MANCHESTER, N.H. -- Junior forward Elise Caira (Wakefield, Mass./Arlington Catholic HS) scored a game-high 17 points and senior post Colette Josey (Boston, Mass./Framingham HS) was a force at the defensive end, finishing with 12 rebounds and six blocks, as Bentley University topped Saint Anselm College, 56-47, in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball at the Stoutenburgh Gym Tuesday night.
Bentley, with its third start-to-finish win of the season and 11th straight win in the series, improved to 4-1 overall and 2-0 in the conference. Saint Anselm, which entered the game averaging less than 50 points a game, dropped to 1-3 overall and 0-2 NE-10.
The Falcons opened the game by scoring the first six points and finished the first half the same way, the two runs the big reason Bentley held an 11-point lead at the break, 29-18. Jumpers in the lane by sophomore guard Katherine Goodwin (Goffstown, N.H./Governors Academy) and Josey and two free throws by junior guard Kim Brennan (Locust Valley, N.Y./Locust Valley HS) accounted for Bentley's 6-0 start.
Saint Anselm, scoreless for the first 4:10 of the game, was blanked for the final three minutes of the half as well after drawing to within five. During that scoreless drought, Bentley was able to extend its lead with a Josey free throw, a three-ball from sophomore guard Meghan Thomann (Andover, Mass./Andover HS) and two more Josey free throws.
Following a lay-up and two free throws by Caira, Bentley's lead was again at 11, 47-36, with 3:43 left on the clock. However, Saint Anselm would not go away, scoring the next six points, including two free throws and a 17-footer from freshman forward Morgan Frame (Waterville, Maine), to close to within five, 47-42 with 1:55 left.
Bentley used the entire 30-second clock and just beat the buzzer with a three-point attempt from sophomore Lauren Massie (Fairfax Station, Va./West Springfield HS). It dropped through the net for her only points of the night, and only third triple of her career, putting her team up eight with 1:20 left.
Bentley, which missed as many free throws in the game as Saint Anselm took, locked up the win by making six of eight from the stripe in the final 47 seconds, including four of four by Brennan. She finished 10 of 13 from the line, matching the Hawks in that category.
Caira, in addition to the 17 points, provided Bentley with eight rebounds, three assists and two steals. Thirteen of those points came during the second half.
Brennan (12 points) and Josey (11) were the other Falcons to score in doubles, and Goodwin finished with eight.
Saint Anselm was led by sophomore transfer guard Epiphany Smith (Springdale, Ark.), who finished with 15 points, three assists and three steals. She helped keep her team close with three triples in the opening half.
Field goal percentage and rebounds for both teams were about the same, with the difference being Bentley's numerous trips to the line. The Falcons attempted 37 and made 24.
Bentley, which was playing for the fourth time in seven days, will have four days off before hosting Southern New Hampshire on Sunday (1:30 pm).
