WALTHAM, Mass. – Sophomore guard Ryan Richmond (Toronto, Ont./Thomson Collegiate) scored 20 points and four teammates joined him in doubles as Bentley University went wire-to-wire for a 77-65 win over American International College in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball Saturday afternoon at the Dana Center.

Bentley, with its third win in its last four games, improved to 7-8 overall and 4-6 NE10 while avenging an earlier loss to the Yellow Jackets. AIC dropped its fourth straight, falling to 7-11 overall and 1-9 conference.

The Falcons connected from long distance 12 times, including a 9-for-16 effort in the first half when they vaulted to a 52-33 lead. Four of the 12 three-pointers were made by senior guard Matt Barr (Stratham, N.H./Cushing Academy).

Bentley jumped out to a 12-4 start, a run that started with a Barr three from the left wing and was capped by a Richmond triple from the same direction.

The differential hit double figures for the first time at 13:03 of the opening half, 20-10, on a put-back three-point play by sophomore forward Kyle Bouchard (Houlton, Maine/Houlton HS) . AIC never got closer than ten over the game's final 27:30.

Sophomore forward Zach Gilpin (Hampden, Maine/Hampden Academy) drilled a three from the right corner to finish the opening half, giving the Falcons a 19-point bulge and their highest scoring opening half of the season.

During the opening 20 minutes, Bentley shot an even 50 percent while limiting the Jackets to 41 percent, including only 1 for 5 from deep. Gilpin led the scoring with all of his 13 points coming before intermission.

Barr hit his team's final two threes during a 10-2 spurt early in the second half that made it a game-high 24-point lead, 65-41, with 12:30 left.

Richmond, who reached the 20-point plateau for the third straight game and the seventh time this season, connected twice from downtown and made all ten of his free throws. Barr followed with 16 and three steals, and Gilpin sank three of six triples en route to his 13.

Bentley also received 11 points, six rebounds and five assists from senior guard Ferguson Duke (Dartmouth, N.S./Hun School (N.J.)) and a strong effort off the bench from Bouchard. He scored ten points and came within one rebound of a double-double.

AIC was led by sophomore guard Jayvon Pitts-Young (Portland, Maine) with 19 points, 11 of those coming in the final eight minutes.

For the game, Bentley outshot the Jackets 43-39 percent and had a 12-3 advantage in three-pointers. Rebounds (40-33), second-chance points (12-3), free throws (21-14 in makes, 27-16 in attempts) and turnovers (9-10) also favored the Falcons.

Next up for Bentley is a Wednesday night home game against Pace University (7:30 pm).