MANCHESTER, N.H. – The frontcourt tandem of senior Maggie Whitmore (South Portland, Maine/South Portland HS) and junior Kylie DuCharme (Wilmington, Mass./Wilmington HS) combined for 34 points and 20 rebounds as Bentley University extended its winning streak to nine with a 71-57 win over Saint Anselm in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball Tuesday evening at Stoutenburgh Gymnasium.

DuCharme stuffed the stat sheet with 16 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks while Whitmore finished with 18 points and nine boards. Both made eight of 14 shots overall.

Bentley, which climbed to number eight in this week's WBCA Division II coaches poll, improved to 17-2 overall and 12-1 NE. Coach C White's team maintained its hold on first in the NE10, remaining two games in the loss column ahead of Assumption, Southern New Hampshire and Saint Rose.

Following back-to-back 19-point quarters, Bentley headed into the halftime break with a 38-21 lead. A fairly even game for most of the first, the Falcons closed the opening quarter with two DuCharme baskets, a lay-up and a jump hook.

The run grew to nine unanswered and the lead to 11, 24-13, when Bentley opened the second quarter with five straight points, a three-ball from junior guard Amanda Kabantu (Portland, Maine/Portland HS) and another DuCharme basket.

The Falcon first-half advantage hit 17 points for the first time on another DuCharme basket midway through the second. She finished a strong first half with 10 points, six rebounds and two blocks.

Bentley extended its advantage to as many as 26 points in the third and took a commanding 60-37 into the fourth. The 22-point third quarter included seven from freshman guard and four-time NE10 Rookie of the Week Niya Morgen (Swampscott, Mass./St. Mary's HS).

Morgen and senior guard Ella Thompson (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove HS) each finished with nine points. All of Thompson's came via the long ball with her three triples giving her 201 for her career, fifth most in program history.

Saint Anselm (9-11, 6-8 NE10) was led by fifth-year forward Liv Robles (Wallingford, Conn.), who scored half of her 16 points in the fourth quarter. She made seven of her ten shots.

Bentley outshot the home team 45-41 percent, outscored the Hawks 24-9 from outside the arc and dominated the boards, 44-29, including 12-5 at the offensive end. The Falcons finished with a 15-3 advantage in second chance points and received 18 points from the bench, triple Saint Anselm's total.

Bentley, in the midst of playing four times in eight days, will play its third consecutive road game on Thursday, a 1:30 pm encounter at Pace University.