WALTHAM, Mass. – An 18-0 second-quarter run, bookended by three-pointers from graduate guard Ella Thompson (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove), was the difference as Bentley University defeated St. Michael's College, 70-55, in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball Monday afternoon on Barbara Stevens Court.

Sophomore forward Julia Elie (Rockland/Rockland HS) led the Falcons in scoring with a season-high 14 points, senior forward Maggie Whitmore (South Portland, Maine/South Portland HS) added 11 and Bentley set a school record by making 19 of 19 free throws.

Bentley, ranked 17^th in the latest WBCA Division II coaches poll, improved to 21-4 overall and 16-3 NE10, good for a one-game lead over both Assumption and Southern New Hampshire in the battle for the conference championship.

After trailing by as many as five, Bentley took charge of the game by scoring 18 consecutive points over the final 8:15 of the second quarter. Thompson got it going with a second-chance three-pointer, Whitmore tied it at 18 with two free throws and sophomore post Ciara Norman (Roebling, N.J./Life Center Academy) sank two free throws for the game's fifth and final lead change.

The lengthy run continued with layups by Norman and Elie, two free throws apiece by Elie and sophomore guard Cassidy Yeomans (Marion/Tabor Academy), and was capped by a three from the left wing by Thompson with three seconds left on the second quarter clock. During that span, St. Michael's missed eight shots from the field and two free throws, and also turned it over six times.

The Falcon lead remained in double figures through the second half and peaked at 21 on three occasions, the first time coming at 53-32 with 1:33 left in the third following two from the charity stripe by senior guard Brooke Obar (North Yarmouth, Maine/Greely HS).

Elie, in 12:26 off the bench, connected on five of six shots from the field, all in the post, and made four free throws. Whitmore, in addition to scoring 11, also had eight rebounds and two assists.

Thompson and Obar each contributed eight points, with the latter also dishing five assists, and junior forward Kylie DuCharme (Wilmington/Wilmington HS) finished with seven points and seven rebounds.

For St. Michael's (5-20, 1-18 NE10), freshman forward Ruby Santos (New Paltz, N.Y.) had 16 points and two steals off the bench.

In the team stats, Bentley had the advantage in field goal percentage (.434-.358), free throws made (19-12), rebounds (37-30), assists (13-7) and points in the paint (34-20).

Bentley will continue a stretch of five games in 11 days Wednesday when they are at Franklin Pierce for a 5:30 pm game.