WALTHAM, Mass. – The Bentley University men's basketball team will be looking for its eighth win in nine Northeast-10 Conference games Wednesday night but it won't be an easy task as they'll be hosting an Adelphi University team that has won five straight and 12 of its last 13. Tip-off at the Dana Center is set for 7:30 pm with a free webcast available at www.bentleyfalcons.tv.

Bentley, which won't be at home again until Jan. 27, pushed its record to 10-3 overall and remained a half-game out of first in the NE-10's Northeast Division with a 76-50 win at New Haven Saturday.

Adelphi will come into Waltham at 14-2 overall and 7-2 in the NE-10's Southwest Division, good for second place. The Panthers cruised past St. Michael's Saturday, 84-59, and have lost only to Saint Rose since Nov. 21. In that loss, they struggled from three while allowing Saint Rose to shoot 67 percent inside the three-point line.

Three-pointers should be in abundance Wednesday as the two teams combine for over 22 a game. Bentley puts it up from deep 26 times a game, making 10.4 with a .396 accuracy rate. More than half of Adelphi's shots come from long range with the Panthers attempting nearly 32 a game and making 12.3 for a .384 percentage.

Bentley graduate student Keegan Hyland (South Portland, Maine/South Portland HS) has started 2016 with two outstanding shooting games and is just 11 points away from becoming the program's 51st 1,000-point scorer. Since New Year's, he has averaged 27.5 points, including 19 before halftime, while shooting 79 percent overall and 70 percent from three.

Hyland has scored 19 or more in five of his last six games, elevating his season-average to 17.5 overall and a team-best 22.3 in conference play.

Senior forward Tyler McFarland (Rockport, Maine/Camden Hills HS), the NE-10 scoring leader (22.4) despite managing only 8 and 13 points in his last two games, is also on the verge of a scoring milestone. His next point will put him in sole possession of fourth on Bentley's all-time scoring list, surpassing Tim Forbes '06 (1,731).  He's also only 37 points away from passing Brian Hammel '75 for third place.

Guard Alex Furness (Wells, Maine/Wells HS) has also been having a strong final season as he's averaging 18.9 points and shooting 58 percent from three-point land in conference play. His .512 three-point percentage ranks eighth nationally in Division II and he's also ninth nationally in assist-turnover ratio.

Eight Adelphi players average at least 10 minutes a game and all are threats to knock down the three. Sophomore guard Michael Coffey is shooting 41 percent from deep with a team-leading 49 triples, and senior guard Anthony Libroia is a 52 percent shoot from outside the arc, having made 23 of 44. They are the team's top scorers, averaging 15.1 and 14.7, respectively.

The list of three-point threats also includes six-foot-ten sophomore Manny Suarez, who averages 12.9 points and 7.5 rebounds. He's buried 32 from downtown, with a 38 percent accuracy rate, and is number one in the NE-10 in blocks with 39.

Adelphi excels at the free throw line, both in terms of getting there (17.5 attempts per game) and making them (.764)   However, they also give up a lot of free throw attempts (18.0), are last in turnovers forced (10.1) and don't get many offensive rebounds (a conference low six a game). 

After taking on the Panthers, Bentley will play three in a row on the road, beginning Saturday against American International.