WALTHAM, Mass. – Guard
Amanda Kabantu (Portland, Maine/Portland HS) helped celebrate her own Senior Day by scoring 15 points, and graduate forward
Maggie Whitmore (South Portland, Maine/South Portland HS) added 13 as Bentley University, the fourth-ranked team in Division II, won its 18
th consecutive game, 58-39 over Assumption University in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball Saturday afternoon.
The Falcons improved to 22-1 overall and 14-1 in the NE10 while holding a fourth consecutive opponent to 45 points or less. Coach
C White's team continue to lead the conference by three games, and with five regular season games left, lowered their magic number for clinching the regular season title to three.
Following a slow start, Bentley ran off 15 straight points, a run that bridged the break between the first and second quarters, to go up ten at 21-11. That included five from Kabantu, four from sophomore guard
Niya Morgan (Swampscott/St. Mary's HS), and a three-point play by Whitmore.
With Assumption (13-11, 6-10 NE10) within five two minutes into the third quarter, Bentley put the game out of reach by scoring 14 of the next 16 points. Kabantu added another five points and junior post
Julia Elie (Rockland/Rockland HS), who had a solid game off the bench, helped with four.
The Falcon advantage in the final stanza remained in double figures, peaking at 18, 55-37 with just over a minute left.
Bentley shot 39 percent overall and made five of its 11 three-pointers. Meanwhile, they kept Assumption to just .286 overall and only one triple in 12 attempts. Rebounds (37-33), turnovers (7-12) and points off turns (12-3) also favored the Falcons.
Kabantu and Whitmore (5 rebounds) were joined in doubles by Morgen, with 11 points on five-of-seven shooting. Senior forward
Kylie DuCharme (Wilmington/Wilmington HS), who was also honored before the game, added seven points, ten rebounds and four assists. Elie was also a factor with four points, eight rebounds and two steals.
Senior forward Marina Callahan (Burlington) led Assumption with 15 points, nine rebounds, three steals, two blocks and two assists.
Bentley will remain at home for a Wednesday night game against Franklin Pierce University (5:30 pm).
