When and Where: December 7, 2021 – Manchester, N.H. (Stan Spirou Field House)
Score: Bentley University 75, Southern New Hampshire University 68
Records: SNHU 5-4 (2-3 NE10), Bentley 6-1 (3-1 NE10)

STANDOUT PERFORMERS

• Layman – 15 points (6-9 FG, 3-4), 3 rebounds, 2 blocks
• Sophomore Noah Kamba (Lynn, Mass.) – 14 points (5-12 FG, 3-6 3-FG, 1-3 FT), 4 rebounds, 2 steals
• Sophomore Matt Becht (Vienna, Va.) – 13 points (5-14 FG, 2-10 3-FG, 1-1 FT), 4 rebounds

KEY MOMENTS

• Bentley scored the first six points of the game, but Southern New Hampshire countered with an 11-2 run – led by six points from Kamba – to go in front, 11-8, just over five minutes into the contest. Seven lead changes and five ties would follow until a Kamba bucket with 13 seconds left in the opening half sent SNHU to the locker room with a 29-27 edge.
• The Falcons led by one a little under five minutes into the second stanza when an 8-0 blitz gave SNHU a 46-39 lead with 14:27 remaining. A Becht triple at 11:46 gave the Penmen their largest advantage of the night at 56-47. Bentley countered with a 16-4 run that put it in front for good at 63-60 with 4:35 on the clock. After the Penmen took that nine point lead, the visitors outscored their hosts, 28-12, the rest of the way.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Senior Corry Long (Cincinnati, Ohio) posted nine points (4-14 FG, 1-6 3-FG), five rebounds, two assists and two steals.
• Freshman Ethan Okwuosa (No. Haven, Conn.) recorded seven points (3-6 FG, 1-3 FT) and three boards.
• Freshman Aaron Gray (Providence, R.I.) added six points (3-7 FG), six rebounds and a pair of assists.
• After missing their first shot of the second half, the Penmen made their next 11, including five 3-pointers, in building their game-high nine-point lead. They then went 5-for-21 (23.8%), including 0-for-8 from long distance, over the final 11:03.
• Bentley narrowly outshot SNHU, 44.3 percent (27-61) to 42.4 percent (28-66), including 58.6 percent (17-29) to 48.5 percent (16-33) in the second half and 44 percent (11-25) to 31 percent (9-29) from downtown. The Falcons were also plus-7 at the line and outshot the Penmen, 83.3 percent (10-12) to 42.9 percent (3-7).
• The Falcons won the glass (42-31) and scored more points on the fast break (13-2), while the Penmen captured the paint (32-26), submitted a better assist-to-turnover ratio (15/10-10/6) and scored more points off turnovers (12-6).

NOTES

• After beginning the season 4-0, Southern New Hampshire has dropped four of its last five.
• Bentley is ranked 25th in the Division II Sports Information Directors of America (D2SIDA) National Media Poll.
• Bentley, which scored a 94-79 non-conference victory over the Penmen at home Nov. 28, leads the all-time series with SNHU, 30-27. The teams have split the last 22 meetings, including the previous six in Manchester.
• Kamba averaged 3.3 points per game over his first four contests, but is now scoring 14.2 per game over his last five.
• Becht has scored in double figures in four straight, while Long saw his four-game, double-digit scoring streak come to an end.

WHAT'S NEXT

• The Penmen return to action Thursday, Dec. 9 (7 p.m.) when they take on Dominican (N.Y.) College.
• The next home contest for SNHU is Saturday, Dec. 18 (3 p.m.) when it plays host to Pace University in a non-conference game that will air live on WGIR 610-AM at the Field House.

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