Falcons Become NE10's Automatic Qualifier.
MANCHESTER, N.H. – For the second consecutive year and the 22nd time in program history, the Bentley Falcons are the Northeast-10 Conference Women's Basketball Champions.
Coach C White's Falcons, who entered the tourney as the number four seed, claimed their latest title Sunday with a wire-to-wire 61-49 victory over third-seeded Southern New Hampshire University at a full SNHU Field House. Bentley will receive the automatic berth to the NCAA Division II East Regional and will find out where and who they'll play next during the NCAA Selection Show tonight at 10:30 pm (NCAA.com)
Junior forward Maggie Whitmore, whose three-ball from the left wing 13 seconds into the game gave Bentley a lead they would never relinquish, was named the championship's Most Outstanding Player She finished with 17 points, ten rebounds, one assist, one steal and a block.
Whitmore was joined on the All-Championship team by senior guard Ella Thompson and freshman post Ciara Norman. Thompson scored 15 points, including eight in the final stanza to help hold off the Penmen, and Norman, a team-best plus-20, put up a 12-point, 11-rebound double-double.
Bentley, 21-9, had an 8-0 lead by the time the game was 75 seconds old. Following the Whitmore trey, Kabantu scored on a lay-up and freshman guard Cassidy Yeomans stuck a three from the left wing.
"It wasn't easy, it didn't seem wire-to-wire to me. It seemed like a back-and-forth game" said White, who has been involved in 14 of Bentley's championships as a player, assistant coach and head coach. "It was our defense that built us the lead and it was the defense that carried us."
"The veterans on this team know out to pull through," said Whitmore, who is a key part of a team that has won seven straight and nine of its last ten. "We have to be locked in for every play, every possession matters, and I think you saw that today."
The opening quarter ended with Bentley on top 21-12, following a three-point play by Norman with six seconds left.
Bentley opened the second quarter with five straight to double up SNHU, 26-13. Graduate guard Kari Brekke connected from deep and Whitmore hit a 14-footer.
At the half, the score stood at 35-24 following a put-back from junior guard Janessa Gonzalez.
Despite scoring only nine points in the third, the Falcons added a point to their lead by limiting the 21-7 Penmen to eight points on 4-of-19 shooting.
SNHU closed to within eight points with 6:57 left in the fourth, 46-38, but two free throws from Norman and Thompson returned the difference to a dozen. It got down to eight one more time, with 1:08 to play, but both Whitmore and Thompson each sank two from the stripe to lock up the championship.
In addition to the three players who scored in doubles, Bentley received eight points off the bench from Brekke. Freshman post Julia Elie helped out with six rebounds and two blocks, and Kabantu collected five offensive boards in addition to playing solid defense.
Senior guard Adriana Timberlake and junior guard Julia Colby each scored 12 for Southern New Hampshire. Timberlake, the conference Player of the Year, shot only 4 of 13 with four of her attempts blocked.
Bentley had the advantage in rebounds (48-38) and steals (8-5) while limiting SNHU to one of its lowest point totals of the season. The Penmen shot only 35 percent, made only three of 12 from downtown and missed eight of 20 free throws. That field goal percentage was actually better than Bentley's .328, but the Falcons made seven three pointers and 16 of 22 from the line.
Bentley, which was playing in its 32nd championship game, improved to 3-0 against SNHU this season with all decided by exactly 12 points. It was the first-ever championship game appearance for the Penmen.
The NCAA East Regional will get underway on Friday.
-Recap provided by Bentley athletic communications-
Elite 24 Award:
Megan Deans, SNHU
All-Championship Team
Maggie Whitmore, Bentley *
Ciara Norman, Bentley
Ella Thompson, Bentley
Ariana Koivisto, SNHU
Adriana Timberlake, SNHU
*Most Outstanding Player
NE10 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
First Round Friday, February 24th:
Game 1: #4 Bentley 59, #13 Saint Michael's 39
Game 2: #12 Franklin Pierce 57, #5 New Haven 49
Game 3: #11 Saint Rose 77, #6 American International 63
Game 4: #7 So. Connecticut 72, #10 Adelphi 66
Game 5: #8 Pace 60, #9 Saint Anselm 48
Quarterfinals Sunday, February 26th:
Game 6: #8 Pace 49, #1 Le Moyne 47 (OT)
Game 7: #2 Assumption 60, #7 So. Connecticut 44
Game 8: #3 So. New Hampshire 69, #11 Saint Rose 55
Game 9: #4 Bentley 70, #12 Franklin Pierce 54
Semifinals Thursday, March 2nd (at highest remaining seeds):
Game 10: #4 Bentley 57, #8 Pace 52
Game 11: #3 So. New Hampshire 67, #2 Assumption 60
Championship Sunday, March 5th (at highest remaining seed):
Game 12: #4 Bentley 61, #3 So. New Hampshire 49
ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 13 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.
Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
