WALTHAM, Mass. – The 2019-20 Bentley University men's basketball season came to a disappointing end Friday night as Falcons were outscored 16-10 in the second overtime and dropped an 88-82 decision to the University of New Haven in the opening round of the Northeast-10 Conference Championships at the Dana Center.

Senior guard Elijah Bailey (Freeport, N.Y.), who played all 50 minutes, scored nine of his 24 points in the second extra session to lead New Haven, which had the lead for just 15 seconds during regulation and the first OT.

Bentley, which finished at 17-12, was led by junior guard Jordan Mello-Klein (Sharon/Thayer Academy) with 24 points, ten rebounds, six assists and two steals.

In the second OT, back-to-back driving lay-ups by Bailey, the first at 3:36 and the second at 2:51, produced New Haven's first lead since early in the first half. After a basket from Bentley senior forward Chris Hudson (Hodgdon, Maine/Williston Northampton School) made it a two-point game, the Chargers scored the next six to go up seven, 84-77, with 1:03 to play.

That run included two free throws by Bailey as well as a three-pointer from the junior to just beat the shot clock.

Hudson was fouled with 54.2 seconds left and missed the second after making the first. Bentley sophomore guard Mason Webb (Oklahoma City, Okla./Bishop McGuinness HS) claimed the offensive rebound and sent it out to freshman guard Isaac Martin (Peachtree Gardens, Ga./Norcross HS) for a three with 50.5 seconds left, making it a three-point game at 84-81.

The Chargers, 13-14, locked up the win by making four free throws down the stretch, including two from freshman forward Davontrey Thomas (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) with 24.8 seconds left. He finished with a 20-point, 14-rebound double-double.

It was a driving lay-up by Thomas that evened the game at 67 with 25 seconds left in regulation. Mello-Klein had a chance in the final seconds but couldn't get his shot to fall when he drove to the hole with two seconds left.

Bentley had taken a 65-61 lead on a Hudson put-back with 2:58 remaining in regulation. Thomas answered with a fast-break three from the right side, igniting the 6-2 run that was capped by his tying basket.

New Haven, which will play at Le Moyne Sunday in the quarters, had three inside shots in the final seconds of the first overtime and the game even at 72. Hudson blocked two of those, keeping the game going.

Bentley led by nine a couple times in the first half and by as many as eight in the second half. However, there was very little separation over the final 12 minutes of regulation with the biggest difference six points.

Mello-Klein was followed on the Bentley scoring list by Hudson, Webb and sophomore guard Brian Wright-Kinsey (Brooklyn, N.Y./Brooks School). Hudson finished with 17 points, six rebounds and three blocks, and Webb scored 15. Wright-Kinsey joined them in doubles, finishing with ten points.

Bailey was 3-for-4 from the field during the second OT after being held to 6-of-19 during the game's first 45 minutes.

Both teams shot in the low forties but New Haven dominated the boards, 57-37 overall and 18-8 offensive. That enabled the Chargers to outscore the Falcons 19-9 on second chance points.

It was the final Bentley game for Hudson and senior guard Seth Stankiewicz (Reading, Pa./The Hill School), who scored seven off the bench. Hudson finished his career with 1,428 points, 21st in program history.