Despite keeping Saturday’s game against Buffalo competitive in the first half, the Binghamton men’s basketball team failed to overcome significant scoring droughts in the second half, succumbing to the Bulls (5-5), 80-64, for its third straight loss.
BU (2-7) shot just 39 percent from the field as the Bulls’ size and physicality forced the Bearcats to take low-percentage perimeter shots all game.
“We had a hard time getting the easy ones,” Binghamton head coach Tommy Dempsey said. “We were trying to get the ball inside but we were having a hard time scoring in there, which led to a lot more jump shots. While we did make 10 threes, it felt like at times all we could get were jump shots and that was a credit to them.”
While their defense has held together throughout the season, the Bearcats’ collective struggle to shoot has proved to be a glaring barrier that has kept them from winning games. Binghamton’s 36.2 percent clip from the field ranks 349th of 351 Division I teams this season. BU has only shot greater than a 40 percent clip twice, in its two victories against Central Connecticut and Colgate. Beyond the arc, BU has managed to shoot 31 percent, good for 265th.
On Saturday, Buffalo faced a Binghamton team that was missing a key player in freshman forward Thomas Bruce who was out for a second-straight game after suffering a concussion. Bruce is second among the Bearcats from the field, shooting 44.4 percent on the year. Also out was sophomore guard Romello Walker (shoulder), who was averaging 18.1 minutes per game this season.
The Bearcats jumped out to a 15-11 in the first before Buffalo responded with an 11-3 run. Bulls freshman guard CJ Massinburg proved to be a catalyst off the bench for Buffalo, scoring 17 points — including 14 in the first half — as Buffalo entered the break with a 38-30 lead.
Early in the second half, a lay-up by freshman guard Everson Davis followed by a jumper from sophomore forward Willie Rodriguez cut the lead to 38-34. Up by just four, the Bulls countered, going on a 13-0 run to secure a 17-point lead that Buffalo would maintain the rest of the game.
The Bulls snapped a three-game slide and seemed to be in good form following a tough road trip of their own. Buffalo lost to fourth-ranked Iowa State and eighth-ranked Duke on the trip.
“This was a game on their schedule I’m sure they felt like they had to win considering they were coming off that road trip,” Dempsey said.
The Bearcats struggled all game to keep Buffalo out of the paint, allowing 44 points from that area. Buffalo shot 47.5 percent from the field and collected 23 points off Binghamton’s 15 turnovers.
Junior guard Marlon Beck led BU in scoring with 24 points, shooting 6 of 13 from three-point range and adding six rebounds. Davis scored 10, all of which came in the second.
Plenty of Binghamton’s shots just missed the mark when the Bearcats had opportunities to claw themselves back into the game.
“Every time it looked like they were going to push the lead up and run out of here I thought our kids responded and kept fighting back,” Dempsey said. “We made a lot of big shots to keep the game competitive but at the end of the day they were the bigger, stronger, more physical team and we just couldn’t get enough stops.”
The Bearcats are set to return to action Tuesday against Saint Francis (PA). Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. from the Events Center in Vestal, New York.