WALTHAM, Mass. – Junior guard Jasper Grassa (Lynn/Lynn HS) scored 16 points, including 11 in the second half, and freshman forward Tyler McFarland (Rockport, Maine/Camden Hills HS) recorded his second straight double-double as Bentley University held off Merrimack College, 62-56, in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action Tuesday night at the Dana Center.

The win was the second straight for the Falcons, who improved to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in the conference following their 18th consecutive victory in the series. Merrimack slipped to 2-3 overall and 0-2 in the NE-10.

Bentley led almost from the start, but had to weather a strong Merrimack finish that shaved a 19-point lead down to nine with 2:38 left and five in the final ten seconds.

The Falcons took the lead for good on a put-back slam by sophomore forward Jate Cheshul (Galloway, N.J./ Holy Spirit HS) three minutes into the game. The lead was extended to 19-11 by the 11-minute mark, with nine of the 19 the product of five early steals by Bentley, including two from sophomore guard JP Koury (Red Bank, N.J./CBA).

On top 28-23 at intermission, Bentley limited the Warriors to just two baskets in the first eight-plus minutes of the second and extended its lead to ten at 40-30.

With the differential at 11 as the clock moved under eight, the Falcons ran off eight unanswered to open a 56-37 lead with six minutes left. McFarland converted a three-point play, Grassa made a pair from the line and senior guard Mike Topercer (Scottsdale,Ariz./New Hampton Prep) connected from downtown.

Led by six-foot-seven post Mike Clifford (Danvers), Merrimack ran off ten in a row to draw within nine, 56-47,with 2:38 left. Clifford, who finished with 24 points and 13 boards, scored the first six, and freshman guard Gelvis Solano (New York, N.Y.) the final four.

It remained that way for nearly 80 seconds, until Grassa sank a pair from the line with 1:21 left. About 30 seconds later, he made two more free throws and the Bentley lead was back to 13, 60-47 with 52.2 left on the clock. Three-pointers from Solano and sophomore guard Ryan Woumm (Lynn), separated by a pair of Falcon misses from the line, made it a seven-point game with 20.9 seconds , but Bentley was able to lock up the win by making two of four free throws the rest of the way.

McFarland, who had a 13-and-12 double-double in Saturday's win at Goldey-Beacom, finished with 12 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks, and Koury was the Falcons' third double-figure scorer, with 10 points. Topercer helped Bentley win the boards (42-37), with his eight rebounds a career-best.

Bentley finished with two more three-pointers (6-4) and outscored Merrimack by ten at the line. The Falcons, despite struggling late, finished 14 of 19, and the Warriors attempted only seven, making four. McFarland was six of seven at the stripe, and Grassa was perfect on six tries.

Bentley's next game is a week from Wednesday at St. Michael's.