What was supposed to be a game to stay near the top of the standings turned into an effort to keep a rout from getting out of control. The Binghamton University women’s basketball team struggled early and fell to host Albany, 80-60, in an America East Conference clash on Wednesday.
The Bearcats (6-13, 4-2 AE) were aiming for their fifth conference win this season as well as their fourth straight road win against Albany. Instead, the Bearcats struggled out of the gate, shooting 28 percent and committing 14 turnovers en route to a 42-21 halftime deficit.
‘We didn’t handle Albany’s intensity well at all,’ said BU head coach Rich Conover. ‘They got us out of rhythm and we did not shoot the ball well at all.’
With BU trailing 24-16 with 9:31 remaining in the first half, the Great Danes, led by Tanika Thrower, turned up the heat with an 18-5 run. The Bearcats entered the half down 21.
Sophomore guard Erica Carter led the Bearcats with 14 points, shooting 3-for-3 from 3-point range. Senior center Laine Kurpniece tallied 11 points and a game-high eight rebounds.
The lowly first half left Conover searching for answers.
‘We didn’t have the defensive energy or focus we needed and Albany made us pay,’ he said.
Binghamton is averaging 19.25 turnovers in its last four losses, and the high number of turnovers has served to put the Bearcats in early deficits.
‘We’ve played some good defensive teams, and handling the pressure is an area where we definitely need to improve,’ Conover said.
The Bearcats have struggled mightily on the road this season. They sport a 1-9 record away from Vestal, and with half of their remaining schedule on the road, BU will need to search for the solution fast.
Binghamton returned to form in a second half that saw the Bearcats shoot a blistering 57.7 percent from the floor. BU was finally able to overcome Albany’s defensive stranglehold but the Bearcats could not contain the Danes’ explosive scorers.
Conover said the second-half improvements could be useful as a springboard to handling pressure in future AE games.
‘We handled the ball very well in the second half,’ Conover said. ‘When we’re aggressive we do well, we’ve got to take the initiative and play our style of the ball,’ he said.
Binghamton heads to Maine on Saturday for a conference showdown that is set to start at noon.