WALTHAM, Mass. – Saint Anselm College, which trailed by as many as 13 in the second half, closed  with a 15-5 run over the final 3:30 to register an 88-79 win over Bentley University in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball Saturday afternoon at the Dana Center.

Junior forward Chris Santo (Cherry Hill, N.J.) powered the Hawks with 27 points, including 10 during the closing run. He scored the first three to turn a one-point Falcon advantage into a 76-74 Saint Anselm  lead, one that the visitors would never give back, and locked up the win by making six of six free throws during the final 31.1 seconds.

Andrew Shaw (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy), also a junior forward, led five double-digit scorers for Bentley with 18 points despite struggling from the field, as did most of his teammates. The Falcons shot just .258 in the second half and .361 overall.

Saint Anselm improved to 12-6 overall and 10-4 in the conference while Bentley's second straight loss dropped the Falcons to 13-6 overall and 7-6 NE-10.

Following three ties and five lead changes, Bentley used an 11-0 run to open a 42-31 lead late in the first half. Junior guard Keegan Hyland (South Portland, Maine/South Portland HS) keyed that spurt with seven points.

A 9-4 Bentley run to start the second half stretched an eight-point halftime lead to 13, 56-43. Four Saint Anselm three-balls in the next four minutes helped the Hawks get back within three, 60-57, but the Falcons continued to maintain the lead until a Santo 14-footer with 4:58 left put Saint Anselm up 71-70 with 4:58 left.

Free throws hurt the Falcons down the stretch with Bentley missing five of ten during the stretch. Following the fifth miss, Saint Anselm senior guard John Neilsen (Port Jefferson, N.Y.) knocked down a three from the right corner to make it a two-possession game, 80-76 with 1:45 left. Bentley senior Jasper Grassa (Lynn/Lynn Classical HS) answered with a three of his own, connecting from about 28 feet, but the Hawks came right back with a driving lay-up from senior guard Dino Mallios (Winthrop).  After Grassa missed a potential-tying three, Santo collected the rebound and began his parade to the foul line.

Shaw was followed on the scoring list for Bentley by Grassa's 15 points and sophomore forward Tyler McFarland (Rockport, Maine/Camden Hills HS), who scored all of his 13 in the second half. Also in doubles was sophomore guard Alex Furness (Wells, Maine/Wells HS) with 11, and Hyland with 10. Junior guard JP Koury (Red Bank, N.J./CBA) had a solid game as he filled the stat sheet with nine points, nine rebounds, six steals and five assists.

In addition to Santo's 27, Saint Anselm received 18 points from junior guard Roy Mabrey (Belmar, N.J.) and a 15-point, 11-rebound double-double from sophomore forward Mike McCahey (Clarkstown, N.Y.).

Saint Anselm shot 50 percent to offset the Falcons' advantage in points off turnovers (19-9) and second-chance points (19-7). Bentley finished with three more rebounds, 43-40, and three less giveaways (11-14).

Bentley will look to get back on the winning track Wednesday when it hosts The College of Saint Rose at 7:30 pm.