Alasdair Fraser put Maine ahead 56-54 with eight seconds left, all but dispelling Binghamton’s 12-point second half comeback. But senior guard Jimmy Gray raced down the floor and answered with a three with 3.4 seconds left to lift the Bearcats (3-16, 1-5 America East) over the Black Bears (7-11, 2-3 AE), 57-56.
The triumph marked the first America East victory for head coach Tommy Dempsey as well as the team’s first road win this season. It also snapped a 12-game skid dating back to Nov. 28.
Binghamton trailed 32-21 at halftime, and with 14 minutes left, Maine held a 39-27 advantage. But led by senior guard Mike Horn, the Binghamton defense dug in, applying pressure in the 2-3 zone to fluster the opposition.
The Black Bears repelled the initial Bearcat run, as Jon Mesghna buried a three in response to a 5-0 spurt and keep Maine ahead by 10. Then, junior forward Roland Brown and freshman guard Jordan Reed scored two buckets apiece, and senior forward Javon Ralling hit a foul shot to cut the deficit to 44-41. Mesghna answered with another three, but Gray responded with a trey of his own on the following possession, sparking a quick 7-0 run that resulted in the Bearcats’ first lead, 48-47.
The teams traded baskets the rest of the way, until Maine couldn’t answer Gray’s game-winner on a heave.
Gray finished with 14 points, four assists, and three rebounds. He was the only Bearcat to bury a three, converting 4-of-9 from beyond the arc.
Reed scored 20 points on 10-of-21 shooting from the floor, adding 10 rebounds for the eighth double-double of his career. He finished with four offensive boards, two of which resulted in key baskets for Binghamton in the second half.
Ralling scored nine points after tallying six in the first half.
The Bearcats shot 57 percent in the second half while holding Maine to 35.6 percent on the game.
Here’s what was said on Twitter:
Media timeout at 11:59, UMaine leads Binghamton 11-8; BU’s zone and its deliberate offense have made this a half-court game
— Pete Warner (@colscribe) January 19, 2013
MBB: 10-0 run for Maine and the Black Bears now lead 24-13 with 5 min left
— Binghamton Athletics (@BU_Bearcats) January 19, 2013
MBB: Very physical inside both paints today. Maine up 32-21 after Ralling works for a layup with 24 seconds left
— Binghamton Athletics (@BU_Bearcats) January 19, 2013
15:11 to play, UMaine leads Binghamton 36-27… 2-3 zone still slowing Bears in half-court offense
— Pete Warner (@colscribe) January 19, 2013
MBB: Reed is in double figures for 16th time in 17 collegiate game, has team-high 10
— Binghamton Athletics (@BU_Bearcats) January 19, 2013
MBB: Reed picking it up now, has 14 pts and 7 rebs and BU within four, 44-40
— Binghamton Athletics (@BU_Bearcats) January 19, 2013
Binghamton rattles off a 16-3 run to take the lead, Ali Fraser at the foul line with UMaine trailing 50-49, 3:51 to play
— Pete Warner (@colscribe) January 19, 2013
Binghamton, on the other hand, very impressive
— One-Bid Wonders (@onebidwonders) January 19, 2013
MBB: Reed hits jumper in lane to tie it at 54-54 with 33 seconds left!! Maine timeout
— Binghamton Athletics (@BU_Bearcats) January 19, 2013
MBB: Gray wins it with a 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
— Binghamton Athletics (@BU_Bearcats) January 19, 2013
Jimmy Gray’s 3-pointer with 3.4 seconds left lifts Binghamton to a 57-56 America East victory over UMaine
— Pete Warner (@colscribe) January 19, 2013
YOU CAN PUT IT ON THE BOARD… YESSSSSSSSSSSS Binghamton has scored an America East win, and one on the road…
— One-Bid Wonders (@onebidwonders) January 19, 2013
Black Bears couldn’t solve Binghamton’s 2-3 zone and wound up losing to the cellar-dwelling Bearcats, who had lost 12 in a row
— Pete Warner (@colscribe) January 19, 2013
YES!!!!!! JIMMY GRAY!!!!!!!!!!
— Jimmy Rezucha (@Carbuff27) January 19, 2013
Jimmy Gray!!!!!!!!!!!!
— Chris Strub (@ChrisStrub) January 19, 2013