BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – A career-high 29 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and two steals by sophomore forward Lauren Battista (North Easton, Mass./Oliver Ames HS) propelled Bentley University to its East Region-leading 11th win, 83-66 over the University of Bridgeport, Friday afternoon in the Bridgeport Holiday Classic at the Harvey Hubbell Gymnasium.

Bentey, ranked number one in the most recent USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Division II coaches poll (conducted before the Falcons' Dec. 18 loss at C.W. Post), improved to 11-1 on the season. Bridgeport fell to 3-9 on the year despite outscoring the visitors from the field.

A major rebounding advantage (39-25, including 21-10 in the second half) and a huge dominance at the foul line proved to be the difference in this one. The Falcons got to the line 30 times and knocked down 27, while the Purple Knights were just 8 of 10.

Sophomore forward Jacqui Brugliera (Fitchburg, Mass./Wachusett Reg. HS) and junior guard Courtney Finn (Winthrop, Mass./Winthrop HS) combined to match Battista's scoring total as the trio combined for 58 points. Brugliera put up 15 points in 19 foul-plagued minutes and Finn followed with 14, including a perfect 9-of-9 from the free throw stripe.

A strong start (14-2 over the first four minutes) and finish (14-4 over the last 4:30 after the Purple Knights forged the third tie of the half) sent Bentley into the halftime break up ten, 41-31. Both teams shot well (Bentley 50 percent, UB 47 percent), but the Falcons used a 9-for-10 free throw effort to build separation.

Battista was immense in the half, figuring in 27 of the Falcons' 41 points as she scored 20 on 9-12 shooting, collected five rebounds and delivered three assists.  Finn followed with 10 in the opening stanza, eight coming during the closing spurt.

With Battista and Brugliera leading the way, Bentley continued to build on its halftime lead and the differential hit a game-high 19, 61-42, when senior guard Katherine Goodwin (Goffstown, N.H./Governors Academy) sank a three-ball with 11:43 left.

Bridgeport didn't go away, outscoring the Falcons 17-6 over the next six-and-a-half minutes to draw within eight at 67-59.

It was still an eight-point game when junior guard and co-captain Kelsey Roberson (Arlington, Mass./Arlington Catholic HS) scored five in a row for the Falcons. She hit two free throws with 4:11 on the clock and knocked down a triple about a minute later to make it 74-61.

Bentley locked up the victory by hitting seven of eight free throws, including four by Finn, in the final 50 seconds.

Bridgeport was led by six-foot junior Tanisha Carter (East Hartford, Conn.) and senior guard Edna Marant (Philadelphia, Pa.), who scored 20 and 18 points, respectively. Carter led the Purple Knights with nine rebounds and Marant was a major reason why UB shot 46 percent as she was 8-of-12 from the floor.

Bentley will be back in the Dana Center for its first home game in a month when it resumes Northeast-10 action Tuesday night against Assumption College (5:30 pm).  The Falcons and Greyhounds will enter 2012 as the co-leaders in the conference, each 7-0 in the NE-10.