Binghamton University’s 1,000-point club has a new member.
With 9:24 remaining in the second half of a must-win game at Albany, senior guard Jen Blues delivered a lay-up to crack the 1,000-point barrier, finish a career-long journey and help the Bearcats seal the victory.
The Binghamton women’s basketball team opened up on an 8-0 run and never looked back, downing rival Albany 77-56 on the road Wednesday night at the Recreation and Convocation Center. The Bearcats would finish with three players in double figures, as sophomore Laine Kurpniece led the team with 17 points and seniors Blues and Jen Haubrich each added 13.
Blues now has 1,003 points for her career, making her the ninth 1,000-point scorer in school history, and second this season. Senior forward Rachel Laws scored her 1,000th point earlier in the year at Kansas.
“We were all watching the Jen Blues 1,000-point watch all season and it was a big relief for her and the team that it happened tonight,” said head coach Rich Conover. “We were hopeful it would happen tonight and I am very happy for her.”
The game was all Bearcats, all night. After the 8-0 run, Binghamton managed to stretch the lead to 25-10 before settling down a little and heading into halftime up by 12.
“It went really well tonight,” Conover said. “We jumped on them early and came out with a lot of intensity. I’m really proud.”
Albany (6-20, 2-13 AE) would come as close as eight in the second half, but the Bearcats (15-11, 8-7 AE) answered back by scoring seven of the next 10 points. Laws converted after grabbing an offensive rebound and Blues drilled a three-pointer to put the game away for good.
Laws started for the second consecutive game, and registered nine points and nine rebounds, making her ankle sprain look like a distant memory.
The game snaps a five-game road losing streak for the Bearcats, who hadn’t won away from the Events Center since Jan. 4. The turnover woes that had existed on the road all season seemed to melt away, as the Bearcats gave the ball away only 11 times, opposed to 17 from Albany.
The victory, coupled with a UMBC loss, puts Binghamton in sole possession of fourth place in the America East. The Bearcats have also regained the swagger they possessed earlier in the year.
“We obviously tried to put that tough streak behind us,” Conover said. “We’re ready to get some momentum rolling into the tournament.”
The Bearcats will have one more test before the playoffs, as they head to Vermont to take on the seventh-place Catamounts Saturday afternoon. Binghamton has never won at Patrick Gymnasium.
“It’s gonna take a great team effort,” Conover said. “It’s going to be their Senior Day, and the emotions will be flowing just like at our Senior Day. We really wanna keep this streak going, but it’s going to be tough.”