WALTHAM, Mass. – Possessing the sixth best scoring defense in Division II, the Bentley University women's basketball team will be back on Barbara Stevens Court Wednesday evening for a 5:30 pm against Saint Anselm College. As always, it will be streamed over the NE10 NOW Digital Network.

Bentley, which limits its opponents to 53.3 points overall and a microscopic 47.6 in conference play, will be looking to bounce back from back-to-back losses that knocked the Falcons from the top of the NE10 standings to third place. Coach C White's team will take the court with records of 12-6 overall and 9-3 conference following Saturday's 53-38 loss at Le Moyne.

Saint Anselm, after a 2-7 start, has won six of its last nine to improve to 8-10 overall. The Hawks are 11^th in the conference with a 4-8 NE10 record.

Since returning from the holiday break, Bentley has limited its opponents to 44.8 points a game with shooting percentages of .321 overall and .210 from downtown.

Junior forward Maggie Whitmore (South Portland, Maine/South Portland HS) leads Bentley in most statistical categories, including scoring (11.2), rebounds (6.8), assists (44) and blocks (9). She shoots 52 percent from three-point range, although she doesn't have enough makes to qualify for the conference rankings, and is the NE10 leader in free throw percentage (36 of 39, .923).

While Whitmore doesn't qualify for the conference rankings, graduate guard Kari Brekke (Appleton, Wis./Appleton North HS) and freshman guard Cassidy Yeomans (Marion/Tabor Academy) are among the leaders in three-point accuracy. Yeomans (17 of 34 off the bench, .500) leads the NE10 and Brekke (37 of 88, .420) is third.

Brekke is second on the team in scoring at 9.7, and senior Ella Thompson (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove HS) follows at 9.5.

Junior guard Gabby Turco is having a strong season for Saint Anselm and is one of three players in the NE10 with at least 300 points this season. She averages 16.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists and has been outstanding from the foul line, 96 of 106 (.906).

The Hawks also receive 10.9 points and 7.6 rebounds a game from six-foot senior Liv Robles and 9.8 points from        six-two sophomore Melanie Hoyt.

Saint Anselm is seventh in the NE10 in scoring defense (60.1) and ninth in both scoring offense (61.4) and rebound margin (+0.4). The Hawks have made 81 percent of their free throws in conference games and are also among the NE10's best in free throws made and attempted.

Bentley will be looking to complete a sweep of the season series after a 72-52 at Saint Anselm in November. In that one, the Falcons received 14 points from Brekke, 12 from Whitmore and 27 points and 13 rebounds from the freshman class. Bentley outshot the Hawks in the coast-to-coast victory, 49-31 percent, and had a 40-20 advantage in paint points.

Bentley is 80-15 all-time against the Hawks, including 30 consecutive wins in the Dana Center.

After facing the Hawks, Bentley will prepare to take on Southern Connecticut State Saturday afternoon on the road.