WALTHAM, Mass. – Freshman forward Tyler McFarland (Rockport, Maine/Camden Hills HS) scored a career-high 28 points, including 12 in the final 9:15 as the Bentley University Falcons overcame a nine-point deficit to record their third consecutive win, 66-63 over Stonehill College in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball at Merkert Gym Saturday afternoon.

McFarland, whose previous best of 26 was set 13 days ago at Saint Anselm, shot 9 of 17 overall, made a career-best four of seven from three-point land and was perfect on six free throw attempts. He came within one rebound of his ninth double-double, handed out three assists, and played 37 minutes without a foul or a turnover.

This was a streaky game, but Bentley had the last one to counter a 19-3 Stonehill run that turned a seven-point Falcon lead into a 48-39 deficit with a little less than ten minutes to play.

McFarland got the comeback started, knocking down a straightaway three with 9:13. He dunked on the Falcons' next possession, and the spurt grew to 8-0 when freshman guard Alex Furness (Wells, Maine/ Wells HS) drained a three from the left wing, making it a one-point game with 7:20 to play.

Following a couple Skyhawk baskets, Bentley took the lead for good with nine unanswered, beginning with Furness' second three in last than two minutes. Sophomore guard J.P. Koury (Red Bank, N.J./CBA) converted a three-point play with 4:34 left to put the Falcons in front to stay, 53-52, and freshman forward Shakir Phelps (Linden, N.J./Linden HS) connected from downtown for a four-point lead with 3:48 left.

Two free throws by Stonehill senior guard Brian Hamor (Schenectady, N.Y.) cut the Falcon advantage in half, but Bentley junior guard Jasper Grassa (Lynn/Lynn Classical HS), the NE-10 three-point leader, was able to answer, burying a triple from the left corner to make it 59-54 with 2:54 left.

Hamor followed with his fifth three, and McFarland countered for the Falcons with 2:02 on the clock, putting the lead back five.  The only scoring over the next 1:40 was a short Hamor jumper, with Stonehill missing three free throws, including the front of a one-and-one during that stretch.

After Bentley senior guard Mike Topercer (Scottsdale, Ariz./New Hampton Prep) rebounded the second of two missed free throws by freshman Josh Heyliger (Bear, Del.) with 29.4 seconds left, Stonehill was forced to foul four times before McFarland went to the line for a one-and-one with 19.9 on the clock. He made both, pushing the lead back to five, and he did the same with 9.9 remaining after Hamor had made two three seconds earlier, securing the victory.

Before the final spurt by Bentley, there were a number of runs by both clubs. Stonehill (11-14, 7-14 NE-10) opened with a 13-3 spurt and the Falcons countered with a 15-2 to go up three, 18-15, with 8:15 left in the first. The Skyhawks followed with a 9-2, Bentley ran off eight straight and the half ended with the Falcons up one after a late three by freshman Carter Smith (Columbus, Ohio).

Bentley scored eight of the first ten to open the second half, extending the lead to seven at 36-29. The next eight minutes belonged to the home team , which received scoring from six different players during a 19-3 that gave the Skyhawks their biggest lead, 48-39.

Grassa followed McFarland on the scoring list with nine points, along with four rebounds and four assists, and both Phelps and Furness helped out with eight points off the bench.

Hamor, in his final career home game, finished with 26 points and he was helped out by sophomore forward Jack Cole (New Providence, N.J.), with 14 points and 12 boards. No other Skyhawk scored more than six points.

Both teams shot 41 percent overall, but Bentley was much more efficient from three-point land and the foul line, making 12 of 24 triples and 12 of 13 charity tosses.  Those numbers were even better in the second, with the Falcons shooting 69 percent from three (9-13) and 100 percent at the line (7-7).

Turnovers were even at seven apiece, but Bentley was able to capitalize more, with a 12-6 edge in points off.

Bentley(10-15, 8-13 NE-10) will close out its 50th season of varsity basketball Tuesday night with the 50th and final meeting with Division I-bound UMass-Lowell.