WALTHAM, Mass. – Junior forward Kylie DuCharme (Wilmington/Wilmington HS) scored a career-high 23 points, including eight during a game-closing 13-4 run, and collected eight of her ten rebounds at the offensive end as Bentley University, the 22^nd-ranked team in Division II, prevailed over the College of Staten Island, 67-58, in non-conference women's basketball Monday night on the Barbara Stevens Court.

Bentley improved to 11-2 overall and 3-0 since the calendar shifted to January. Staten Island, which had the lead for most of the first half, fell to 5-8 on the season.

After the Dolphins knotted the game at 54 on a basket from sophomore guard Kyra Rose (Jersey City, N.J.) with seven-and-a-half minutes left in the fourth, DuCharme returned the lead to the Falcons with a third-chance basket from in close.

That grew to a 7-0 run and the biggest lead until the final minute as freshman guard Niya Morgen (Swampscott/St. Mary's HS), the Northeast-10 Rookie of the Week for the second time, hit a three from the right side and DuCharme was successful on a hook.

Following a Staten Island basket, DuCharme scored the next four points, on a jump hook and two free throws. to make it 65-56 with under 45 seconds to play.

The game was deadlocked at 33 at the half after Staten Island won the opening quarter by four and the Falcons took the second by the same margin.

The Dolphins, who scored the game's first eight points, answered a 12-3 Falcon run by outscoring the home team 7-3 over the final three minutes of the second.

Bentley's 12-3 run, coming out of a C White timeout, began with a three-ball from the right wing by junior guard Amanda Kabantu (Portland, Maine/Portland HS). DuCharme and senior forward Maggie Whitmore (South Portland, Maine/South Portland HS) both converted three-point plays and Thompson connected on a triple from the right wing.

High scorers in the half were Whitmore and Dolphin senior guard Ashley Lambert (Staten Island, N.Y.), each with 11. DuCharme was a force for the Falcons with eight points and seven rebounds, including five offensive.

Bentley scored the first four points of the third, a turnaround by Whitmore and a hook by DuCharme, and remained in front by a slim margin the rest of the quarter.

DuCharme made nine of 14 shots overall, including two straightaway three-pointers, and all three of her free throws to better her previous best by four points.

Whitmore followed with 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists, and graduate guard Ella Thompson (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove HS) had eight points and three assists. Kabantu pitched in with seven points, seven boards and four assists, and Morgen finished with six points.

Rose was the top scorer for the Dolphins, with 16 points and seven boards off the bench.

Staten Island had the better field goal percentage (.463-.414), but Bentley had a 9-4 advantage in three-pointers made and 10-4 in free throws. Rebounds were even at 31 and the Falcons finished with 10 turns, five less than the Dolphins.

Bentley, which was 4-1 on its five-game homestand, will play at St. Michael's College Wednesday, the third game in five days for the Falcons.