WALTHAM, Mass. – Since returning from the exam and holiday break, the Bentley University women's basketball team has strung together five consecutive wins with an average margin of 27.8 points. The Falcons will look to continue that success on Saturday when they are in Colchester, Vt. to take on St. Michael's College. Game time is 1:30 pm and fans can watch on the NE10 NOW Digital Network (www.NE10NOW.tv)

The most impressive of the five wins came on Wednesday when Bentley took down 18^th-ranked Assumption University, 76-48. Coach C White's team held the Greyhounds 20 points below their season norm while becoming the first team this season to score more than 60 points in regulation against the conference's stingiest defense.

That win boosted the defending Northeast-10 champions to 11-4 overall and 8-1 conference, good for a tie for first place with Southern New Hampshire. The Penmen, 10-0 since losing to the Falcons before Thanksgiving, are at Le Moyne this weekend.

St. Michael's will enter Saturday's game at 1-12 overall and winless in nine conference tilts. The Purple Knights, whose only win came against Mercy College, have played teams tough at home, including a 61-53 loss to SNHU a week ago.

In the win over Assumption, freshman post Ciara Norman (Roebling, N.J./Life Center Academy) had her best game as a collegian with a career-best 16 points, nine rebounds, four steals and a plus-20 in 19:19 off the bench. Bentley's leader in free throw attempts despite being ninth in playing time, she's averaging 6.2 points and 4.7 rebounds. During the winning streak, she's collected 6.6 rebounds a game.

Junior forward Maggie Whitmore (South Portland, Maine/South Portland HS) has scored in doubles in seven straight games and leads the Falcons in scoring (11.5), rebounds (6.7), assists (41) and steals (18). Against Assumption, she had 14 points, five rebounds and five assists.

Whitmore is followed in the scoring column by the all-conference backcourt of Kari Brekke (Appleton, Wis./Appleton North HS) and Ella Thompson (Greenville, Ind./Center Grove HS), both of whom are averaging double digits in the scoring column. Brekke, a 48 percent shooter from three, nets 11.1 a game and Thompson follows at 10.6.

In conference games, no team has had a stingier defense than the Falcons with the opponents being held to 48.9 points while shooting only .334 overall and just .177 from deep. During the win streak, Bentley has allowed only 13 three-pointers in 82 attempts while forcing 18.2 turnovers a game.

St. Michael's is coming off a 67-48 loss at Southern Connecticut State Tuesday night. The Purple Knights were within six points at the half but managed only 18 second-half points on 7-of-24 shooting.

The top scorers for the Purple Knights are graduate guard Emma McDonough and junior guard Paige Slaven, with averages of 12.0 and 11.3, respectively. McDonough had 23 points earlier this season against Saint Rose and Slaven has two 18-point games, against St. Thomas Aquinas and Southern New Hampshire.

Bentley has won 12 straight against St. Michael's and leads the all-time series, which dates back to 1982, 70-4. Last year's two games were played in a span of six days with the Falcons winning 75-54 and 74-57. Thompson had 19 in the first meeting and Autumn Ceppi, now a grad assistant coach, had 20 in the rematch.

Next week, Bentley will host New Haven on Wednesday and play at Le Moyne on Saturday.