WALTHAM, Mass. -- Senior guard John Brandt (Pawtucket, R.I./Wheeler School) provided a career-best 17 points off the bench and junior forward Brian Tracey (Bow Mar, Colo./Heritage HS) matched him in the scoring column, with 15 of his 17 coming in the second half, as Bentley University posted an 83-71 win over Southern New Hampshire University in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball at the Dana Center Sunday afternoon.
Bentley, ranked fifth in this week's NABC Division II coaches poll, rebounded from Tuesday's loss at Saint Anselm to improve to 4-1 overall and 2-1 in the Northeast-10. Southern New Hampshire dropped its second straight conference game, falling to 2-2 overall and 1-2 in the NE-10.
Bentley got off to a very slow start, missing five of its first six shots and falling behind 14-7 after close to seven minutes of play. A jumper in the paint by Tracey launched a 14-2 spurt that put the Falcons up 21-16 and the home team remained in front the rest of the way.
Tracey's basket was followed by a Brandt three-pointer that reduced the Falcon deficit to two. Two free throws by junior forward Joe Fremeau (Manchester, N.H./Central HS) evened the game at 14, and Bentley took its first lead of the game on a lay-up by freshman guard Greg Jacques (Brockton/St. Sebastian's HS).
After Southern New Hampshire ended its scoreless drought at 3:16 on a basket by freshman guard Greg DeSantis (Trumbull, Conn.), Bentley took the lead for good on a Fremeau free throw with 9:04 left. Two more free throws by junior guard Mike Quinn (Oakdale, Conn./Montville HS) and a lay-up from freshman guard Mike Topercer (Scottsdale, Ariz./New Hampton Prep) made It 21-16 Falcons with 7:41 left.
Bentley, despite playing a good share of the first half without Tracey and senior All-America Jason Westrol (Brielle, N.J./Manasquan HS) due to foul trouble, led by as many as 12 in the first half and went into the break up six, 38-32. Brandt had a game-high 11 at the break, the second straight game he's had double-digits in points in the first half.
A corner three by Westrol with 7:09 left in the second half put Bentley up 15, 70-55, but SNHU wasn't going away. In fact, the Penmen cut the margin to seven, 74-67 with 3:43 left, after a 12-4 spurt started and ended by baskets by junior forward Tory Stapleton (Rahway, N.J.).
Bentley answered by scoring the next nine points, making it a 16-point differential with 1:20 left. Tracey and Fremeau each made two free throws, Westrol made one of two, Brandt scored on a lay-up and Westrol capped the run with two more from the line.
Brandt, whose 17 points matched the entire bench production of SNHU, finished 7-of-11 overall with two three-pointers, and also had two assists and two steals. Tracey was five of nine from the field in the second half, and he also led Bentley with nine rebounds.
The Falcons also received 15 points and three assists from Westrol, who moved into 12th on Bentley's all-time scoring list with 1,475. Quinn was the fourth Falcon in doubles, finishing with 13 points along with seven assists, two steals and no turnovers. Fremeau added eight points and eight rebounds, and sophomore forward Kevin Kettl (Hershey, Pa./Hershey HS) also scored eight points (4-5 shooting).
Stapleton led Southern New Hampshire with 15 points and 11 rebounds, and sophomore forward Marcus Matthews (Valley Stream, N.Y.) followed with 14 points.
Bentley finished with a slight edge in most team statistical categories, including shooting (45-42 percent), threes (7-4), free throws (22-19), rebounds (42-35) and turnovers (9-12).
Bentley is back at home on Wednesday night for a 7:30 encounter with UMass-Lowell. That will be the Falcons' final Dana Center appearance until January.
