WALTHAM, Mass. – Junior forward Caleigh Crowell (Harwich/Worcester Academy) buried six three-pointers en route to a career-high 30 points and both sophomore forward Lauren Battista (North Easton/Oliver Ames) and junior guard Courtney Finn (Winthrop/Winthrop HS) had double-doubles as Bentley University topped Adelphi University, 87-75, in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball action Tuesday night at the Dana Center.

Bentley, which climbed to sixth in this week's USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Division II coaches poll, improved to 15-2 overall and 10-1 in the NE-10, maintaining its one-game lead in the conference standings over Southern Connecticut and Pace.  Adelphi, despite shooting 57 percent in the second half, dripped to 6-10 overall and 4-8 conference.

Crowell, after an eight-point first half, erupted for 22 points after intermission when she hit eight of 10 shots overall, including six of seven from outside the three-point line. For the game, she finished 12 of 17 from the floor and in addition to points, established new career bests for rebounds (9) and blocks (2).

Battista followed in the scoring column with 17 points, including a 7-for-8 effort at the foul stripe, and collected 11 rebounds.  Finn came away with a career-best 15 boards, netted 14 points, and also handed out six assists, matching her career-high.

Bentley never trailed in the game, taking the lead for good at 7-4 on a three-point play by Finn 3:13 into the contest after two early ties.  However, while remaining in front throughout, the Falcons were never able to put the Panthers away.  Each time they opened up a lead, Adelphi would come back to reduce the gap.

It was a 38-27 game at the half after Bentley closed with an 8-2 spurt over the final 2:45, Battista accounting for half of those points with a lay-up and a pair of free throws.  The Falcons' dominance inside accounted for the team's first-half success as they made 13 of 22 shots in the paint and only one of 16 from outside, including just one of 13 from outside the three-point arc.

Bentley found its outside shooting during the break, with Crowell playing the major role. She buried three treys in the first four minutes after play resumed, helping Bentley stretch the lead to a game-high 16, 49-33.

An 11-3 spurt brought the Panthers back to within seven, 56-49, with 11:30 left, but the Falcons quickly restored the advantage to 14 with a 10-3 run of their own. Battista and senior forward Shatasia Kearse (Framingham/Lincoln-Sudbury Reg. HS) each had four points over that stretch.

Despite three more Crowell three-balls, Adelphi used its hot shooting to outscore Bentley 20-12 over a seven-minute span, drawing to within six, 78-72, with 1:50 left.

Senior guard Meghan Thomann (Andover/Andover HS) knocked down her third three-pointer of the night with 1:31 remaining to quiet the Panther comeback and return the lead to nine points. Two free throws by Finn, a second-chance lay-up by Crowell and four straight missed shots by AU locked up the victory, making it a 13-point differential with 20 seconds left.

Crowell wasn't the only Falcon to come up big off the bench.  Thomann had nine points and three assists, and junior guard Kelsey Roberson (Arlington/Arlington Catholic HS) helped with a career-high eight assists and a couple steals.

Adelphi also received a big effort off the bench with sophomore guard Sade Jackson (Hackensack, N.J.) coming within an assist of a triple-double. She scored 11 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and delivered nine assists.  Sophomore forward Jessica Kitrys (Parlin, N.J.) led the Panthers with 20 points and freshman forward Kelly Mannix (Barrington, R.I.) followed with 17 points.

Adelphi outshot Bentley 48-41 percent, but the Falcons had five more rebounds (45-40), twice as many made free throws (18-9, with Bentley attempting 10 more) and four fewer turnovers (9-13). The Falcons' 17 offensive rebounds resulted in a 21-6 advantage in second-chance points.

Bentley is on the road for its next two, beginning with a 3:30 game at New Haven on Saturday.