MANCHESTER, N.H. – Graduate guard Aaron Latham (Glastonbury, Conn./Glastonbury HS) became the 58^th player in program history to reach the 1,000 career point plateau and sophomore forward Cooper Farrall (Valparaiso, Ind./Culver Academies) scored 26 points as Bentley University won its fifth straight, 83-73 in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball Saturday afternoon at Stoutenburgh Gymnasium.
 
Bentley improved to 15-8 overall and 12-5 in the NE-10, remaining in sole possession of third place in the conference. Saint Anselm slid to 14-11 overall and 9-8 NE10.
 
Keys to the victory included a 13-6 advantage in three-pointers, a 42-31 dominance on the boards, and a commanding 18-3 edge in second chance points.
 
The Falcons jumped out to a 25-15 lead midway through the first half with 12 of the points coming on second chance opportunities. The surge finished with a 17-3 run that included seven points by Latham, including a free throw for his 1,000^th career point, and four off the bench by junior forward Chase Clarke (Bloomfield, N.J/Newark Academy).
 
Over a span of about four minutes surrounding the halftime break, Bentley ran off a 16-2 run to extend the lead to 20, 51-31.
 
Saint Anselm battled back, drawing to within seven with about eight minutes to play. Coach Jay Lawson's Falcons responded by scoring 13 of the next 17 points, including five from Farrall, to restore the differential to 16, 77-61, with just over three minutes left.
 
The Hawks got back to within nine with a minute remaining. But the Falcons secured the outcome with a slam by Farrall and two free throws from sophomore guard Dre Roman (Loiza, P.R.).
 
Farrall made nine of 16 shots, including four of seven from deep, while posting his fourth game of the season with at least 25 points. He also had seven rebounds and three assists.
 
Bentley's list of five in doubles also included junior guard Cash McClure (Readfield, Maine/Maranacook HS) with 14, Latham with 13, and both Roman and graduate forward Ivan Misic (Toronto, Ont.) with 11.
 
Bentley's plus-11 rebound advantage included 11 from McClure and ten off the bench from Clarke. McClure flirted with a triple-double with his seven assists one shy of his career high.
 
The Falcons, 14-4 in its last 18 games after a 1-4 start to the season, had a slight shooting advantage, .395-.379, and totaled 20 assists on 29 baskets.
 
Bentley's next game is Wednesday night at St. Michael's College.