WALTHAM, Mass. – Some might say it's becoming an annual tradition. For the fifth consecutive year, the No. 9 Bentley women's basketball is preparing to play in the Northeast 10 Championship game. The top-seeded Falcons host #2 seed Southern Connecticut Sunday, March 8, at 1 p.m.

The Bentley standard
Sunday marks the Falcon program's fifth consecutive appearance in the NE10 Championship game – and it's the fourth time in those five years that the title game is in Waltham. Bentley has reached the conference championship in nine of the past 10 seasons.
 
Taking care of the quarterfinal
Bentley opened its postseason with a 69-55 win over Saint Michael's in the NE10 Quarterfinals. Julia Elie and Brennan Doran put up nearly identical numbers against the #5 seed Purple Knights. They each scored 19 points while pulling down four rebounds. Both of those Falcons missed only two shots - Elie shot 8-for-10 from the floor, and Doran shot 6-for-8. Those two weren't the only Falcons to put up career-best numbers in Bentley's postseason opener. Cassidy Yeomans swiped a career-high six steals, and she dished out six assists. Freshman Cherish Bryant was a huge spark off the bench, matching her season high in scoring with 14 points.
 
Owls swooping through
Southern Connecticut has faced little resistance through its first two postseason games. The Owls beat #7 Adelphi, 76-39, in the opening round of the NE10 Championship, and they beat #6 Southern New Hampshire, 71-54, in the NE10 Quarterfinal.
 
Season split
Bentley and Southern Connecticut split their season series during the regular season. The Falcons won in Waltham, 75-62 (Jan. 4), and the Owls won in New Haven, 57-39 (Jan. 31). The latter matchup remains Bentley's lowest offensive output of the season in terms of points and field-goal percentage (26.2-percent). Niya Morgen averages 15.0 points against SCSU this season, and Kayana Armbrister averages 9.5 rebounds between the two games against the Owls.

O, Captain! My captain!
Senior captain Cassidy Yeomans made her 100^th career start in the NE10 Quarterfinal against Saint Michael's. For her career, the floor general has more than twice as many assists as she does turnovers.
 
Efficiency is key
Bentley leads the NE10 in field-goal percentage by making 44.7-percent of its shots from the floor. No other team is shooting better than 42.0-percent. Julia Elie (49.7-percent) and Kayana Armbrister (48.1-percent) are the top two leaders in the NE10 for field-goal percentage, while Cherish Bryant (47.2-percent) ranks sixth.
 
Conference respect
Bentley head coach C White was named the NE10 Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season, as the Falcons totaled seven end-of-season honors from the conference. Junior Niya Morgen was named to the All-NE10 First Team, and junior transfer Kayana Armbrister earned All-NE10 Second Team. Seniors Cassidy Yeomans and Julia Elie were placed on the All-NE10 Third Team, while Elie was also named to the NE10 All-Defensive Team. Cherish Bryant earned NE10 All-Rookie.
 
Regional respect
Bentley (22-3) is the top ranked team in the NCAA DII East Region, allowing the Falcons the inside track to possibly host the regional championship for a third consecutive year.
 
Scouting Southern Connecticut (23-5, 16-2 NE10)
The Owls are the No. 2 in the NCAA DII East Region, and they have won 17 of their last 18 games. SCSU leads the NE10 in scoring offense (68.9) and scoring defense (53.3). Rheyna Steinauer is the conference's fourth-leading scorer, averaging 15.1 points per game. Tisharona Blackwood is the top rebounder in the NE10 with an average of 9.2 boards per game. Ally Sentence leads the NE10 in 3-point shooting, connecting on 42.6-percent of her attempts from beyond the arc.