WALTHAM, Mass. - The fifth-seeded Saint Michael's College women's basketball team lost to No. 1 Bentley University, 69-55, during a Northeast 10 Conference Championship semifinal on Thursday evening in the Dana Center.
 
The Purple Knights, who returned to the NE10 semifinals for the first time since 1992, are eighth in the latest NCAA East Region rankings and await a potential inaugural NCAA Tournament berth, as eight squads from the East will qualify. The bracket will be unveiled during the NCAA selection show on Sunday at 10:30 p.m. The Falcons were ninth in this week's Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) national poll and first in the East Region rankings.
 
RECORDS

• Saint Michael's (15-13), Bentley (22-3)

SAINT MICHAEL'S LEADERS

• Sophomore Margaret Montplaisir (Portsmouth, N.H./Portsmouth), 14 points, 2-for-5 three-pointers
• Junior Amber Furch (Los Angeles, Calif./Brentwood School), 9 points, 3 steals
• Junior Bella Franchi (Colonie, N.Y./Colonie Central), 8 points, 3 assists, 3 steals, 4-for-4 free throws
• Junior Jayla Tyler (Albany, N.Y./Colonie Central/Saint Rose), 8 points, 3 steals
• Junior Ashlee Talbot (Dracut, Mass./Dracut), 7 points, 3 steals, 3-for-6 field goals
• First-year Jasmine Becotte (Pelham, N.H./Lawrence Academy), 7 points

OPPONENT LEADERS

• Senior Julia Elie, 19 points, 8-for-10 field goals
• Sophomore Brennan Doran, 19 points, 6 rebounds, 6-for-8 field goals
• First-year Cherish Bryant, 14 points, 5-for-8 field goals
• Senior Cassidy Yeomans, 6 assists, 6 steals

GAME FACTS

• The Purple Knights returned to the NE10 Championship semifinals for the first time since 1992, when they advanced to that round for the second time in three seasons.
• The Purple Knights had won five of their last six games.
• Montplaisir became the seventh Purple Knight to knock down at least 60 three-pointers in a season (61), moving into a tie for sixth all-time with Jes Hambley '03 and Megan Gaudreau '16, both of whom hit the total as seniors.

THE ACTION

• Tyler scored the game's first two buckets, and Montplaisir's three-pointer at 6:25 of the first quarter still had her team up by four at 9-5. Bentley responded with a 20-5 run to lead 25-14 by 1:23, as the hosts made their first 10 field goal tries.
• An 11-2 run brought Saint Michael's within 29-27 on Talbot's driving lay-in at 3:43 of the second quarter, but the Falcons slowly extended their lead back to 11, at 42-31, heading into halftime.
• Bentley opened the second half with 10 of the first 12 points to push its advantage to 52-33 before Montplaisir scored the first five points of a 7-0 counter that brought her team within 12 by 2:32.
• The Falcons went back ahead by 19 points (59-40) on Elie's lay-up with 35 seconds to go and were still ahead 63-50 on Bryant's free throw with 5:33 left in regulation.
• Montplaisir knocked down a jumper at 3:18 before Becotte buried a three-pointer to produce a 63-55 margin at 2:44, but the visitors missed a three at 2:04 with a chance to make it a two-possession game. Bentley put the game out of reach by scoring on each of its next three possessions.