Worcester, Mass. (February 6) -- On Thursday night at Laska Gym, the Assumption College men's basketball team dropped an 89-48 final to visiting Bentley University in Northeast-10 Conference action.

After a slow start for both teams over the game's opening five minutes, Assumption built to a 16-12 lead with 13:26 left in the half after a three from sophomore Chris Fitzgerald (Somerset, Mass./Northfield Mt. Hermon). A three from Bentley's Keegan Hyland pulled the visitors within one before the Falcons took the league for good at 18-16 on a Tyler McFarland three-pointer with 11:11 remaining in the first half. Assumption cut the lead to 22-21 on a three from sophomore Julian Aiken (Randolph, N.J./Randolph) before a 12-3 Falcon run over the next 4:53 staked Bentley to a 33-25 lead with 4:39 left in the first.

A layup from junior captain Jimmy Zenevitch (Methuen, Mass./Central Catholic) ended the run, but the Falcons then closed with eight unanswered points to take a 41-27 lead into the halftime break. Assumption shot 29.4 percent from the field in the first half and 30 percent from three-point land, but held a convincing 24-17 edge in rebounding. Freshman Reilly Reid (Mississauga, Ontario/Lorne Park Secondary School) led the Hounds with six points in the half as seven Assumption players scored in the period. Bentley was led by eight points from Hyland as the Falcons shot 53.8 percent from the field and knocked down six three-pointers in the opening half.

In the second half, the Falcons put the game out of reach quickly as the visitors led by 22 at 55-33 with 15:31 left following a Hyland three. Andrew Shaw's layup with 8:08 left made it a 31-point game at 74-43 and the Falcons eventually led by 45 points before coming away with the 89-48 final. Bentley closed the game on a 22-3 run over the final 9:12 to clinch the win.

Aiken was the lone Hound in double figures with 14 ponts, while Zenevitch led the team in rebounding with seven boards. For the game, Bentley held a slight 42-40 rebounding edge, but Assumption had a 19-6 advantage on the offensive glass. The Hounds shot 27.7 percent from the field, 17.6 percent from three and 40.9 percent from the free throw line.

Bentley was led by 15 points from Hyland as five Falcons finished in double figures. He also led the team in rebounding with eight boards in 20 minutes off the bench. The visitors shot 57.4 percent from the field as a team, hit 10 three-pointers and were 17-for-22 from the free throw line.

With the loss, Assumption falls to 5-15 overall and 3-12 in Northeast-10 Conference play, while Bentley improves to 15-7 and 9-7 in the league.

Assumption is back in action on Saturday afternoon as the Hounds travel to Franklin Pierce University for a 3:30 p.m. start in Rindge, N.H.

For the latest on Assumption College Athletics, follow the Hounds via social media on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. For more information, contact the Office of Athletic Communications at 508-767-7240.