WALTHAM, Mass. – Senior guard Ella Thompson (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove HS) scored all of her game-high 12 points in the second half to lift Bentley to a 65-55 win over Southern Connecticut State in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball Saturday afternoon at the Dana Center.

The outcome left both teams with 5-2 overall records with Bentley, the 22^nd-ranked team in the latest WBCA Division II coaches poll, improving to 3-0 in conference play and the Owls dropping to 1-2.

Following a first half that ended with Southern in front 28-27 and saw neither squad shoot well, Bentley's offense came alive in the third quarter with Thompson playing a key role.

After a scoreless first half, Thompson scored the Falcons' first eight points of the quarter with two three-pointers and a jumper in the paint putting Bentley up 35-33 in its home opener. The hot shooting continued with both junior guard Janessa Gonzalez (Meriden, Conn./St. Paul Catholic HS) and freshman guard Cassidy Yeomans (Marion/Tabor Academy) making it a 43-40 Falcon lead midway through the third.

A 7-0 burst, sandwiched around the quarter break, resulted in a 50-42 lead early in the fourth. Thompson scored on a drive, junior guard Maggie Whitmore (South Portland, Maine/South Portland HS) sank a three and freshman forward Julia Elie (Rockland/Rockland HS) scored an inside basket to open the fourth.

After the Owls got to within five, Bentley secured the win with an 11-2 run that included scoring from six different players. That made it a 14-point game, 65-51, with 2:20 left.

Thompson, in addition to scoring a dozen, handed out five assists. Whitmore followed with 11 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three steals, and sophomore guard Amanda Kabantu (Portland, Maine/Portland HS) finished with ten points and an impressive block.

Bentley's balanced attack also included eight points off the bench from Yeomans and seven from both Gonzalez and senior forward Bri Gillen (Lakeville/Bishop Feehan HS).

Success, or lack of, from three-point territory accounted for most of the difference between the two teams. Bentley connected on 10 of 20 from deep while the Owls were only 4 of 17. The Falcons also had the edge at the line, making five of six. In contrast, Southern attempted only two and made just one.

Bentley outshot the visitors 41-37 percent and had a one-rebound advantage, 40-39.

Next on the slate for the Falcons is a Tuesday night game at Pace University.