WALTHAM, Mass. – Following 13 lead changes, including nine in the fourth quarter, and 11 ties, and despite a career-best 26 points from Bentley University junior Maggie Whitmore (South Portland, Maine/South Portland HS), Saint Anselm College edged the Falcons, 78-76, in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball Wednesday night on Barbara Stevens Court.

It was the third straight loss for the Falcons, who dropped to 12-7 overall (9-4 NE10) and gave up 45 points on 69.6 percent shooting in the second half. Bentley entered the game ranked sixth in Division II in scoring defense.

The game was back and forth down the stretch with Bentley taking the lead three times, the last on a basket by freshman post Ciara Norman (Roebling, N.J./Life Center Academy) with 3:29 to play. After two missed Falcon free throws, junior Gia Bramanti (Andover) put Saint Anselm (9-10, 5-8 NE10) in front to stay with a lay-up with 2:47 remaining, 71-70.

Down 75-71, Whitmore sank two free throws with 18 seconds left, cutting the deficit in half. Saint Anselm junior Gabby Turco (Wildwood, N.J.) matched her with 14.7 on the clock, and Bentley graduate guard Kari Brekke (Appleton, Wis./Appleton North HS) made it a one-point game with a right wing three-pointer with 11.5 to play.

Turco, a 91 percent foul shooter, missed one of two with 8.3 seconds left and Bentley had one more chance after advancing the ball with a time out. Sophomore guard Amanda Kabantu (Portland, Maine/Portland HS) missed a three from the left side and Whitmore rebounded the ball but was unable to get a shot off.

Bentley led 19-14 after the opening stanza and was up 31-20 with 4:22 remaining in the second following an 8-0 run. The Hawks cut the margin to four at the break, 37-33, and started the third with an 11-5 run to go up two, 44-42. A reverse lay-up by Bentley senior guard Ella Thompson (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove HS) beat the third quarter horn and evened the game at 56 apiece.

Whitmore, who bettered her previous career-high by ten, was 10 of 17 from the field and also had seven rebounds and five assists in 33 turnover-free minutes.

Thompson followed with 14 and freshman post Julia Elie (Rockland/Rockland HS) matched her career-high 12 points, which also came against the Hawks. Both Thompson and Elie made six of their ten shots.

Turco powered Saint Anselm with 23 points, including 12 in the fourth, and six-foot senior Liv Robles (Wallingford, Conn.) followed with 22.

Both teams shot 56 percent and made five three-pointers, but the visiting Hawks had a big advantage at the line. Saint Anselm converted 15 of 18 and the Falcons were just five of ten.

Bentley will look to get back on the winning track Saturday at Southern Connecticut State.