When and Where: December 21, 2019 – Waltham, Mass. (Dana Center)
Score: Bentley University 74, Southern New Hampshire University 66
Records: Bentley 9-3 (4-0 NE10), SNHU 8-4 (1-3 NE10)

Senior Karlee Ziliak (Evansville, Ind.) scored a career-high 19 points, but the Southern New Hampshire University women's basketball team absorbed a 74-66 loss to Bentley University on Saturday afternoon at the Dana Center.

STANDOUT PERFORMERS

• Ziliak – 19 points (7-14 FG, 4-9 3-FG, 1-1 FT), 5 rebounds
• Freshman Adriana Timberlake (Braintree, Mass.) – 14 points (6-12 FG, 2-3 3-FG), 7 rebounds, 2 assists
• Junior Gyanna Russell (E. Hampton, Conn.) – 13 points (5-13 FG, 3-3 FT), 3 rebounds, 2 steals
• Senior Molly Terry (Shrewsbury, Mass.) – 10 points (4-9 FG, 2-6 3-FG), 3 rebounds, 3 steal, 2 assists
• Senior Victoria Dean (Plymouth, Mass.) – 7 points (3-10 FG, 1-1 FT), 5 rebounds

KEY MOMENTS

• The Penmen held a 14-11 edge when a Timberlake layup with eight seconds left in the opening frame ignited an 11-3 run that would give the visitors their largest lead of the day at 25-14 with 4:02 left in the half. Russell and Terry contributed four and three points, respectively, to lead the balanced stretch.
• Bentley responded by ripping off 31 of the next 41 points to grab its biggest advantage of the contest at 45-35 with 4:12 on the clock in the third quarter. Ella Thompson's 10 points were the most during the run, while Katie Meriggioli added seven.
• SNHU which nudged as close as one the rest of the way, trailed by four at 70-66 with under a minute remaining and had a chance to make it a one-possession game, but could not convert and Bentley went 4-for-4 at the line to seal it.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Megan Lewis led all scorers for Bentley with 22 points (7-16 FG, 6-9 3-FG, 2-4 FT), while also grabbing 12 rebounds. Monica Viapiano (5-12 FG, 1-1 FT; 11 points, 10 rebounds) and Meriggioli (4-10 FG, 1-5 3-FG, 2-2 FT; 11 points, 10 rebounds) also posted double-doubles for the Falcons.
• Both teams shot an identical 25 of 70 (35.7%) from the field, while the Falcons held a 34.5 percent (10-29) to 27.6 percent (8-29) edge from downtown.
• Bentley was also better from the stripe, 82.4 percent (14-17) to 72.7 percent (8-11).
• The Penmen gathered more points off turnovers (13-5), while the Falcons owned the glass (54-36), collected more second chance points (12-5) and fast break points (22-3), and featured a better assist-to-turnover ratio (14/15-9/12). The paint was even (28-28).

NOTES

• Southern New Hampshire had its four-game winning streak snapped, while Bentley has now captured four straight and six of its last seven.
• Bentley, which leads the all-time series, 44-6, has now won six of the last eight meetings with SNHU, including three straight.
• Timberlake had not played in two-and-a-half weeks after missing the two previous contests with an injury. She came off the bench for the first time all year to score her 14 points in 28 minutes.

WHAT'S NEXT

• The Penmen are back in action Sunday, Jan. 5 (1:30) when they play host to Stonehill College at the Stan Spirou Field House. The game will air on WGIR 610-AM.

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