NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Despite a combined 31 points from junior forward Maggie Whitmore (South Portland, Maine/South Portland HS) and senior guard Ella Thompson (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove HS), Bentley University came up short at Southern Connecticut State University, falling to the Owls 63-55 in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball Saturday afternoon at the Moore Fieldhouse.

Whitmore led Bentley with 16 points and eight rebounds while Thompson added 15, all but two coming in the second half. Southern graduate guard Zoe Amalbert (Nanuet, N.Y.) led all scorers with 22 points, including ten in the fourth.

The loss dropped the Falcons to 12-8 overall and 9-5 in conference play. Southern Connecticut, which outshot Bentley 47-34 percent, improved to 12-7 overall and 7-6 NE10. It was a close game throughout with seven lead changes, six ties and the final spread the largest differential of the afternoon.

With Whitmore scoring a couple early buckets, Bentley jumped out to an 8-2 lead. But it was tied at 12 after Southern scored the final four points of the stanza.

Bentley was down one at the half, 27-26, following a second quarter that saw Southern run off seven straight to go up 19-14 and the Falcons counter with an 8-0 run that included six by Whitmore.

A 17-foot jumper by Amalbert with 5:51 accounted for the fourth lead change of the third and put Southern in front to stay, 38-37. The quarter ended with Bentley down 46-42 after a buzzer-beating driving lay-up by Thompson.

Bentley closed to within one with 6:45 to play and was within three a couple other times, but could never get over the hump. The Owls closed out the win by making seven of eight free throws in the final 1:07.

Bentley, which was credited with just seven assists, turned the ball over only eight times, half of what the Owls finished with. But in addition to Southern's superior shooting, the Falcons were outrebounded 33-25 and outscored from the line, 17-9.

Whitmore, who was coming off a career-high 26-point effort against Saint Anselm, made half of her 12 shots and all four of her free throws. Thompson was three of five from distance and Bentley also received seven points apiece from sophomore guard Amanda Kabantu (Portland, Maine/Portland HS) and freshman post Ciara Norman (Roebling, N.J./Life Center Academy).

Amalbert was joined in doubles by Stonehill transfer and graduate guard Isabella Santoro (Durham, Conn.) with 14 points. Six-foot sophomore Renza Milner (Carlsbad, Calif.) was a force off the bench with 12 boards and three blocks.

Bentley will look to get back on track Wednesday when they host Southern New Hampshire at 5:30 pm.