WALTHAM, Mass. – Senior forward Maggie Whitmore (South Portland, Maine/South Portland HS) put up a 19-point, 11-rebound double-double and junior forward Kylie DuCharme (Wilmington/Wilmington HS) followed with 18 as Bentley University, the 18^th-ranked team in the WBCA Division II coaches poll, defeated Franklin Pierce University, 65-52, in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball Saturday afternoon on Barbara Stevens Court.

Bentley, with its fifth straight win, improved to 13-2 overall and 8-1 conference. The Falcons remained in a first-place tie in the NE10 with Southern New Hampshire, a 65-56 winner over Southern Connecticut State.

Coach C White's team, which saw a 9-0 start evaporate into a 21-19 Franklin Pierce lead early in the second quarter, took a 42-27 advantage into the halftime break after outscoring the Ravens 23-6 over the final eight minutes of the half.

The Falcons made seven of ten shots overall and converted eight of ten free throws during that run. Leading the scoring were sophomore post Julia Elie (Rockland/Rockland HS) with seven, and both Whitmore and DuCharme with six.

Whitmore had an outstanding first half with 15 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals.

 With DuCharme scoring ten in the quarter, Bentley put the game out of reach in the third. The Falcons outscored the Ravens 18-11 to extend their advantage to 22 points, 60-38.

Whitmore made eight of 13 shots from the floor and also provided three assists and two steals in 29 turnover-free minutes. DuCharme, in addition to 18 points, collected nine rebounds and made two steals.

Freshman guard Niya Morgen (Swampscott/St. Mary's HS) and Elie each finished with seven points, and sophomore guard Cassidy Yeomans (Marion/Tabor Academy) pitched in with six points and five assists.

The top scorer for Franklin Pierce (9-5, 4-5 NE10) was sophomore guard Kenzie Sirowich (Seymour, Conn.) with nine points.

Both teams shot under 40 percent overall and each made four three-pointers. Bentley was a plus-seven in free throws, a plus-six in rebounds and a plus-12 in points off turns. The Falcons doubled the visitors in the paint, 36-18, and committed just ten turns.

Bentley's next two are on the road, beginning Tuesday at Southern Connecticut State.