WALTHAM, Mass. – Senior forward Maggie Whitmore (South Portland, Maine/South Portland HS) scored 20 points and freshman guard Niya Morgen (Swampscott/St. Mary's) came off the bench to net a career-high 19 as Bentley University bested Assumption University, 78-68, in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball Wednesday night on Barbara Stevens Court.

Both teams entered the game ranked in the top 25 in the WBCA Division II coaches poll with the Falcons 22^nd and the Greyhounds 24^th. Bentley, the defending Northeast-10 champions, improved to 9-2 overall and 5-1 NE10, good for a tie for first. Assumption, the reigning NCAA Division II East Region champion, dropped to 8-3 overall and 3-3 conference.

Bentley had a strong first half, outscoring the Greyhounds 19-14 during the opening quarter and 21-15 in the second. Whitmore and Morgen each had nine points and four rebounds, and junior forward Kylie DuCharme (Wilmington/Wilmington HS) provided six points, six rebounds and three assists.

An 8-3 run put the Falcons up 12-7, seven unanswered spanning the first and second quarters produced the first double-digit lead of the quarter (24-14) and Bentley closed out the half with a 9-4 burst.

Bentley made five of its first seven shots after play resumed, using the 12-4 run to open the game up. Morgen had five points during the surge that made it 52-33 with six-and-a-half minutes left in the third.

Using a barrage of free throws, Assumption climbed back into the game, getting to within ten after three and eight with 7:35 left in the fourth. However, coach C White's team countered with a 9-2 run and the difference was 15, 69-54, after graduate guard Ella Thompson (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove HS) connected from downtown with 2:57 left. Morgen was again a factor with a three-ball and a driving lay-up during the burst.

The three was one of a trio that Thompson hit from distance during a 10-point fourth quarter for the Falcon tri-captain.

Whitmore's 20 included a perfect 12-of-12 from the foul line, half of those coming in the final 90 seconds. She also finished with seven rebounds and three assists.

Morgen made seven of her ten shots overall, two of three from deep and all three of her free throws. Thompson followed with 15 points, four assists, three rebounds and two blocks.

DuCharme put up a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double and sophomore post Julia Elie (Rockland/Rockland HS) pitched in with nine points and seven boards off the bench.

Assumption was led by junior forward Kaijhe Hall (Maple Wood, N.J.) with 17 points, nine rebounds and nine fouls drawn, good for an 11-of-13 performance from the charity stripe.

Bentley had the shooting advantage across the board as the Falcons connected at a .439 clip overall, .429 from three (9-21) and .905 at the line (19-21). Assumption, which missed seven free throws out of 27, was held to .393 overall and four three-pointers in 15 attempts.

The Falcons were a plus-12 in rebounds, 40-28, and had a 12-7 edge in second chance points.

Bentley will remain home to host Saint Rose on Saturday afternoon.