Division II Bentley on historic streak

Streak? What streak?

After 52 straight regular-season wins, the Bentley College men’s basketball team, is a victory away from breaking a 63-year-old Division II record. But coach Jay Lawson’s players didn’t even know about it until they tied the mark this week.

Lawson said he won’t even mention the record to his team before Bentley takes on St. Michael’s today.

“That doesn’t mean anything, honestly,” he said. “In the end, athletes and coaches want to win championships and this doesn’t have anything to do with trying to do that. In fact, it will get in the way if we think it’s something important.”

The mark Bentley tied was set in 1945 by Langston University in Oklahoma.

A win today would not only set a new mark, but bring Bentley, the top-ranked team in Division II, one win away from its second straight undefeated regular season.

Its last loss came in the NCAA quarterfinals last season to Winona State.

Bentley, located in Waltham, Mass., is better known for its business program than basketball, even though it is a perennial conference power and has had 13 straight winning seasons.

Opposing coaches said the team has put its run together by relying on tough defense and versatile, unselfish players.

“They have incredible team chemistry, guys know their roles. It’s like a dream for a coach,” said St. Michael’s coach Tom O’Shea, who hasn’t discussed the streak with his team and isn’t sure he will.

“I prefer not to like the people I’m playing against,” said Max Good, coach of rival Bryant University in Smithfield, R.I. “But I do respect their coaches, I do respect their players.”

Bryant was the last team to beat Bentley (25-0) in the regular season, with an 88-78 double overtime win on Feb. 18, 2006.