

Saint Anselm was led by Hartford transfer Tatum Forbes, with 18 points and 12 rebounds, and six-two junior Melanie Hoyt (Stamford, N.Y.) added 16.

The Hawks shot slightly better overall (45-43 percent) but Bentley had a 6-2 advantage in three pointers with the visitors only 2 of 13 from deep. Rebounds also favored the Falcons by a slim margin, 36-33, and both turnovers and free throws were even.

Bentley is on the road for its next two, beginning with a 12:30 game at Adelphi University Saturday.