After a rough start to the season, the Binghamton men’s basketball team needed a big run to get its confidence back, and its record back to respectability. And while we were all home celebrating the New Year, that is exactly what happened.
The Bearcats have played with better consistency and improved defense, and got several players back from injury. The Bearcats went 7-3 over the break, and are now riding high heading into the rest of the season, which a month ago seemed destined for underachievement.
North Florida
The break started with a 71-64 home win against North Florida. Binghamton was led by senior Andre Heard’s 26 points and senior Sebastian Hermenier, who had a career-high 24 points and added 10 rebounds.
The Bearcats trailed the whole game until junior Troy Hailey nailed a three-pointer with two minutes left, part of a 20-6 run the Bearcats used to close out the game. Sophomore Mike Gordon added nine assists and eight rebounds and the victory over the Ospreys was Binghamton’s first home win of the season.
Albany
That good feeling was short lived though as the Bearcats lost their conference opener the following week at Albany, 70-65. Despite a career-high 29 points from Hailey, the Great Danes had four players in double figures, and their stingy defense allowed Binghamton only seven field goals in the second half.
Binghamton pulled within one point with a minute to go, but the Great Danes hit their free throws down the stretch, preserving their lead and the win. Adding insult to injury, Gordon was limited to only a few minutes of playing time in the second half after taking a blow to the face, breaking his nose.
Central Connecticut State
It was more of the same a few days later at Central Connecticut State, as the Bearcats lost another close game, 72-68. The Blue Devils scored with 15 seconds left, taking a two point lead after having trailed by nine early in the half, and then hit two free throws to ensure the win.
The Bearcats were led by Heard and Hailey, who had 22 and 18 points, respectively. Gordon added 14 points despite playing with a mask to protect his face. And more important than the loss, Binghamton suffered another injury, only this one more devastating, as sophomore Jordan Fithian broke the fifth metatarsal in his foot. He is not expected back until the end of the season at the earliest.
Idaho State
After a week off for Christmas, Binghamton traveled to take part in the Utah State Classic, and got back in the win column with a 59-46 victory over Idaho State. The Bearcats overcame a slow start and a sluggish finish, beating the Bengals despite connecting on only five field goals in the second half, including just one in the last 14 minutes.
Heard led the team again with 17 points and Hailey added 14. The game also featured strong performances by sophomore Giovanni Olomo, who grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds in his first collegiate start, and freshman Ian Milne, who scored nine points and had four rebounds in his first game back from injury.
Utah State
Again, though, Binghamton was unable to keep the momentum going as they suffered its worst loss of the season the next night to Utah State in the championship game of the tournament by a score of 81-47. The game was close for the first 10 minutes, but a 21-0 run by the Aggies put the victory out of reach by halftime.
New Hampshire
Despite being soundly beaten in their 2005 finale, the Bearcats started 2006 strong with a 62-49 win at New Hampshire. In his first collegiate start, Milne scored 21 points, including going 5-for-6 from three-point range, and grabbed 10 boards. Heard added 21 points, and Olomo continued to be an inside presence, pulling down 10 rebounds.
In evening out its record in conference play, Binghamton broke open a close game in the second half, holding the Wildcats without a field goal for eight minutes, and pushed its lead to 20, clinching the victory.
Stony Brook
The Bearcats continued to improve in their next game as they beat Stony Brook 63-54. Heard led the team in scoring again with 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while Hermenier added 15 and 10. Binghamton used a 45-30 rebounding advantage and an early second-half offensive run to increase its lead over the Seawolves to 15.
Maine
Momentum continued to build for the Bearcats at Maine with a 71-53 drubbing of the Black Bears. Heard continued his solid play with a season-high 26 points, while Hailey contributed 15 in a game that saw Binghamton hit a season-high 12 three-point shots.
A 20-7 run and solid defense in the second half helped propel Binghamton to the win. Steve Proctor also made his debut in a Bearcat uniform, coming back from a wrist injury that had sidelined him all season.
Boston University
Despite struggling offensively, Binghamton pushed its winning streak to four games against Boston University, winning a squeaker 48-47. Duane James had six points and seven rebounds, and was a huge presence on the defensive end.
The Bearcats’ defense was tough down the stretch as they held onto a six point lead with under five minutes to go, despite scoring only two points the rest of the way. The Terriers cut the lead to one several times but missed potential game tying shots and free throws, allowing Binghamton to hang on.
Hartford
And last week at Hartford, in what was a see-saw game, Binghamton came up with the big play in the final seconds to beat the Hawks 57-55. With the game tied and Hartford setting up to take the final shot, Hailey stripped the ball away. Gordon recovered the loose ball and drove the length of the floor to put in the game winning layup with only one tenth of a second to go. Milne led the Bearcats with 12 points and five rebounds, while Hermenier contributed 10 and six.
Heading into Wednesday’s showdown with Vermont, the Bearcats stand at 8-9 on the season and 5-1 in conference play. Right now, their 0-5 start is nothing but a memory as the Bearcats have stormed back, and seem ready to make noise as they head towards the conference tournament.