WALTHAM, Mass. – Alone atop the Northeast-10's Northeast Division, the Bentley University men's basketball team will begin the second half of the conference schedule Saturday by traveling to Springfield for a second meeting this season with American International College. Game time at Butova Gym is set for 3:30 pm. Fans can watch live on the NE10 NOW Digital Network.

Bentley, which has clinched a winning record for the 24th time in the last 25 years, improved to 15-4 overall and 7-3 NE10 after snapping a two-game slide on Wednesday. In the 97-74 win over Saint Rose, the Falcons never trailed and maintained a double-figure lead for the final 15:30.

American International slipped to 6-13 overall and 3-7 NE10 with an 81-88 road loss to Southern New Hampshire Wednesday. The Yellow Jackets won four of seven in November but have dropped nine of their last 11. They've won two straight at home, including 77-68 over Saint Anselm Jan. 14.

Wednesday was a good day for the Falcons. In addition to improving to 10-0 at home, they moved from a four-way tie for first in the Northeast Division to sole possession of the top spot following losses by Saint Anselm, Stonehill and Franklin Pierce.

Against Saint Rose, senior forward Chris Hudson (Hodgdon, Maine/Williston Northampton School) and sophomore guard Mason Webb (Oklahoma City, Okla./Bishop McGuinness HS) each scored 22 points. Hudson made nine of 12 shots overall and Webb drained five three-pointers.

The Falcons also received 12 points and seven assists from junior guard Jordan Mello-Klein (Sharon/Thayer Academy), 11 from junior forward Pete Blust (Hinsdale, Ill./Hinsdale Central HS) and a career-best 10 from freshman guard Isaac Martin (Peachtree Gardens, Ga./Norcross HS).

Hudson and Webb are also Bentley's top scorers for the season, averaging 17.7 and 16.5 points, respectively. Hudson leads the conference in field goal percentage (.586) and is only the 19th player in program history with career totals of at least 1,200 points and 600 rebounds.

Webb, who scores 16.5 a game, is in the NE10's top ten of all three shooting categories, a claim no other conference player can make.

Mello-Klein remains the only player in the East Region producing at least 12 points, six rebounds and six assists a game.

The starting lineup for coach Jay Lawson, which hasn't varied all season, also includes Blust and sophomore guard Brian Wright-Kinsey (Brooklyn, N.Y./Brooks School). Both are scoring over nine points a game.

In the first game against AIC this season, back on Dec. 1, Mello-Klein led the way with 14 points, seven assists, four rebounds, three steals and a plus-26. Bentley trailed by as many as eight in the first half before outscoring the Yellow Jackets 57-35 over the final 28:20.

There were 13 ties and 13 lead changes in AIC's game at Southern New Hampshire Wednesday before the Yellow Jackets came up short in the end despite a 19-for-20 performance from the line and a season-high 22 points from six-five sophomore Bane Terzic.

Senior Zekiah Owens and junior Shyheim Hicks are AIC's top scorers for the season, averaging 11.6 and 11.0, respectively, with Owens one of three NE10 players with at least 50 three-pointers. Terzic is also in double figures at 10.1 a game.

Bentley is also on the road Tuesday for a 7 pm game at Southwest Division leader Le Moyne College.