WALTHAM, Mass. – Possessing a one-game lead over Assumption University and Southern New Hampshire in the battle for first place in the Northeast-10 Conference, the Bentley University women's basketball team will be back in action Wednesday night with a home encounter with the University of New Haven. Game time on Barbara Stevens Court is 5:30 pm and fans not in attendance can watch at www.NE10NOW.tv/bentleyfalcons.

Bentley, 6-0 since returning from the holiday break, will bring records of 12-4 overall and 9-1 NE10 into Wednesday's contest. New Haven, which snapped a five-game slide with a 69-51 victory over Southern Connecticut State Saturday, is 7-7 overall, 4-6 conference and 2-4 on the road.  

During the current win streak, Bentley has outscored its opponents by 27 a game while yielding no more than 50 points. The opponents have averaged only 42.3 points during that span while shooting just .308 overall and .161 from deep. In Saturday's 52-27 win at St. Michael's, the Falcons yielded just 12 points over the final three quarters.

Junior forward Maggie Whitmore (South Portland, Maine/South Portland HS) has been Bentley's top scorer during the streak, averaging 12.5 points while shooting .500 overall and making eight of 11 three-pointers. That's raised her team-best average to 11.5 and she also leads the team in rebounding (6.9), assists (42) and steals (20).

Guards Kari Brekke (Appleton, Wis./Appleton North HS) and Ella Thompson (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove HS) have produced 10.6 and 10.2 points a game during the streak, averages virtually identical to their season norms. Brekke has made 15 of 28 from deep during the past six games, raising her season accuracy to .474, tenth best nationally in Division II.

Freshman forward Ciara Norman (Roebling, N.J./Life Center Academy), this week's NE10 Rookie of the Week, has seen her playing time and production rise over the last six games. For the season, she provides 6.3 points and nearly five rebounds a game.

As a team, Bentley leads the Northeast-10 in scoring, three-point shooting and defending the three, and is second in scoring margin, scoring defense and three-pointers made.

New Haven, in its win over its crosstown rival, received a 27-point effort from graduate guard Camryn DeRose. She made 10 of her 16 field goal attempts, including half of her eight three-pointers. Meanwhile, the Charger defense limited the Owls to 28 percent shooting and only six three-balls in 26 attempts.

DeBose ranks third in the conference in scoring (16.6), has six 20-point games this season and has surpassed 1,000 points for her career. Six-foot-one senior Aurora Deshaies is also having a strong season for the Chargers. She leads the NE10 in field goal percentage (.656), is second in rebounds (10.2) and is second on the team in scoring (13.7).

Deshaies is a major reason while coach Debbie Buff's team leads the conference in rebounding margin (+8.0) and field goal accuracy (.447).

Bentley defeated New Haven twice last season, both at home, and leads the all-time series 31-5.      The second meeting last winter came in the NE10 semifinals with the Falcons prevailing 75-48 after winning the first two quarters, 22-8 and 19-9. Brekke was the game-high scorer with 17 points.

On Saturday, Bentley will be in Syracuse, N.Y. to take on Le Moyne College.