NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Senior guard Cash McClure matched his career high with 30 points but the Bentley men's basketball team dropped an 82-78 decision at Southern Connecticut State on Saturday afternoon.

McClure's 30 is the most by a Falcon this season and matched the career high he set last season against AIC. On Saturday he was 4-8 from three and 10-10 from the foul line.

Cooper Farrall with 17 points and Mantas Zilys with 13 were the other Falcons to reach double figures in points.

After trailing by as much as 15 points in the first half, Bentley fought back and trimmed the deficit to seven, at 36-29 after a pair of free throws by McClure with 3:56 left in the half.

With the score 44-34 at halftime, the Falcons continued to chip away in the second half. A layup by Joe Carroll made it a 48-45 game with 15:37 remaining.

The Owls pushed their lead back and led 78-64 with 3:08 remaining. But Bentley went on a 14-4 run over the next two-plus minutes. McClure had the final eight points of the run.

Two free throws and a layup by McClure on consecutive possessions got the Falcons to within 82-78 with 22 seconds remaining.

A turnover by the Owls gave Bentley the ball right back, but they were unable to score on their next possession and Southern Conn hung on.

The Falcons (13-7, 6-5 NE10) next play on Wednesday night when they return home to the Dana Center to face Saint Anselm.