WILMINGTON, Del. – Bentley University, the No. 9 ranked team in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Division II preseason coaches poll, used a 14-2 closing burst to pull out a 72-61 win over Goldey-Beacom University Friday afternoon in the season-opening Goldey-Beacom Tip-Off Tournament.
 
Senior forward Kylie DuCharme (Wilmington, Mass./Wilmington HS) led the Falcons with 22 points and eight rebounds, and sophomore guard Niya Morgen (Swampscott, Mass./St. Mary's HS) followed with 16 off the bench.
 
Bentley, which trailed for most of the first half, was down 59-58 when Falcon captain and graduate forward Maggie Whitmore (South Portland, Maine/South Portland HS) came up with a smothering block with just under four minutes to play.
 
Whitmore finished the ensuing possession with a scoop lay-up to give the lead back to the Falcons and launch the game-ending run. Following a defensive board by Morgen and an offensive rebound from senior guard and captain Cassidy Yeomans (Marion, Mass./Tabor Academy), Whitmore scored on a drive to make it 62-59.
 
Following the final basket of the game by the Lightning, Yeomans drained a three-pointer and Bentley had its biggest advantage up to that point, 66-61.
 
A Whitmore d-board led to a fast break lay-up by Morgen with 1:38 remaining. Kabantu took a charge with 81 seconds left, Morgen made two from the stripe with 46.2 on the clock and the Falcon defense closed out the win with steals by Whitmore and Morgen, and a Morgen fast-break basket.
 
Bentley trailed by eight points twice in the first half, 14-6 and 32-24, but closed to within four on the break as DuCharme netted four in the final minute of the second quarter.
 
In the third quarter, coach C White's team took a slim lead four times but the Lightning kept responding. A corner three from graduate guard and captain Brooke Obar (North Yarmouth, Maine/Greely HS) with 56 seconds left send Bentley into the quarter break up one, 46-45.
 
DuCharme, whose offensive efforts kept Bentley close during the three quarters, had 11 in the first half and another seven in the third. She made seven of 11 shots, a three-pointer and all seven of her free throws, and also had two steals, two assists and a block.
 
Morgen drained a trip of three-pointers en route to 16, and both Whitmore and Kabantu finished with 10 points.
 
Sophomore guard Farrah White (Wilmington, Del.) led Goldey-Beacom with 13 points.
 
Bentley made two more three-balls than GCU, 7-5, and had a big advantage at the line. The Falcons converted 17 of 21 while the home team attempted only nine free throws, making eight.
 
Rebounds also favored Bentley, 38-26, with Whitmore matching DuCharme's eight. Offensive rebounds were 11-3 and second chance points finished 12-3.
 
The season-opening tournament will continue Saturday with Bentley taking on Wilmington at 11 am.