When and Where: February 25, 2025 – Waltham, Mass. (Dana Center)
Score: #3 Bentley University 87, Southern New Hampshire University 54
Records: SNHU 11-15 (7-13 NE10), Bentley 27-1 (19-1 NE10)
Graduate student
Stephanie Davis (Windham, N.H.) and sophomore
Abby Wager (Mansfield, Mass.) each scored 12 points, but the Southern New Hampshire University women's basketball team capped the regular season with an 87-54 loss to third-ranked Bentley University on Tuesday evening at the Dana Center.
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
- Davis – 12 points (5-11 FG, 2-3 FT), 5 rebounds, 3 assists
- Wager – 12 ppints (5-9 FG, 2-4 3-FG)
- Junior Meghan Gordon (Attleboro, Mass.) – 9 points (4-10 FG, 1-3 3-FG), 4 rebounds
KEY MOMENTS
- Southern New Hampshire jumped out to a 7-3 lead in the opening 1:40 behind a pair of baskets from Davis. Bentley responded with a 17-6 run, however, to take control at 24-13 with 2:05 to play in the first quarter. A Gordon 3-pointer sparked a 6-2 period-ending run to trim the SNHU deficit to 26-19 at the end of one.
- Bentley used an 11-2 rush in the middle of the second quarter to balloon its lead to 46-26 with 2:43 remaining. An 8-2, half-ending spurt – highlighted by 3-pointers from Wager and sophomore Ava Winterburn (New Boston, N.H.) – pulled the Penmen within 48-34 at the break.
- The Falcons opened the second half by scoring 14 of the first 21 points to grow their lead to 62-41 just past the midway point of the third quarter. Bentley would score the final six of the frame to take a commanding, 71-46 advantage.
- Bentley closed the game with 12 straight to watch the final margin swell.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Winterburn tallied six points (2-6 FG, 2-3 3-FG), four rebounds and two assists.
- Senior Sydnie DeVries (Monson, Mass.) gathered six points (2-5 FG, 2-2 FT), five rebounds and a pair of helpers.
- Freshman Samantha Pfeil (Methuen, Mass.) netted six points (2-6 FG, 2-2 FT).
- Freshman Taylor Brennan (Southbury, Conn.) chipped in three points (1-2 FG, 1-1 3-FG).
- Bentley outshot Southern New Hampshire, 50.7 percent (34-67) to 38.9 percent (21-54), including 48.1 percent (13-27) to 35.3 percent (6-17) from beyond the arc. Both teams were 85.7 percent (6-7) from the stripe.
- The Falcons captured the glass (40-25) and the paint (40-26), scored more points off turnovers (18-0), second chance points (11-0) and on the fast break (5-0), received more scoring from their bench (36-9) and submitted a more impressive assist-to-turnover ratio (24/9-10/13).
NOTES
- Southern New Hampshire ends the regular season dropping four-in-a-row.
- Bentley, ranked third in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division II Coaches Poll, extends its winning streak to 23 games. The Falcons have not lost since Nov. 20.
- SNHU earns the No. 9 seed for the upcoming NE10 Championship and will travel to eighth-seeded Saint Michael's College on Friday (Feb. 28) for an NE10 Championship first round tilt. The teams split the regular-season series, with each team protecting its home court.
- Bentley leads the all-time series, 51-9, and has won six of the last seven, including two straight. SNHU had captured two of the last three meetings in Waltham, including a 72-71 victory on Feb. 7 of last season. Bentley sweeps the regular-season series after defeating the Penmen, 70-55, in Manchester back on Jan. 2.
- SNHU drops to 71-41 (.634) since the 2021-22 season started.
WHAT'S NEXT
- The ninth-seeded Penmen travel to eighth-seeded Saint Michael's College on Friday (Feb. 28) at 6 p.m. for an NE10 Championship first round contest.
