BOX
SCORE
MANCHESTER, N.H. - Jason Westrol totaled 30 points
as No. 13 Bentley University scored the final nine points of
regulation to force overtime and recorded a 72-66 Northeast-10
men's basketball victory over Southern New Hampshire University at
the SNHU Fieldhouse Saturday afternoon. The Falcons improved
to 21-3 overall and 16-3 in the NE-10, while the Penmen are 13-11
and 8-11 in the league.
Westrol totaled 21 of his points in
the second half and overtime and was 11-14 at the free throw
line. He also handed out five assists and made three
steals. Mike Quinn was the only other Falcon in double
figures as he totaled 18 points, going 5-8 behind the arc.
Joe Fremeau added eight points and 12 rebounds, while John Brandt
also finished with eight points.
Tory Stapleton
(Rahway, N.J.) led Southern New Hampshire with 15 points, going
7-14 from the floor, while also grabbing six rebounds.
Stephen Wood (South Jamaica Queens, N.Y.) totaled
12 points and eight rebounds, while Cory Vejraska
(Alachua, Fla.) added 10 points. Corey
Boland (Union, N.J.) chipped in with nine points and five
boards.
SNHU led 57-46 with 6:09 remaining
and held a 59-50 advantage with 4:23 left following a layup by
Stapleton. Westrol would go to the free throw line on four
straight Bentley possessions and made 6-of-8 at the line to make it
59-56 with 3:29 left. The Falcons would tie the game with
2:04 left on a Westrol baseline jumper, and neither team could
score the rest of the way in regulation.
Bentley took its first lead since
it led midway through the first half when Quinn knocked down a
three on the first Falcon possession. Stapleton would convert
a basket inside to make it 62-61 with 4:01 left, but Westrol would
push the lead back to three with his basket at the 2:42 mark.
After an empty SNHU trip, Brian Tracey would be fouled going up for
an offensive rebound and make two at the line to make it
66-61. Bentley sealed the win by going 6-8 at the stripe over
the final 42 seconds.
The hosts held a 32-21 halftime
lead, but Bentley scored the first seven points of the second half
and a Quinn three with 18:23 left made it 32-28. SNHU
reclaimed a double-digit advantage when a Hanell
Velez (Woburn, Mass.) layup with 10:19 left capped a 9-2
run and made it 46-36. The Penmen would lead by 10 points
three more times and by 11 on a Stapleton basket with 6:09 to go.
The Falcons held an early 10-6
lead, but SNHU used an 8-2 run and a tip-in by Vejraska with 9:12
left in the first half made it 14-12 in favor of the Penmen.
Southern New Hampshire closed the half on a 15-5 run and a layup 46
seconds before halftime gave the Penmen a 32-21 lead at the break.
Bentley converted 22 of its 29 free
throw opportunities (75.9%) on the afternoon, while the Penmen were
10-16 at the stripe. The Falcons were 8-20 behind the arc and
outrebounded the Penmen 38-36.
Southern New Hampshire returns to
action Wednesday night when it travels to Saint Michael's College
for a 7:30 contest.
