WALTHAM, Mass. — The conversation is seamless. It’s not as if Tyler McFarland, Keegan Hyland and Alex Furness actually complete each other’s sentences – although sometimes they do – but as soon as one stops talking, another jumps in to punctuate the thought.

It’s all part of the bond the three Maine basketball products have forged during their careers on the Bentley University men’s basketball team.

Tyler McFarland, who played for Camden Hills High, not only averages more than 23 points per game, but should become Bentley’s all-time leading scorer. SportsPix photos/Courtesy of Bentley University

Keegan Hyland of South Portland took a well-documented road to Bentley, but while there, has made a big impression.

They are the leading scorers for the Falcons (21-8), who are heading to the NCAA Division II tournament for the first time since 2011.

“There’s certainly a sense of camaraderie among the Maine guys,” said Furness. In fact, there are three other Mainers on the roster, the latest in a long line of players from the state who have played at the Northeast-10 school.

McFarland, a 6-foot-5 forward from Rockport and Camden Hills High School, and Furness, a 6-6 guard from Wells, are seniors. Hyland, a 6-4 guard from South Portland, is a grad student, his path to Bentley taking a well-documented circuitous route that brought him first to three Division I programs (Gonzaga, Vermont and Fairfield).

McFarland is averaging a team-high 22.7 points and 7.5 rebounds. Hyland is right behind him at 20.7 points and 7.3 rebounds, while leading in assists (3.1) and steals (1.2). Furness is next at 14.0 points and second with 2.9 assists.

McFarland is second on the school’s all-time scoring list with 2,097 points, just seven away from being No. 1. Hyland is 26th on the all-time list with 1,362 points – while playing in just 76 career games. Furness is 41st on the list with 1,061 points.

“They’re each very unique in their own rights,” said Falcons Coach Jay Lawson. “Tyler McFarland is one of the finest men who have ever come through this athletic department and school in my 30 years here. And so is Keegan Hyland. And quite frankly, Alex Furness also.

“They’re just really grounded. And they’re a pleasure to just show up every day. They’re very low maintenance and they care tremendously about each other.”

Not surprisingly, the three players live together on campus, with two other seniors on the team. They share the same passions for academics – Hyland and McFarland were recently selected to the CoSIDA Division II Academic All-America team (the second straight year for Hyland) – and basketball.

“We’re as close as can be,” said Hyland.

When they are on the court – sometimes joined by at least one of the three other Mainers on Bentley’s roster, sophomore forward Nick Burton of Falmouth, and freshmen forwards Kyle Bouchard of Houlton and Zach Gilpin of Hampden – you can see what he means.

In a Northeast-10 semifinal win last week over Stonehill, a team they will face for the fourth time this season in the first round of the NCAA tournament, they looked for each other whenever things tightened. The trio scored 25 of Bentley’s final 29 points – Bouchard getting two key foul shots with 24 seconds left – in the 89-84 victory.

Furness started it with a 3-pointer, followed by 10 consecutive points by Hyland, including two draining 3s. McFarland, who led the Falcons with 28 points, assisted on all three of those 3s. He later assisted Furness’ second 3-pointer from the left corner in that stretch.

“It’s all about playing with each other and trusting each other,” said Furness.

“The trust we’ve developed on and off the court kind of enables us to do that,” said Hyland. “I know if Furn misses 10 3s in a row, I’m still throwing him the ball because I don’t want anyone else in the world shooting. Same with Tyler.”

“We’re all capable of scoring,” said McFarland. “That’s why we can pass up (a shot) because we know we can all hit them.”

Hyland noted that when they were younger they might not have passed up on some of their shots. What has helped them this year is the development of other players on the roster, like Bouchard, or junior guard Ferguson Duke, who had 16 in the semifinals, or sophomore Brandon Wheeler, who had 19 in the quarterfinals.

“When we were younger we’d force things or try to do everything ourselves,” said Hyland. “I feel we’re much better in trusting our teammates, playing in the flow of the game, taking what presents itself and making the right passes.”

Lawson said the three of them had to learn quickly. McFarland and Furness started as freshmen while Hyland quickly jumped into the starting lineup two years ago, when he was finally healthy. Their maturity now is a result of on-hands experience.

McFarland often competes against much bigger players inside but uses his strength to overpower them. And he has added a deadly 3-point shot. Furness, who described himself as always wiry, combines his skills in many areas. And Lawson said, “If you nap on him, we have three legitimate scorers on the floor at once.”

And once Hyland was healthy, Lawson said he gave the Falcons “two of the best scorers we’ve ever had in this program.”

His ability to create his own shot off the dribble is exceptional, but Lawson added, “It’s also his relentless competitiveness, his work ethic that’s off the charts.”

Bentley has long been a landing spot for Maine players, going way back to Charlie Wootton – recently announced as an inductee into the Maine Basketball Hall of Fame – in 1974-78. He hails from the same hometown as McFarland. “I talk to him,” said McFarland. “I tell him he paved the way here for me.”

Then there was Mike Mastropaolo of Falmouth from 1998-2002, Jeff Holmes of Cheverus from 2003-07, Sam Leclerc of Winthrop from 2010-12, and Andrew Shaw of Saco and Thornton Academy. Shaw graduated last year and, Hyland said, “I love him as close as a brother. All those other guys paved our way.”

And, McFarland said, they hope they are doing the same, proving that the Division II level is worthy of consideration.

“I have no regret ever coming here,” he said. “We spent the best basketball of our lives, I would say, here – the most competitive, the most challenging, the most rewarding. I hope we’re (paving the way) for people behind us.”

Lawson said if there’s a common bond, it may be Carl Parker, the Bangor High boys’ basketball coach who had Hyland and McFarland on his AAU team.

Both players said Parker was instrumental in their careers. “He was one of the guys who was a big motivator for me,” said McFarland. “He really helped us bring our games to the next level and realize our potential.”

Parker doesn’t want to take much credit. He said he saw greatness in both of them when they played for him.

“There’s something about kids who are driven and something about the quality of kids who persevere through a lot of things and are willing to put themselves out there, to think not only about themselves but their teammates,” said Parker. “Those guys at a young age had those kind of leadership skills.”

Parker also coached Bouchard and Gilpin, and said the older Mainers have taken them under their wings. And they feel the younger Mainers will contribute soon. “They’re all pretty valuable,” said Hyland.

More than anything, Lawson hopes his Maine Three are remembered for the leadership and character they provided more than their points and rebounds.

“We chose these guys because of their high character,” he said. “I scrutinize that more, the older I get, than I look at their jump shot or their athleticism. And certainly we’ve got to look at their grades here at Bentley.

“We’re proud of what they’ve done. But more than that, we’re happy for them. They’ve gone through a lot and have worked hard and now, in their senior years, they’re reaping the benefits.”

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