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Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Tracey, Jacques Team for 37 as Bentley Explodes Past Saint Anselm, 83-53

WALTHAM, Mass. -- Senior forward Brian Tracey (Bow Mar, Colo./Heritage HS) hit five of six three-balls en route to a game-high 21 points and sophomore guard Greg Jacques (Brockton/St. Sebastian’s HS) scored 14 of his career-best 16 points in just eight first-half minutes as Bentley University exploded past Saint Anselm College, 83-53, in Northeast-10 Conference men’s basketball Tuesday evening at the Dana Center.
            
Bentley, which maintained a lead of at least 25 points over the contest’s final 19 minutes, recorded its third consecutive win and improved to 3-2 overall (2-0 NE-10). The loss was the first for Saint Anselm (1-1 NE-10) after three double-digit victories to open the season.
            
After falling behind 13-8, Bentley erupted for 48 points over the next 17-and-a-half minutes while yielding only 11 during that time. That amazing run put the Falcons up by 32 points at 56-24 with more than 17 minutes still on the game clock.
            
Following a three by freshman Allen Harris (Roslindale) that gave the visiting Hawks the five-point early lead, Bentley embarked on a 39-11 explosion of the final 15 minutes of the half, taking a 47-24 advantage into the break.
            
That run began with a steal and lay-up by sophomore guard Mike Topercer (Scottsdale, Ariz./ New Hampton Prep), a Jacques fast-break lay-up and the first of Tracey’s treys.  After a Hawk trifecta interrupted the surge, Bentley resumed with nine straight points. Graduate guard Mike Quinn (Oakdale, Conn./Montville HS) sank a three, sophomore forward Dan O’Keefe (Lexington/Lexington HS) had a pair of baskets and Jacques scored to make it 24-16.
            
An eight-point lead with 6:40 to play in the half ballooned to 23 at intermission, with a Jacques corner three putting the final touches on the dominating first half of play.
            
Perhaps the most amazing stat from the opening half was that Bentley’s bench accounted for 22 points, nearly matching Saint Anselm’s total as a team.
            
The Falcons stayed hot after play resumed, scoring the first nine points. Senior forwards Joe Fremeau (Manchester, N.H./Central HS) hit a jumper in the paint, Quinn scored on a fast break, junior guard Sam Leclerc (Fayette, Maine/Winthrop HS) buried a three, and Tracey followed with a short jumper.
            
Tracey hit three triples in the span of a minute midway through the second half and with nine minutes left to play, the Falcons had doubled the Hawks at 76-38.
            
Tracey, who matched his season norm and surpassed 1,100 points for his career, also claimed a game-high seven rebounds. Jacques made seven of 11 shots, with two triples, and also had five rebounds and two assists in 16 productive minutes. Quinn finished with 14 points and O’Keefe reached double figures for the first time as a collegian, with 10 points, four rebounds and two blocks in 15 minutes off the bench.  Leclerc and Fremeau each helped with eight points.
            
Bentley shot 50 percent while limited the visitors to just 32 percent, and buried 12 of 25 from outside the arc. The Falcons had a 40-29 advantage off the glass, doubled the Hawks in the paint (32-16) and scored 21 points off 19 Saint Anselm turnovers.
            
Harris led Saint Anselm with 14 points and six rebounds, and senior All-Conference guard Thomas Baudinet (Watertown, Conn.) struggled through a 4-of-17 shooting night, his 10 points less than half his season average.
            
Bentley’s next action is Sunday afternoon, a 3:30 meeting at Southern New Hampshire.


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