WALTHAM, Mass. – Graduate forward Maggie Whitmore (South Portland, Maine/South Portland HS) and sophomore guard Niya Morgen (Swampscott/St. Mary's HS) combined for 27 points and five three-balls in ten attempts as Bentley University, the ninth-ranked team in the preseason WBCA Division II coaches poll, defeated St. Thomas Aquinas College, 76-54, in non-conference women's basketball Sunday afternoon on Barbara Stevens Court.
 
Whitmore, two-of-four from deep, finished with a season-high 14 points and five assists to lead the offense. Morgen made half of her six attempts from downtown and provided 13 points and five rebounds.
 
The win in the home opener boosted the Falcons to a 4-0 start. St. Thomas Aquinas, which was held to a .304 field goal percentage, dropped to 1-2.
 
The second quarter has been a strength for Bentley all season and that was the case against the Spartans. The Falcons won the quarter 26-16 to extend a three-point advantage to 13, 43-30, and made 10 of 13 shots, including three from deep.
 
Whitmore and senior guard Amanda Kabantu (Portland, Maine/Portland HS) each scored seven in the stanza and were a combined six of eight.
 
The Falcons, still up 13 with six minutes left in the fourth, put the game away with a 11-1 run that made it a 25-point differential with 1:24 remaining, 76-51. Seven different players scored either two or three points in the quarter.
 
Joining Whitmore and Morgen in doubles were senior forward Kylie DuCharme (Wilmington/Wilmington HS) and Kabantu. DuCharme had 12 points, seven rebounds and three steals, and Kabantu finished with 11 and seven.
 
Bentley also received eight points from graduate guard Brooke Obar (North Yarmouth, Maine/Greely HS). Junior guard Cassidy Yeomans (Marion/Tabor Academy)  added seven assists and six points,
 
The leading scorer for the Spartans was senior guard Syrita Faraj (Troy, N.Y.), with 11 points and eight rebounds.
 
Bentley shot .509 overall and outrebounded STAC by 17, 45-28. The Falcons finished with a 40-16 dominance in points in the paint and second chance points favored the home team 13-2. Seven different Falcons had multiple assists.
 
The Falcons will continue a five-game homestand Wednesday with a 5:30 pm game against Adelphi University.