WALTHAM, Mass. – Backed by four returning starters – and then some – high expectations surround the No. 24 Bentley men's basketball team when the Falcons open their 2025-26 season this weekend.

The Falcons head to New Jersey for the CACC/NE10 Conference Challenge, Nov. 14-15. Bentley tips off against Dominican (N.Y.) Friday, followed by a game against the host – Caldwell – Saturday.  

Senior guard Cash McClure and junior forward Cooper Farrall lead Bentley's returners from a 2024-25 squad that placed second in the Northeast 10 regular season with a 14-6 conference record.  

McClure was named to the All-NE10 First Team last year. Overall for the season, he averaged 16.4 points and 7.0 rebounds. McClure also earned All-Region honors from both the D2 Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA), and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC).

McClure's prowess wasn't limited to the hardwood. He was also named an Academic All-American by the College Sports Communicators (CSC) last year.

Farrall had an outstanding sophomore season in 2024-25. He led the Falcons in both scoring (16.8) and rebounding (8.3) for the season.

Ivan Misic returns for Bentley as a graduate student. He started 52 of 58 games through the previous two seasons. During that two-year stretch, the big man shot 42.6-percent from beyond the arc.

Senior Joe Carroll made 24 starts a year ago. Similarly to Misic, Carroll's 3-point prowess as a big helps to space out Bentley's offense. He shot 44.9-percent from 3-point range last year.

Senior forward Chase Clarke played exclusively off the bench last year, averaging just over 21 minutes per game. The big bruiser scored in double figures 11 times last year, and he totaled 8+ rebounds on nine occasions.

Bentley also returns junior guard Dre Roman, who made 10 starts and appeared in all 28 games last year.

Sophomore Jordan Elliott is the leading candidate to slide into the starting point guard role that was previously held by Aaron Latham '25 for the past three seasons.

Bentley head coach Jay Lawson expects to run a nine-man rotation most games. Sophomore trio Osiris Nalls, Taj Smith, and Mantas Zilys can anticipate to get a fair share of run in any given game.

The 2025-26 home opener is a non-conference game against Assumption, Nov. 25. The first NE10 game of the year is Dec. 6 against Saint Michael's in Waltham.

Bentley was picked by conference head coaches to win the NE10 title this season, according to the NE10 Coaches Preseason Poll. The Falcons are ranked No. 24 nationally in the NABC Preseason Poll.