Bentley University women’s basketball team wins Division II East Regional

The prospects of the Bentley University women’s basketball team advancing to the Division II Elite Eight were looking slim heading into the second half of the East Regional final against Holy Family University.

The Falcons found themselves in an uphill battle, trailing by 12 points on their home floor. However, if there is one thing Bentley knows how to do, it’s how to cope with adversity and take the reins of a game. Led by East Regional Most Outstanding Player Kylie DuCharme, the Falcons silenced the Tigers, outscoring their counterparts by a 46-25 margin in the final 20 minutes en route to a 72-63 victory on March 17.

The triumph is the 29th in a row for Bentley, who will move on to challenge Union University in the national quarterfinals in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Monday afternoon.

“I am just overwhelmed with pride and excitement,” head coach C White said. “These 15 players did everything possible to make this happen. It didn’t come to them — they made it happen. The grit, the tenacity, the no-quit mindset is just so amazing to watch every day. It’s the bond and trust they have developed.”

The regional final win truly was a balanced display from the Falcons. Four players netted double figures in points as the Wilmington native DuCharme garnered 15, senior guard Amanda Kabantu notched 16 and graduate student Maggie Whitmore plus sophomore guard Niya Morgan contributed 13 apiece.

“That final game is just stuck in my brain,” said White, who played in two Elite Eights herself during her tenure on the Bentley roster. “The comeback was just so epic.”

The battle capped off a memorable weekend at the Dana Athletic Center. The Falcons thrilled the local crowd over the course of three contests, knocking off the University of New Haven on Friday before squeaking by Saint Anselm College on Saturday night.

“I’m not sure that the second-half comeback happens without our sixth man,” White said about the fans. “The student section was phenomenal. That is a huge reason our players had the energy and the ability to keep on that defensive pressure. It was everything.”

The decision to award DuCharme with the Most Outstanding Player award was not contested by anyone. The senior lit it up with 25 points and 14 rebounds against Saint Anselm one night after gathering 25 and eight boards to top New Haven.

“She is really stepping up exactly when we need her to,” White said. “Kylie has just been so good. All of a sudden, she is playing her absolute best basketball, and she has certainly stepped up when we have needed her to. It’s not just on the offensive end. She is filling it up in every way.”

The team received some valuable recovery time this past week before departing Waltham for the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse. 

“Any time we get a chance to give the players two days off, we do it,” White said. “Even if it means one day of prep for a really good team, what is best for their bodies is rest. I love how the players have had their everyday routine. Nothing is different. They sleep in their own beds, they wake up, they go to class, and they don’t do anything different. They are not going to treat these games any differently than the ones they have been playing all year.”