WALTHAM, Mass. – The trio of graduate guard Aaron Latham (Glastonbury, Conn./Glastonbury HS), junior guard Cash McClure (Readfield, Mass./Maranacook HS) and sophomore forward Cooper Farrall (Valparaiso, Ind./Culver Academies) combined to make 10 of Bentley University's season-high 19 three-pointers, helping the Falcons shoot past Franklin Pierce University, 87-74, in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball Tuesday night on the Dana Center's Barbara Stevens Court.
 
McClure topped the scoring list, finishing with 18 along with six assists and three steals. Latham, 5-of-10 from downtown and now four points shy of 1,000 for his career, filled the stat sheet with 17 points, three blocks, two steals and three assists, and Farrall posted his sixth double-double, with 17 points and 12 rebounds.
 
Bentley, winners of four straight and 13-4 since Nov. 26, improved to 14-8 overall and 11-5 in the conference. The Falcons moved into sole possession of third in the conference, just one game back of second-place Pace.
 
It was a dominant start and a strong second-half for coach Jay Lawson's team, which used a 42-17 explosion to turn a one-point deficit 40 seconds into the second into a commanding 79-56 advantage with just under seven minutes to play.
 
The Falcons opened the contest with 15 unanswered points, keeping the visitors off the scorebook for the  first 6:27. Junior forward Chase Clarke (Bloomfield, N.J./Newark Academy) had four off the bench and the team's first successful long balls of the night were launched by graduate forward Ivan Misic (Toronto, Ont.), junior forward Joe Carroll (Cedar Grove, N.J./Don Bosco Prep) and Farrall.
 
A minute later, Franklin Pierce (3-21, 2-15 NE10) began its own 15-0 run and by the time the first half clock hit 9:43, the Ravens had an 18-17 lead.
 
Bentley was nine of 22 from deep in the first half and went into intermission with a 37-36 advantage. The Falcons made nine three-pointers but were hurt by seven turnovers and the scoring of Franklin Pierce graduate guard Donte Pope (Middletown, Conn.), who had 20 of his 33 points in the first half.
 
After the Ravens scored the opening trey of the second, Bentley scored 14 of the next 15 points to take a lead it would never relinquish. That surge featured two trifectas from Misic, five points from Latham and a McClure three-pointer.
 
A 14-5 run, that included another four triples, put the game out of reach, making it 79-56 with 6:52 left.
 
In addition to five three-pointers from Latham, the barrage of long balls included four-of-six from Misic, three apiece from Carroll and Farrall, and two each from McClure and sophomore guard Dre Roman (Loiza, P.R.).
 
The two teams combined for 27 threes as Franklin Pierce was 11 of 27, including a six of ten effort from Pope.
 
Bentley outshot the visitors 48-42 percent overall, including 59-41 percent in the second half, and had a 40-32 rebound advantage. Assists favored the Falcons, 23-11, and the Ravens committed four less turnovers, 9-13.
 
The next three Falcon games are on the road, beginning Saturday at Saint Anselm College.