WALTHAM, Mass. – After climbing out of a 24-point deficit with outstanding second-half defense, the Bentley University Falcons were edged by Stonehill College in overtime, 76-73, Thursday night in Northeast-10 Conference women's basketball at the Dana Center.

Bentley, which limited the Skyhawks to 16 second-half points after giving up 52 before intermission, slipped to 11-5 overall and 9-3 in the NE10. They remained atop the conference's Northeast Division standings but saw the margin over Southern New Hampshire slip to a half-game.

Stonehill (7-6, 6-5), which was only 1 of 25 from three against the Falcons when the two teams met back in November (a 62-51 Bentley win), was red hot from downtown in the first half while building an advantage that peaked at 24, 48-24.

The visitors, who entered the game with a .248 accuracy mark from deep, sank 12 of 20 with senior forward Kayla Raymond (Easton) leading the way. She sank four of five in the opening quarter and finished the half six of seven for 18 points.

The second half was a completely different story with Bentley limiting Stonehill to just two of 13 shooting in the third quarter and three of 13 in the fourth. The Falcons closed to within four by the end of three and used a 9-2 run at the start of the fourth to go up 64-61. Seven of those points were scored by sophomore guard Maggie Whitmore (South Portland, Maine/South Portland HS).

It was a three-point Falcon lead when senior guard Kari Brekke (Appleton, Wis./ Appleton North HS) hit two free throws with 44.8 seconds to play. But Raymond wasn't done, throwing in her seventh triple with 38.0 on the clock to tie it at 68. Both teams had chances in the final stretch but neither could capitalize.

Four free throws to start the extra session put the Falcons up four, but they would be outscored 8-1 the rest of the way. Brekke had a final shot at a three, but her long buzzer-beater rimmed out.

Graduate forward Autumn Ceppi (Bedford/Dana Hall School) and freshman guard Amanda Kabantu (Portland, Maine/Portland HS) each had 14 points for Bentley, and Brekke followed with 13. Whitmore and junior guard Ella Thompson (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove HS) both added nine points.

Raymond, before fouling out early in the OT, scored a game-high 24 points while knocking down seven of 11 from deep.

Bentley, just two of 15 in the fourth quarter and OT, shot only .343 overall. Stonehill finished at .397 overall and was 13 of 29 from downtown, despite being just 2 of 11 after the break.

The Falcons will look to bounce back Saturday when they play a 1:30 pm game at St. Michael's College.