SMC outscored 55-44 after halftime; Bentley wins 10^th straight

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Contact: Seth Cole - Phone: 802.654.2537

Box Score: http://www.smcathletics.com/sports/wbkb/2010-11/files/wbenstm.htm.

COLCHESTER, Vt. – The Saint Michael's College women's basketball team (4-5, 2-4 Northeast-10 Conference) lost its second home overtime contest in the last month on Sunday, falling to Bentley University, 82-79, in league action at the Vincent C. Ross Sports Center.

For Bentley (10-1, 7-0 NE-10), ranked 24th in this week's NABC/Division II National Coaches' Poll, freshman Lauren Battista (North Easton, Mass./Oliver Ames) led all players with 20 points and 13 rebounds off the bench, making 8-of-11 shots from the field. Senior Kim Brennan (Locust Valley, N.Y.) added 19 points and nine assists, while sophomore Courtney Finn (Winthrop, Mass.) and freshman Jacqui Brugliera (Fitchburg, Mass.) netted 11 points apiece. The win was Bentley's 10th straight following a season-opening loss, and improves the Falcons record to 51-2 all-time versus Saint Michael's.

For the Purple Knights, senior Logan Pintka (Schenectady, N.Y./Colonie Central) tallied a team-best 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the field. Junior Coreen Hennessy (Chatham, N.H./Fryeburg Academy) added 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the floor, while sophomore Megan Olsen (Glenmont, N.Y./Bethlehem Central), in her first game of the season, tallied a career-high 12 points off the bench. In Saint Michael's last home game, the Purple Knights fell in overtime to Saint Anselm College, 59-56, on December 7.

Saint Michael's opened the game strong, as the Purple Knights scored seven unanswered points in the opening 1:44 of the contest. The Purple Knights maintained a lead for the remainder of the half, pushing their advantage to 35-27 at intermission. Pintka's 10 points on perfect 5-of-5 shooting from the field led all players in the first half, as Saint Michael's shot 57 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes (16-of-28).

Bentley quickly recovered to start the second half, as the Falcons scored the first 10 points of the period to take their first lead of the game, 37-35, with 15:43 left in regulation. Neither team led by more than five points for the remainder of the tightly-contested game. Pintka evened the score for the final time at 71-all on a pair of free throws with 31 seconds left in the second half, and a missed jumper by Brennan in the waning seconds of regulation forced the extra session.

In overtime, Saint Michael's scored the first four points, and still led by four, 79-75, with 2:35 to go following a driving lay-up by Olsen. Those were the final points the Purple Knights would score, however, as Bentley ended the contest on a 7-0 run. Brugliera gave the Falcons the lead for good with a jumper with 2:12 left, and a game-changing 3-pointer with 1:24 to play, and following a pair of Falcon free throws, a 25-foot 3-point attempt by Saint Michael's junior Caitlin Quinn (Oakdale, Conn./Montville) fell short at the final buzzer. 

Both teams return to conference action on Wednesday, with Saint Michael's hosting the College of Saint Rose at 5:30 p.m., and Bentley playing at home against the University of New Haven at 5:30 p.m.

-PURPLEKNIGHTS-