WALTHAM, Mass. – Since returning from the exam and holiday break, the Bentley University men's basketball team has alternated wins and losses, a pattern that has the Falcons entering the final crossover game of the season with records of 10-8 overall and 7-6 Northeast-10.

Coach Jay Lawson's team, coming off a 75-67 loss to Southern Connecticut State last Saturday, will look to again answer a blemish with a win when it faces Pace University Saturday at 1:30 pm at the Setters' Goldstein Fitness Center in Pleasantville, N.Y. A webcast will be available at https://portal.stretchinternet.com/pace/.

The alternating pattern of wins and losses has Bentley in a three-way tie for third in the NE10's Northeast Division, along with Stonehill (Wednesday's opponent) and Southern New Hampshire, as the conference season approaches its final third.

Pace, after a 67-52 loss at Stonehill Wednesday, is 6-15 overall and 2-11 conference. The Setters, who have experienced some success at home (4-6), are last in the Southwest Division, 3.5 games out of the final playoff spot.

Bentley junior guard Ryan Richmond (Toronto, Ont./Thomson Collegiate) has been outstanding in the Falcons' first six games against Southwest teams, scoring at least 25 each time. He had 28 in the Southern game and for the month, is averaging 27.8 points, along with four rebounds and 3.5 assists with a .504 shooting mark.

Richmond's season norm is up to 22.7 per game, second best in the NE10, and he's number one in conference play at an impressive 24.7.

Forwards Zach Gilpin (Hampden, Maine/Hampden Academy) and Chris Hudson (Hodgdon, Maine/Northampton Williston School) are Bentley's other double-figure scorers, averaging 12.6 and 11.0 respectively. Gilpin has scored at least 12 eight times, although he's been quiet of late (9.5 ppg in the last 4), and Hudson is coming off his first double-double of the season, 15 and 11 against Southern.

Bentley, one of four NE10 teams scoring at least 79 points in conference play, leads the NE10 in rebounds (40.8) and rebound margin (+8.4), and is also third in three-point accuracy (.400). The latter number is due, in large part, to the deep shooting of guards Seth Stankiewicz (Reading, Pa./Hill School) (34/62, .548) and Jordan Mello-Klein (Sharon/Thayer Academy) (14/28, .500).

Shooting has not been a forte of the 2017-18 Setters with Pace in the bottom three in the conference in both field goal percentage (.436) and three-point accuracy (.305). They've also struggled at the other end of the court with their opponents shooting .456 overall and .403 from deep.

A quartet of players have done the bulk of the scoring for Pace with the list headed by sophomore forward Payton Wejnert. One of the NE10 leaders in getting to the line, he averages 13.5 points and six rebounds.

Other scoring threats for Pace include 6-6 junior Greg Poleon (10.7 ppg, team-high 6.4 rpg) and a pair of freshmen guards, Brandon Jacobs (12.4 ppg) and Austin Gilbertson (10.8).

After returning from Pace, Bentley will play its final seven against Northeast Division teams, beginning Wednesday at Stonehill.